RoadVitals

1998 GMC Safari Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
10
Latest Jul 3, 2007
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.
11%
of 89 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 GMC Safari submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Jul 3, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SAFARI. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. HOWEVER, THEY BEGAN OPERATING AGAIN FIVE TO TEN MINUTES LATER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RAINFALL IS FREQUENT IN HIS STATE. NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE PRESENT DURING OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE IS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 143,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 05/06/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/06/08

NHTSA ID
10195232
Incident
Nov 1, 2005
Mileage
110,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 2, 2007

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SAFARI. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 160,000. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A RAINY NIGHT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BE UNABLE TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER SWERVING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ALMOST GETTING HIT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNTIL IT STOPPED RAINING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MOTOR STOPPED OPERATING BECAUSE THE SOLDER JOINT CRACKED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10189541
Incident
Apr 27, 2007
Mileage
160,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 18, 2006

1998 SAFARI VAN, RANDOM FAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, THERE IS NO PATTERN TO IT, IT FAILS INTERMITTENTLY TO FUNCTION, WHICH IS KIND OF A SAFETY CONCERN, SINCE THE ONLY TIME I USE THE WIPERS IS DURING A RAINSTORM, WHICH REDUCES VISION GREATLY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10168485
Incident
Sep 18, 2006
Mileage
85,000 mi
ElectricalInterior & seatsVisibility
Filed Jan 5, 2005

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING A LOT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP AND DOWN, AND IT MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE. DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK INADVERTENTLY. WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORK WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING. THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER ONLY OPERATE THROUGH THE DEFROSTER. ALSO, UNLESS CONSUMER KEEPS FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR THE BATTERY ALMOST DIES.*AK

NHTSA ID
10106831
Incident
May 15, 2004
Mileage
80,000 mi
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Nov 22, 2004

NUMEROUS FAILURE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO OPERATE ( SOMETIMES THEY WORK SOMETIMES THEY DON'T, WHEN THEY DO FINALLY COME ON THEY WON'T TURN OFF). TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS DISABLED THE VEHICLE ON 3 OCCASIONS. *JB VEHICLE SHOWING SAME SYMPTOMS OF 1997 WHICH WAS RECALLED

NHTSA ID
10100358
Incident
Aug 8, 2003
Visibility
Filed Aug 7, 2003

WHILE USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT WARNING THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. *AK THE CONSUMER WAITED 1 MINUTE AND THEN WAS ABLE TO TURN THEM BACK ON. THE 1992-1997 CHEVROLET TRUCKS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME WIPER SWITCH PROBLEM. THE 1998 WIPER SWITCH WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE SAME AS THE 1997 WIPER SWITCH. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10027324
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
Mileage
50,850 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 7, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF PULSE MODULE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10025585
Incident
Aug 15, 2002
Mileage
36,500 mi
Visibility
Filed May 30, 2003

SINCE DECEMBER, 2002, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO TURN ON ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK. THE OPERATION IS TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE. THEY HAVE FAILED TO COME ON IN THUNDERSTORMS TWICE CAUSING A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION, THEN WILL WORK RELIABLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, ONLY TO UNEXPECTEDLY FAIL AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10020752
Incident
Apr 20, 2003
Mileage
50,000 mi
BrakesSteeringVisibility
Filed Mar 2, 2001

BRAKES WERENT WORKING WELL, THEN NOTICED HEATER DIDNT WORK, SPEED ODEMTER DIDNT WORK. TOOK TO GMC REPAIR SHOP, WAS TOLD GMC AS A PROBLEM WITH FUEL INJECTORS LEAKING IN TO DASH OF VEHICLES. LARGE REPAIR BILL. NEEDS NEW WIRING HARNESS, FUEL INJECTORS, METERING BODY NOT SURE WHAT ELSE TIL THEY FIX DASH. RECOMMENDED NOT TO DRIVE MORE DAMAGE WILL OCCOR OR WILL SHORT OUT OTHER THINGS. OR CAUSE A FIRE. GMC WONT BACK UP THEIR VEHICLE. DEBBIE LULL

NHTSA ID
741800
Incident
Jan 26, 2001
ElectricalInterior & seatsOther / unspecified+2 more
Filed Feb 1, 1999

INTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
605952
Incident
Jun 5, 1998

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

Brakes14Interior & seats9Transmission8Driver assistance8Electrical8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .