RoadVitals

1995 GMC Safari Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
60
Latest Aug 31, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
31%
of 195 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
11
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 GMC Safari submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 60 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

The 25 most recent of 60, in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Aug 31, 2004

WHILE DRIVING ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10090109
Incident
Jul 23, 2004
Mileage
135,000 mi
BrakesElectricalEngine+5 more
Filed Feb 23, 2004
Crash reported

HAS BEEN REPOSSESED BY BECU AND WILL BE SOLD BY COLLATORAL RECOVERY SERVICES INC LOCATED AT: 621 37TH AT WA AUBURN, WA 98002. THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS: 1)NONE OF THE TURN SIGNALS WORK. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE SEVERAL FUSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BUT THE MALFUNCTION CONTINUES. 2)THE WARNING SOUND, FOR THE HEADLINES BEING LEFT ON WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN, NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. THE FUSE HAS BEEN TESTED AND REPLACED, BUT THE MALFUNCTION CONTINUES. 3)THE WARNING SOUND FOR THE DRIVERS SEATBELT, TO REMIND TO FASTEN THEM, NO LONGER WORKS. THE FUSE HAS BEEN TESTED AND REPLACED, BUT THE MALFUNCTION CONTINUES. 4)WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS REGARDING THE FUSES LISTED ABOVE, THERE MAY BE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE FUSE BOX IS DEFECTIVE OR THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE WIRING. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY DIAGNOSTIC TESTING BECAUSE OF THE PROHIBITIVE COSTS. 5)THE TIRES ARE RECENT PURCHASE FROM SEARS, BUT THERE ARE DEFECTS IN THE TIRES. THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE HAS A SLOW LEAK THAT HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY SEALED WITH SEAL-TITE IN A CAN (A FRIEND GAVE ME HERS). THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE ALSO HAS A SLOW LEAK, AND IVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD A CAN OF SEAL-TITE, AND HAVE JUST BEEN REFILLING THE TIRE AS NEEDED. 6)THE POWER WINDOWS MOVEMENT UP AND DOWN ARE PARTICULARLY SLOW AND THE GEARS SEEM READY TO BREAK DOWN ANYTIME. THERE MAY ALSO BE AN UNDETECTED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM HERE AS WELL. 7)THE BRAKES NEED SERIOUS WORK. THEY HAVE BEEN GRINDING A VERY LONG TIME. THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND DRUMS MAY ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE BRAKE FLUID. 8)THE VEHICLE HAS NOT HAD ITS 100,000 MILES, THE 125,000 OR THE 130,000 MILES MAINTENANCE WORK DONE. IT HAS NOT HAD A TUNE UP SINCE MY PURCHASE AND HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO PROCURE OIL CHANGES INFREQUENTLY.*AK

NHTSA ID
10058744
Incident
Oct 3, 2003
Brakes
Filed Jan 28, 2004

WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH SURFACE THE ABS ENGAGES WITHOUT WARNING. THIS SLOWS DOWN THE STOPPING PROCESS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10055949
Incident
Jan 28, 2004
Mileage
119,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THE POVER STEERING PUMP MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING LOSS OF BOTH POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. HAS THIS VEHICLE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM? LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED WHILE TURNING AROUND IN A DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON A HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID
10071279
Incident
Feb 15, 2003
Mileage
162,840 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 28, 2003

ABS MALFUNCTION ( ANTILOCK BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON ) EACU IS BAD COST $1300.00 DOLLARS AT THE DEALER . *AK

NHTSA ID
10030264
Incident
Jul 1, 2003
Mileage
35 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 27, 2003

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THEY DID NOT WORK. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10025126
Brakes
Filed Apr 12, 2002

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL START TO PULL TO RIGHT. THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPENED AT ANY SPEED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
8007507
Incident
Apr 1, 2002
Brakes
Filed Jan 27, 2002

UPON STARTING MY MOTOR HOME I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT CLEAR TO THE FLOOR WITH LITTLE OR NO RESISTANCE. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT THE TIME. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO "PUMP UP" THE BRAKES WITH NO CHANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR STATION WHERE THE INITIAL FINDINGS ARE A MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF AN EXTERNAL LEAK, BOTH BRAKE FLUID CHAMBERS ARE FULL. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN STARTED AS OF THIS DATE 1/27/02. I CALLED MONACO/SAFARI/SPARTAN (CHASSIS) AND SPOKE TO A TECH SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHO CLAIMED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE CAUSED BY AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER. NOT BELIEVING THAT A FAILURE(NO EXTERNAL LOSS OF FLUID) COULD CAUSE THIS CONDITION I CALLED BENDIX (NOW BOSCH) ENGINEERING AND SPOKE TO MR RALPH PORTER (SP). HE INDICATED THAT THEIR MASTER CYL. COULD NOT FAIL IN THIS WAY UNLESS THERE WAS A TOTAL BREAKDOWN OF THE INTERNAL SEALS IN THE CYL. WHICH WAS MOST UNLIKELY.NEITHER COMPANY INDICATED AN INTEREST IN INVESTIGATING THIS EVENT. I HAVE REVIEWED THE FED. MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STD. 105 AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THIS EVENT WAS IN VIOLATION FO THE STANDARD.*AK

NHTSA ID
757394
Incident
Jan 24, 2002
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Oct 27, 2001

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOST ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS: POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ENGINE COOLING/WATER PUMP, AND ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS OPERATED BY THE SERPENTINE BELT. MY INITIAL INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD BECOME DISLODGED FROM THE PULLEY SYSTEM. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET FAILED ALLOWING THE BELT TO BECOME DISLODGED. STILL FURTHER INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE REAR BOLT(S) HOLDING THE ALTERNATORS IN PLACE WERE MISSING ALLOWING ENOUGH DOWNWARD PRESSURE TO BE EXERTED ON THE ALTERNATOR PULLEY TO BREAK THE TWO FRONT "EARS" OF THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET AND TO THROW THE BELT OFF THE PULLEYS. THE ALTERNATOR HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE REAR BOLT(S) OF THE ALTERNATOR EITHER WERE NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED AT THE FACTORY OR THAT THEY NEED TO BE INSPECTED OCCASSIONALLY TO ENSURE THEY HAVE NOT LOOSENED AND FALLEN OUT. I HAVE FOUND NOTHING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL SUGGESTING THAT THESE BOLTS BE CHECKED AS A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE. MY GUESS IS THEY WERE NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY LOW SPEED AS THE VEHICLE BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO EITHER STEER OR STOP.

NHTSA ID
753788
Incident
Oct 27, 2001
BrakesVisibility
Filed Jul 2, 2001

COMING TO A STOP ON A DRY ROAD, THE PAVEMENT SURFACE CHANGED FROM DRY ASPHALT TO DRY,CRACKED CONCRETE. ANTI-LOCK KICKED IN WHEN NOT NEEDED AND I ALMOST REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. LATER THAT DAY, IN A DRIVING RAINSTORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR STOPPED (FOR ABOUT THE 50TH TIME) AND I WAS UNABLE TO SEE IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND MANUALLY TUG THE WIPER BLADE TO GET THE WIPERS TO WORK AGAIN. BOTH THESE ARE RECURRING INCIDENTS AND I HAVE COMPLAINTS ON FILE WITH GM, WHO HAS A RECALL ON BOTH ISSUES THAT YEAR "BUT NOT ON MY VEHICLE".*AK

NHTSA ID
747652
Incident
Jun 30, 2001
Brakes
Filed May 23, 2001

WHILE DRIVING OVER A WET SURFACE WOULD APPLY BRAKES AND ABS BRAKES WILL NOT ACTIVATE RIGHT AWAY. ALSO, RESULTS IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK CONSUMER STATES AT TIMES, THE ABS ALTERNATELY BRAKES THE RIGHT, THEN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO A SPIN/SLIDE SIDEWAYS, PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKES, PEDAL IS HIGH AND HARD, WILL NOT DEPRESS. *SLC

