1997 GMC Safari Problems

What owners report

Owner complaints for the 1997 GMC Safari center on aging visibility hardware — windshield wiper motors that quit intermittently, power window motors, and blower fans — along with transmission shifting complaints and brake pedal/ABS symptoms. Many of these show up well past 70,000 miles, so a used example should be checked for whether the wiper recall was performed and for consistent transmission and brake behavior.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers quit or work intermittently

   • 21 complaints (16%)
   • median 149,000 mi at 7.4 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2008

   Complaints describe wipers that stop mid-stroke, sometimes working again minutes later, often while driving in rain. Several owners report replacing the wiper motor or module, and one owner notes the wiper motor is part of a service campaign. Complaints also mention erratic wiper behavior alongside other electrical faults. Reported from moderate mileage up to around 90,000-185,000 miles, typically during rain.

   Recall 03V159000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 03V159000 (wiper motor controller solder joints) was completed; run the wipers on all speeds, including intermittent, and watch for stalling.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10072604, filed 2004-05, 32,804 miles

   “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, filed 2005-07
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slips, slams, or sets P1870

   • 17 complaints (13%)
   • median 112,135 mi at 7.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2005

   Owners describe harsh or delayed 1-2-3 shifts when the transmission is warm, slipping, and a stored P1870 code; some report the transmission not coming out of first gear. Others mention fluid leaks after dealer service and a loud thud or lurch on takeoff. Complaints describe dealers rebuilding or replacing internal parts without fully resolving the symptom. Mostly reported between roughly 80,000 and 120,000 miles, often after the transmission is warm.

   What to check: Test drive long enough to warm the transmission and feel for harsh shifts; ask for any stored transmission codes and service history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10030456, filed 2003-07

   “Additionally, upon repair of failed powertrain transmission and after spekaing to another Safari owner who had similair faiure, it is also apparnet that the heat sensor to the transmission failed to evoke the check engine light etc.. But the failure code was stored into the onboard computer system. This potentially hazardous situation may be occurring more frequently. I do not have any way of obtaining any failure data so that I can run some regression analysis. …”

   NHTSA complaint #747170, filed 2001-06
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Throttle sticks or engine holds high speed

   • 14 complaints (10%)
   • median 81,500 mi at 7.2 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2005

   Owners report unintended acceleration or a throttle stuck open — one complaint describes the throttle body baffle coming loose and another the throttle cable disconnecting from a sensor. Drivers describe holding the brake hard and shutting the engine off to stop. Dealers reportedly could not duplicate the problem or declined repairs due to age and mileage. Reported from about 70,000 to 107,000 miles, often during acceleration from a stop.

   What to check: Inspect the throttle body, linkage and cable for binding or loose parts; with the engine off, confirm the throttle returns freely from full open.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The throttle body on our 1997 Gmc Safari came apart sending pieces into the engine and failing in a wide open throttle condition that was not controllable by the driver. This occurred when the driver entered the freeway and the car accelerated through 85 miles per hour without any depression of the accelertor. The driver had to continuously apply brake pressure to keep speed somewhat under control. The only means to control the engine was to turn it off.”

   NHTSA complaint #10039372, filed 2003-09, 78,000 miles

   “Dt: dealer told the caller the throttle stuck was stuck in the open position. This caused the vehicle to accelerate without warning. Caller has not received a notice to have this part maintained. Dealer said they will not fix it for free. Manufacturer said because of the age and mileage they will not fix it. Caller felt it was a manufacturers defect. Caller had no idea that part was a maintenance item. Caller was sitting at a light the vehicle took off, and he had to hold the brakes hard, and turn it off to get it to stop.”

   NHTSA complaint #10127006, filed 2005-08, 107,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes to the floor / ABS drop-out

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the pedal sinking to the floor near the end of a stop, ABS cycling unexpectedly, and in some cases a loss of braking that required the parking brake. Several owners link the symptom to a wheel-speed sensor or hub bearing; others report replacing the master cylinder with no visible leaks. Reported from about 28,000 miles up to 185,000 miles, typically during low-speed stops.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask about ABS light history and front hub/sensor replacement; test braking from low speed and confirm the pedal stays firm.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This van belongs to my mother. My sister was driving the day of the accident. She is 60 yrs of age and a very good driver. Her description: just pulling away from one light & coming up to another. Wasn't going more than 20 MPH. Step on the brakes & they weren't there. The accident caused about $500 in damage to the honda auto that was struck, and similar light damage to the bumper of the Safari. I inspected system and found no leaks, and concluded that master cylinder may be failing, so I replaced it. After that repair, had excellent pedal. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10629776, filed 2014-08, 70,000 miles

   “Idler arms should not go bad at 36k miles. The dealer where we purchased has been sold. The problem was discovered when we took the vehicle for pa state inspection (annual). Obviously the idler arms did not go bad from mile 36000 to 36900. We are still within the three years and only over the mileage by 900 miles. But the dealer we took it to would not cover the problem, and charged $525.44 to replace front brakes and idler arms.”

   NHTSA complaint #706703, filed 1999-05
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel gauge reads wrong and van runs out of gas

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe a fuel gauge reading a quarter tank or full when the tank is empty, with the van cutting out while driving. Some owners report a gasoline smell and a leak at the fitting where the plastic supply hose meets the steel fuel line near the exhaust, and others report repeated fuel pump replacement after stalling. Reported between about 70,000 and 114,000 miles, sometimes at speed on the road.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Fill the tank and compare gauge readings across the range; check the fuel lines and fittings under the van for dampness or a fuel smell.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving the vehicle at night on a back road I was crossing over a railroad track and the vehicle cut out. I was able to drift over the tracks to the side of the road with my 2 children in the vehicle. The gas gauge read that the vehicle had a quarter of a tank of gas, when in fact the tank was empty. The gas gauge has not worked ever since.”

   NHTSA complaint #10000427, filed 2002-12, 80,000 miles

   “Smelled gasoline. Checked for leaks. Found gasoline leaking from the fitting where the supply line transitions form a plastic hose that originates at the fuel pump to the 3/8 inch steel fuel line. This leak was very close to the hot exhaust muffler. This is obviously a very dangerous situation and should prompt a recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10064589, filed 2004-04, 114,000 miles

Buying note. A 1997 Safari is a high-mileage vehicle, so verify that the wiper motor recall was performed and have the transmission and brakes checked on a warm test drive. Records of prior wiper, fuel gauge/sender and brake work are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.