FaultScore

1997 GMC Safari electrical problems

13 of the 200 complaints about the 1997 GMC Safari are about the electrical system — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 32,804 miles.

C

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

2

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Front Underhood 3 23.1%
12V/24V/48V Battery 2 15.4%
Interior/Under Dash 2 15.4%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 2 15.4%
Horn 1 7.7%
Wiring 1 7.7%
Electrical System 1 7.7%
Cables 1 7.7%

Electrical System across every GMC Safari year

1995 11 23.4%
1996 13 27.7%
1997 13 27.7%
1998 10 21.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

LOS Angeles, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

AT 90000 MILES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 97 GMC SAFARI SUDDENLY STARTED TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. 10 MINUTES LATER THEY MIGHT WORK FOR A WHILE. THIS STARTED HAPPENING REGULARLY. I HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS ON THE FREEWAYS OF LOS ANGELES AS A RESULT. I WAS TOLD BY ONE WEB FORUM IT WAS FAULTY LEADS DUE TO WIRE HARNESS STRESS. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND NOW AVOID THE FREEWAYS IN THE RAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10129852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Warren, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS ON CONSUMER'S TWO VANS. EACH VAN HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT'S TRANSMISSION, ALTERNATOR, MOTORS FOR DOOR AND WINDOWS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, FUEL PUMP, OXYGEN SENSORS AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. *LA THE CONSUMER HAS TWO GMC SAFARI'S BOTH 1997 MODELS. THEIR VIN'S ARE [XXX] AND [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10059141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Covina, CA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS, AND UNDERNEATH HOOD FROM THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, LIFTED UP THE HOOD, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISHE THE FIRE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.

NHTSA complaint #10089678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,804 miles Wahiawa, HI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

SEPTEMBER 1, 1999: AC PROBLEM (NOT COOLING) REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. NOVEMBER 3, 1999: LEFT DRIVERS DOOR WINDOW MOTOR REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (NOT PASSENGER SIDE AS DOCUMENTED ON THE INVOICE). JANUARY 31, 2003: I WROTE TO GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE VIA EMAIL, DETAILING SOME PROBLEMS THAT HAD DEVELOPED WITH MY VAN. I COMPLAINED THAT THE DRIVERS WINDOW MOTOR WAS INTERMITTENT AT BEST. I MENTIONED WAS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED ERRATICALLY. MY LOW SETTING ON THE AC FAN WAS INOPERABLE, AND EVENTUALLY ALL 3 LEVELS STOPPED. I HAD BEEN LIVING WITH IT FOR OVER A YEAR, BECAUSE I AM A SINGLE MOM, WORK FULL TIME AND COULDNT AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT MY TRANSPORTATION. THE REPLY I GOT WAS THAT MY VAN WAS TOO OLD, AND THINGS BREAK. THREE MONTHS LATER, I RECEIVED A RECALL CAMPAIGN IN THE MAIL FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. MAY 8, 2003: I TOOK MY VAN INTO THE CLOSEST GMC DEALER TO HAVE MY DRIVERS WINDOW MOTOR ($329.38) AND THE AC RESISTOR REPLACED ($103.24), AND PERFORM THE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR. JULY 22, 2003: RETURNED TO GMC DEALER TO REPAIR AC PROBLEM (AC BLOWS FROM DEFROSTER AND NOT FROM VENTS) THAT DEVELOPED MAY 10, 2003.($132.50) SEPTEMBER 24, 2003: RETURNED TO GMC DEALER FOR SAME AC PROBLEM THAT RETURNED JULY 30, 2003. THAT VAN WAS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ALL DAY, AND WAS NEVER REPAIRED. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR FOR WORK AND COULD NOT LEAVE IT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS VERY UNHAPPY WITH THEM. I HAD BEEN UNABLE TO LEAVE THE VAN AGAIN UNTIL JUST RECENTLY, CHOOSING INSTEAD TO LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM UNTIL SUCH TIME I COULD AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT THE CAR FOR A DAY. APRIL 20, 2004: RETURNED TO GMC DEALER FOR AC PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THE HOSE WAS BROKEN IN A DIFFERENT PLACE THAN BEFORE. (169.24). DURING THE DRIVE HOME, THE AC PROBLEM RETURNED. APRIL 29, 2004: VAN WONT START DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. I REPLACED THE BATTERY, AND STILL SAME PROBLEM RETURNS. NOW I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SOMEWHERE THAT IS KILLING MY BATTERY, AND I CANT FIND IT.

NHTSA complaint #10072604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Monica, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1997 GMC SAFARI COMPLETE POWER FAILURE WHICH NEGATES POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND IS A DANGER TO ME AND MY FAMILY! I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE POWER WILL GO OUT. IT HAS GONE OUT ON AT LEAST 10 OCCASIONS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION "SLAMS" INTO GEAR ON OCCASION AT NO SPECIFIC INTERVAL. THERE CAN BE SEVERAL DAYS SEPERATING THE INCIDENTS; NO LOGICAL PATTERN. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MARTIN CADILLAC IN LOS ANGELES AT LEAST 4 TIMES TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS FIXED AND SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS AND MAKE THE FIX.

NHTSA complaint #10030456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Monica, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

1997 GMC SAFARI COMPLETE POWER FAILURE WHICH NEGATES POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND IS A DANGER TO ME AND MY FAMILY! I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE POWER WILL GO OUT. IT HAS GONE OUT ON AT LEAST 10 OCCASIONS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION "SLAMS" INTO GEAR ON OCCASION AT NO SPECIFIC INTERVAL. THERE CAN BE SEVERAL DAYS SEPERATING THE INCIDENTS; NO LOGICAL PATTERN. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MARTIN CADILLAC IN LOS ANGELES AT LEAST 4 TIMES TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS FIXED AND SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS AND MAKE THE FIX.

NHTSA complaint #10030456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Camarillo, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

HORN WORKS ERRATICALLY. SPECIFICALLY, IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL AT HIGHER HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA complaint #9000523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Warrensburg, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING ACID FROM THE POSTIVE POWER POST WHICH IS MELTING PAINT FROM THE INNER FENDER, AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING LINES UNDERNEATH BATTERY. VEHICLE REPAIRED AT OWNER'S COST, GM TO REIMBURSE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #865184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Palmetto, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

A MALFUNCTIONING WIRING HARNESS CAUSING LOSS OF ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS. ALSO, TURN SIGNAL BECAME INOPERATIVE, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS PULLED ALL TYPES OF WIRES OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

NHTSA complaint #858791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oakdale, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

ALL THE GAUGES DO NOT WORK DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PREVIOUSLY, DEALER REPLACED GAS GAUGE. ALSO, TRANSMISSIN MALFUNCTIONED.

NHTSA complaint #847951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canon City, CO Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

THE BATTERY CABLE LINE HANGING OVER THE THE TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE GOING INTO THE INTAKE/OUTTAKE MANIFORD, WHICH CUT IT IN HALF. THE TRANSMISSION CAUGHT ON FIRE.CONTACTED THE DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #848097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dunkirk, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA complaint #528519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dunkirk, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #528519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 GMC Safari problems

← Full 1997 GMC Safari report