NHTSA ID
889011
Incident
Dec 1, 1995
Brakes
Filed Apr 5, 2001

A MALFUNCTION OCCURS WITHIN ABS BRAKE RELAY SWITCH WHICH CAUSES PEDAL TO GO TO FLOOR WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
885117
Incident
Oct 1, 2000
Brakes
Filed Mar 5, 2001

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN BRAKES GO INTO ABS MODE, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK

NHTSA ID
882084
BrakesSteeringVisibility
Filed Dec 21, 2000

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. TOWED TO DEALER WHO FOUND POWER STEERING COOLING LINE TO BE AT FAULT, SINCE IT IS CONNECTED TO POWER BRAKES THEY FAILED AS WELL. ALSO WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORK INTERMITTERNTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
876903
Incident
Dec 20, 2000
Brakes
Filed Sep 5, 2000
Crash reported

DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT ON A WET ROAD, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP IN TIME. IT EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND TO GET HIT ON THE SIDE.*AK

NHTSA ID
869508
Incident
Aug 24, 2000
Brakes
Filed Aug 26, 2000
Crash reported

MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE EVENING OF 8/24/2000. SHE WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT ON WET PAVEMENT AND REPORTED THAT THE VAN WOULD NOT STOP. IT CONTINUED INTO THE INTERSECTION. IT WAS STRUCK BY A CAR ON THE CROSS STREET AND WAS PUSHED INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE WHERE IT WAS STRUCK BY A THIRD CAR. I HAVE HEARD REPORTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH GMC VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. ALSO, OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE REPORTED INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. GMC ISSUED A RECALL OF SOME VEHICLEES LAST YEAR TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH THEIR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE CONTATCED GM AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VAN IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. NEVERTHELESS, I AM CONCERNED THAT IT EXHIBITING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
729212
Incident
Aug 24, 2000
Brakes
Filed Apr 25, 2000

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON, AND IT'S HARD TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES. WHEN CONSUMER PRESSES HARD FRONT TIRES LOCK UP. *AK

NHTSA ID
860865
Incident
Apr 12, 1999
Brakes
Filed Feb 9, 2000

WHEN TRAVELING IN COLD WEATHER AND WHEN DEPRESSING OR LIGHTLY TOUCHING THE BRAKES, VEHICLE WOULD GRAB. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
856559
Brakes
Filed Jan 10, 2000

WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH AND MAKING A SUDDEN TURN BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, PEDAL STAYS AT THE FLOORBOARD, AND VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TRAVEL. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

NHTSA ID
854842
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Dec 8, 1999

CONSUMER WAS ON TURNPIKE AND AT A STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE WHEN CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED DOWN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED ,AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT ALTHOUGH THEY KNEW THAT ITWAS A EGR VALVE. *AK

NHTSA ID
853861
Incident
Dec 7, 1999
Brakes
Filed Sep 28, 1999

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. *AK

NHTSA ID
848979
Incident
Jul 1, 1999
Brakes
Filed Aug 30, 1999

WHEN CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES PEDAL BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN EXTENDED DISTANCE. ALSO BRAKES MADE NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID
846175
Incident
Aug 30, 1999
Brakes
Filed Jul 23, 1999
Crash reported

THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE CAR AT NUMBER OF THE OCCATIONS. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ID
709088
Incident
Nov 10, 1995
Brakes
Filed Jul 22, 1999

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE WAS A GRINDING FEELING AND LOUD NOISES. DEALER HAS REPLACED BRAKE PADS NUMEROUS TIMES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
842919
Brakes
Filed Jun 18, 1999

THIS IS THE SECOND ABS REPLACEMENT IN A YEAR.BOTH TIMES THERE APPEARS NO REASON FOR FAILURE, BOTH TIMES HAVE RESULTED IN THE IMMEDIATE LOSS OF BRAKES.

NHTSA ID
707662
Incident
Jun 12, 1999

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .