Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. 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. 33 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.
The 25 most recent of 33, in the owner's own words
1995 GMC SAFARI. CONSUMER STATES THE REAR SPRINGS ARE CARBON FIBER AND HAVE DELAMINATED. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IT CAUSED AN UNSTABLE CONDITION WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS THE VEHICLE'S BODY WAS NOT PROPERLY SUPPORTED AND COULD DROP ONTO THE FRAME AT ANY TIME, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE BEHAVIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 GMC SAFARI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE FRONT TORSION BAR ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SNAPPED IN HALF. THE ENTIRE DRIVER SIDE FRONT END DROPPED DOWN ON THE TIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED GM AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 156,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.
THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1995 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT SAYS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE GARAGE THEY HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE. WHEN THEY WENT OUT TO THE GARAGE THEY NOTICED THAT THE TORSION BAR SNAPPED. THE MECHANIC NOTICED SEVERAL OF THE SAME VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THERE WERE 26 COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH THE LEFT BROKEN TORSION BAR AND THE RIGHT TORSION. *SC *JB
WHEN RIGHT FRONT TORSION BAR ON ALL WHEEL DRIVE MINIVAN WAS REPLACED TWO YEARS AGO, VAN BEGAN EXHIBITING UNSTABLE, EXTREMELY SENSITIVE, AND DANGEROUS HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. REPLACEMENT OF TIRES, TWO SETS OF SHOCK ABSORBERS, AND MULTIPLE REALIGNMENTS AT MY EXPENSE DID NOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. IF I HAD NEEDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY EVASIVE MANEUVER UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, MY VAN WOULD VERY LIKELY HAVE ROLLED OVER. WHEN LEFT FRONT TORSION BAR WAS REPLACED THIS WEEK, I WAS INFORMED THAT GM HAD DEVELOPED A NEW TORSION BAR DESIGN, AND THAT I WAS NOW REQUIRED TO REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT BARS IF EITHER FAILED. THIS DUAL REPLACEMENT FINALLY SOLVED MY HANDLING PROBLEMS. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL AND REPLACE SUCH DEFECTIVE PARTS FREE WHEN THEY ENDANGER PASSENGERS! I HAVE PAID FOR REPLACING THREE DEFECTIVE TORSION BARS OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD. *JB
THE FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS VERY LOW TO THE GROUND. CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE RIGHT TORSION BAR BROKE. *AK
RIGHT TORSION BAR BROKE OVERNIGHT IN MY GARAGE.ONLY HAS 66K MILES, PARKED IN A GARAGE AT ALL TIMES. MOST ASTRO/SAFARI VANS BREAK ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT I CAN NO LONGER BUY THE 41 INCH BAR, I MUST BUY THE NEW 36 INCH BAR AND ADJUSTER ARM FOR BOTH SIDES. THE ADJUSTERS ARE WELDED INTO THE FRAME WHICH MUST BE CUT OUT AND REWELDED IN. I LIKED OUR VAN UNTIL I STARDED DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND A GM REPLACEMENT KIT FROM OVERLANDVANS.COM FOR MUCH LESS THAN THE DEALER IS ASKING. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE NHTSA DOES NOT ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS AND THE ONLY THING GM CAN SAY IS "YOUR VAN IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY". NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT ALL THE FAMILIES TRAVELING IN THESE VEHICLES. I HOPE THAT NO ONE GETS HURT, THERE WILL BE MORE FAILURES. I FEEL THERE MUST BE A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT. I FEEL THIS IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN A WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR RECALL! I WILL BE SELLING THE VAN AFTER THE REPAIR HAS BE MADE. SORRY GM, I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER ONE, THIS IS OUR 2ND AWD VAN AND WILL BE OUR LAST!*AK
LEFT FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE AS IT WAS PUT INTO GEAR FROM PARK. MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN INITIATED. CAN'T FIND REPLACEMENT TORSION BAR AND HAVE TO ORDER REPLACEMENT KIT THAT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF BOTH TORSION BARS WHICH MORE THAN TRIPLES THE REPAIR COSTS.*AK
TORSION BAR BROKE, AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED INTO THE FRONT TIRES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK
I DO HAVE 95 GMC SAFARI AWD W/99,000 MILE ON IT AND I DRIVE A LOT AT HIGHWAY ALL THE TIME. LAST MONTH JULY 31, 03 I DROVE MY VAN AT HIGHWAY EARLY MORNING TO GO WORK IT WAS FINE AND DURING BEFORE GO TO LUNCH HEAD OUT TO MY VAN AND I NOTICE MY LEFT FRT SUSPENSION WENT DOWN. I HOIST TO THE LIFT AND NOTICE IT MY LEFT FRT TORSION BAR WAS BROKEN. I CALL MY DEALER AT GMC ABOUT THE SAFETY PROBLEM OF MY VAN THEY SAID NO RECALL. I LOVE MY VAN AND MY FAMILIES RIDE WITH IT, TOO. THIS SUSPENSION IS UNSAFE AND NOW I'M AFFRAID TO PUT MY FAMILY TO THIS VAN AGAIN, VERY DANGEROUS. I SPENT $450.00 TO REPLACE BOTH SIDE TORSION BAR AND BRKT, I DO IT MYSELF. BY THE WAY I'M AUTO TECH MECHANIC FOR 18YR'S AND I DO HOPE YOU MAKE THIS CONCERN... *AK
BROKEN TORSION BARS
FRONT OF VEHICLE DROPPED DOWN TO WHEELS WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE BOTH TORSION BARS BREAKING. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A CORROSION PROBLEM AND THE DESIGN OF THE REPLACEMENT PARTS.*YH
THE LEFT TORSION BAR BROKE AND THE LEFT FRONT OF THE VAN FELL ON THE TIRE. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPEND GARAGE AND THE MANAGER SAID HE HAS SEEN SIX OR MORE OF THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE IN THE PAST SIX MOMTHS. I CONTACTED THE DELAR AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THAT VAN. THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS BEEN REDESINGED AND BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT TORSION BAR MUST BE ORDERED
FAILURE OF LEFT TORSION BAR WHILE VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, RESULTING IN THE LEFT FRONT BODYWORK DROPPING DOWN ON TIRE. THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST 55 OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME OCCURANCE REPORTED FOR THE 1995 ASTRO/SAFARI. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER FOR A SOMEWHAT LOW PRODUCTION VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS INVESTIGATED FURTHER, AS IF A FAILURE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPPEDS RESULTS COULD BE DEVASTATING. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ON THIS AS THIS PART WAS MODIFIED, INDICATING THAT THE OLD DESIGN HAD A KNOWN DEFECT. ALSO, THIS PART FAILED WITH NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF FAILURE. TORSION BARS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TORSION BAR BROKE AND CAUASED VEHICLE TO DROP. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *TT
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DROPPED ONTO WHEEL. WHILE BEING LOADED ONTO FLATBED PASSENGER SIDE DROPPED ONTO WHEEL. DEALER STATED FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE ON BOTH SIDES. TORSION BAR IS ON NATIONWIDE BACKORDER.*AK
FORNT END VIBRATES AT 70MPH, CAUSING STEERING TO SHAKE AND HARD TO CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED BOTH BALL JOINTS AND BALANCE BEAM IN FRONT. *AK
WHILE MY WIFE AND 5 SMALL CHILDREN WERE IN OUR 1995 GMC AWD SAFARI VAN, THE TORSION BAR BROKE AND THE FRONT END OF THE VAN DROPPED TO THE GROUND. FORTUNATLY THIS HAPPENED IN TOWN AND NO ONE WAS HURT. WHEN THE WRECKER ARRIVED, THE DRIVER SAID, THIS IS THE SECOND ONE THIS WEEK. WHEN I ASKED THE GMC DEALER ABOUT IT, THEY ALSO SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE OCCURED. GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS LESS THEN CONCERNED.*AK
WHILE PARKED FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK THE TORSION BARS BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE. *YH
LEFT FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE PARKED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
VAN USED TO TRANSPORT DISABLED CHILD. TORSION BAR, DRIVER-SIDE SNAPPED FOLLOWING HIGHWAY TRIP. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED FAILURE AT LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 40,000) IS RARE.*AK
TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE.*AK
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT THE FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE, BELIEVED THIS OCCUR DUE TO DEFECTED PART WITH UNDER 50,000 MILES OF WEAR; MFR'S WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:
THE SUSPENSION SPRING ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL HAD BROKEN. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE SPRING ADJUSTER HAS AN EXTENSION TUBE THAT IS IN THE SPRAY PATH OF THE FRONT WHEEL WHERE ROAD SALT AND DEBRIS COLLECTS. CONSUMER BELIEVES HEAVY CORROSION WEAKENED THE SPRING. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE, CAUSING MOMENTARY LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER NOTIFED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. ALSO, NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE IN PARKING LOT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK WHEN REPLACING THE TORSION BAR, A NEW STYLE ARM HAD TO BE INSTALLED ALSO. THE CUNSUMER WONDERS IF THE OLD AREM WAS THE CAUSE FOR BREAK DOWN. *YH
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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