2004 GMC Safari Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 GMC Safari, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Suspension228.6%
- Brakes114.3%
- Heating & air conditioning114.3%
- Fuel system114.3%
- Powertrain (other)114.3%
- Steering114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR END WAS MAKING A NOISE AND WAS TAKEN TO THE CAR DEALER CHECKED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CARRIER BEARINGS AND THE RING & PINION (FACTORY DEFECT). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING THIS NOISE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THE WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER REPAIRS. THE COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE 1500.00 DOLLARS. WE HAVE SENT IT TO THE DEALER ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THEY SAY THE WARRANTY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR
WHILE PARALLEL PARKING VEHICLE TURNED 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT WITHIN TWO-CAR LENGTHS. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS. DEALER CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE, DID A COMPLETE WHEEL ALIGNMENT, AND ROTATED THE TIRES. BUT, PROBLEM STILL RECURRED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SAFARI AWD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MPH AND COMING TO A STOP WHEN THE ABS ACTIVATED ABNORMALLY AND CAUSED THE BRAKES TO PULSATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HUBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000. UPDATED 03/23/12 *BF UPDATED 04/09/12
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VACUUM HOSE FAILED IN HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED A HOLE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE RUBBING AGAINST THE FUEL LINE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPAIR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE WOULD COST BETWEEN $800-$1,000. SHE WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THE DEFECT APPEARED TO BE WEAKENING THE FUEL LINE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE ISSUE AND REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 134,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VACUUM HOSE FAILED IN HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED A HOLE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE RUBBING AGAINST THE FUEL LINE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPAIR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE WOULD COST BETWEEN $800-$1,000. SHE WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THE DEFECT APPEARED TO BE WEAKENING THE FUEL LINE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE ISSUE AND REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 134,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR END WAS MAKING A NOISE AND WAS TAKEN TO THE CAR DEALER CHECKED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CARRIER BEARINGS AND THE RING & PINION (FACTORY DEFECT). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING THIS NOISE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THE WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER REPAIRS. THE COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE 1500.00 DOLLARS. WE HAVE SENT IT TO THE DEALER ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THEY SAY THE WARRANTY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEERING WHEEL OF 2004 GMC SAFARI IS RAPIDLY DECAYING. NO CLEANING CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN USED ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I WORK IN AN OFFICE, SO THERE ARE NO EXTRAORDINARY CHEMICALS ON MY HANDS. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .