1997 GMC Safari Brakes Problems

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. I BORROWED THE VAN A FEW DAYS LATER, AND WHILE DRIVING IT, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME NO BRAKE CONDITION 3 TIMES, ONCE WHICH LEFT THE FRONT END OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION (LUCKILY, NO COLLISION). I RECOGNIZED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ERRONEOUSLY KEEPING THE FRONT BRAKES FROM APPLYING, AND THAT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE NO BRAKE CONDITION. A GM MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO PULL THE ABS FUSE. I DID SO, AND NOW THE VAN HAS GREAT BRAKES, EVERY TIME. I HAVE DONE THE SAME TO ANOTHER FAMILY VEHICLE ALSO EQUIPPED WITH THIS DANGEROUS SYSTEM; I'M NOT WAITING UNTIL IT CAUSES ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THIS CONDITION SCREAMS FOR YOUR ATTENTION. NO ONE WAS HURT BY THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE INCIDENT (EXCEPT FINANCIALLY), BUT IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE ENDS UP GLIDING INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION, OR OVER A CROSSWALK, AND DOES CAUSE A DEATH OR TWO. PLEASE HAVE ALL THESE DANGEROUS ABS VEHICLES RECALLED, AND HAVE THESE SAFETY FEATURES-TURNED-SAFETY HAZARDS DEFEATED, BEFORE SOMEONE DOES BECOME A VICTIM.

NHTSA ID

10629776

Incident

Jun 26, 2014

Mileage

70,000 mi

1997 GMC SAFARI BRAKE FAILED COMPLETELY NO REAR NO FRONT SUSPECT IT WAS THE ANTI LOCK CONTROL UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT . NO LEAKS VISIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10417131

Incident

Aug 2, 2011

Mileage

185,000 mi

BRAKES FAIL AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 5 MPH

NHTSA ID

10120029

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. CONSUMER PUMPED THE BRAKES THREE OR MORE TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THEN DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10073993

Incident

May 20, 2004

STEERING COLUMN FAILED WHILE TURNING LEFT. DEALER STATED STEERING PUMP BROKE. AS A RESULT OF STEERING FAILURE THE POWER BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID

10055404

Incident

Aug 3, 2002

Mileage

60,544 mi

A/C/HEATING: REAR HEAT WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REWIRED ENGINE: THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE IT, THAT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BUT STILL HAS A FRONT OIL LEAK SOME WHERE IN THE FRONT. OTHER: I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. SHORTLY AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT THE TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT SO WE HAD A USED ONE PUT IN AND IT ONLY LASTED FOUR MONTHS NOW IT SITS IN THE GARAGE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING TO DO ABOUT THE TRANSFER CASE THEY SHOULD LAST LONGER. BRAKES: BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE ABS BRAKES SINCE WE BOUGHT IT TOOK IT IN TO A DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. I ENDED UP DOING THE BRAKES AND FOUND THEY HAD CRACKED PADS CAUSING THE NOISE IN THE BRAKES. FOUND OUT THAT ALL WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT WHAT IT IS MADE OUT TO BE, I HAVE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS 1997 GMC SAFARI ALL WHEEL DRIVE VAN.

NHTSA ID

10070433

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

Mileage

122,000 mi

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAIL WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM STARTS TO FUNCTION AND THEN AT ABOUT 2 MPH THE PEDAL GOES DOWN COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. YOU COULD ONLY REGAIN BRAKING ABILITY IF YOU TOOK YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKES WHILE THE ABS SYSTEM RESET ITSELF. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AND THE LEFT FRONT HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY (PART COST $864) WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER'S SERVICE INVOICE INDICATED A TEST DRIVE FOUND THE LEFT FRONT ABS SENSOR "DROPPING OUT" AND "TESTED CIRCUIT SENSOR OPEN". THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT THE SPEED SENSOR WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FRONT HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY. THE DEALER SERVICE INVOICE NO. IS GCCS56017. I HAVE THE HUB AT MY HOME ADDRESS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10025829

Incident

Jul 7, 2003

Mileage

27,860 mi

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A PARKED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECAHNICS GARAGE WHERE THEY FOUND THAT ALL THE MECHANICAL LINKAGES AND HYDRAULICS WERE INTACT, HOWEVER THE ABS INTERFACE ON THE COMPUTER BOARD WAS FAULTY, THEREBY DISABLING THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM. *SCC

NHTSA ID

567893

Incident

Sep 28, 2002

HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILED, THERE WAS NO STEERING OR BRAKES. CONSUMER TOTALLED VAN. *AK

NHTSA ID

876073

Incident

Dec 1, 2000

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH THE FAN BELT TENSIONER PULLEY SOUNDED LIKE IT EXPLODED, THE POWER STEERING QUIT AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO FORCE MY WAY TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND COAST TO A STOP. REFD ALSO OIB ID #S848796 709479 844009 --- SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE FROM THIS DEFECT

NHTSA ID

734132

Incident

Oct 11, 2000

VEHICLE STALLS AT A SLOW SPEED OR WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON 12 OCCASIONS, AND AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. PROBLEM IS STILL UNRESOLVED. ROTORS REPAIRED/OUT OF ROUND, MASTER POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED, HEADLAMP SWITCH REPLACED.*AK *ML

NHTSA ID

858704

Incident

Sep 15, 1998

NO BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING. IS SUCH CATASTROPHIC FAILURE COMMON AT 40.832 MILES? *AK

NHTSA ID

716890

Incident

Dec 23, 1999

RIGHT FRONT CALIPER LOCKED UP RESULTING IN NUMEROUS REPAIRS INCLUDING ALIGNMENT, NEW TIRES AND IDLER ARMS REPLACEMENT AT MY COST. ALL UNDER 30K MILES!!!

NHTSA ID

714326

Incident

Feb 1, 1999

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO LOCK UP AND THE VEHICLE TO SKID, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

848749

Incident

Sep 22, 1999

WHILE DRIVING STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NO BRAKING ABILITY. DRIVER HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE AT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

844009

Incident

Jul 31, 1999

WHILE BRAKING VEHICLE GOES TO LEFT SIDE AND SHAKES, CAUSING POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE, AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

838813

Incident

Oct 1, 1997

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. *AK

NHTSA ID

706703

ALTERNATOR FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA ID

528519

Incident

Jul 24, 1997