Most common 1996 GMC Safari problems
Share of the 139 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Safari complaints by model year
Best Safari years: 2004, 2003, 2002. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998. Compare all years →
1996 GMC Safari recalls (4)
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
On certain minivans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with certain model-engine combinations, the windshield wiper motor May fail due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. The windshield wipers could work intermittently or not at all.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover. Owner notification began on June 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Seat belts › Front › Warning light/devices
Vehicle description: Mini vans. Some of these vehicles fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the "fasten safety-belt" audible warning occasionally May not come on or May terminate in less than four seconds as required by the standard.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new alarm module. Owner notification began June 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Child seat
Vehicle description: Mini vans equipped with integrated dual child seats. Some of these vehicles May be missing a seat belt retractor clutch spring and/or pawl spring in the child seat. If the clutch spring was missing, the seat belt would lock in the retracted position and could not be used.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat belts on the child seats, and if necessary, replace the child seat.
Seat belts › Rear/other
The outboard safety belt webbing on the right-hand rear bucket seat can separate during a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install a protector on the rear seat cushion frame.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1996 GMC Safari:
Windshield wiper failure
As a result of this, and the precedinginvestigation, rq99-003, GM has expanded the population of safety recall 98v-150 (replacement of the windshield wiper control module) to include an additional 1.77 million vehicles.included are various 1994-1997 my m/l vans, s/t trucks and suvs, & c/k trucks and suvs.see attached technical report for details.
What 1996 GMC Safari owners say
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 32 →
Windshield wipers do not operate - recalled - dealer claims it was repaired, now wipers operate whenever it feels like it. Both torsion rods failed without warning within 1 day apart of each other. Mechanic revealed that GM now has a special technique to be done when this happens and it costs an extra $90 to repair. Which means they are aware of the problem and will not recall the vehicles and replace at their cost. Broken spark plug almost killed my family. Fuel pump went out. Driver's side window does not roll down, driver's side view mirror does not operate.
Intermittently rear windshield wipers become inoperable, obstructing driver's view. The accelerator cable was replaced twice. The alternator was replaced three times. The water pump was replaced twice. The driver's side power window motor was replaced and the passenger side needs to be replaced. The driver's side seat motor failed. The hatch failed. The rear captain chairs seat belts broke.
Brakes all 29 →
Since the middle of last year, we experienced a problem w/ABS brakes. When you would slow down & get to about 20 MPH, the van would start to lock up rendering the vehicle out of control & unable to stop. We took it to our usual mechanic who determined the sensor on the driver side was bad & replaced it. That lasted about 6 months & we had the same problem reoccur. Again, our mechanic looked at it (pulling his hair out mind you) & determined that there was unequal voltage, so he replaced both sensors. Now again we started having the same problem. As of today, the ABS light is on & the system is not functioning. We are not having any problems stopping now. Anyway, I've done some research & noticed that a good number of GM vehicles have had ABS recalls, 1 story I read was the exact same problem. I requested several things from GM. …
My vehicle was moving about 10 m.p.h. In preparation to stop behind several vehicles at a red light. I applied my brakes in an attempt to come to a complete stop; however, the brakes failed to engage. I then put full pressure on the brake pedal. The pedal went down almost to the floor, but the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. As a result of this brake failure, my vehicle struck the vehicle in front of it which in turn struck a third vehicle. My vehicle was towed to a mechanic who was able to duplicate the failure. At this time however, he is unable to determine what is causing the failure.
Suspension all 29 →
On August 13th, 2003, I backed the van out of the garage, which has an about 2 inch drop. While making a left turn, I could feel the tire scraping. By the time I got out of the car,the drivers' side was almost on the ground. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest garage, where we have most of our work done.I thought it was the strut, but it was the torsion bar. We had to replace both torsion bars. The mechanic told me that the replacement bars were different from the originals. I checked around and was told, that both had to be replaced, the prices were about the same. I wrote to GMC, and told them they knew there was a problem with the torsion bars, otherwise the replacements would not have been different. On the 4th of sept. We received a phone call from them. There had been a recall 01036, but our vehicle is too old , so they are no longer responsible. …
While traveling at 65 MPH drivers side torsion bar inexplicably and without warning broke. Entire vehicle shuddered and pulled sharply to the left. Fortunately for my passengers and myself I was able to quickly regain control and come to a safe stop. This is a serious safety issue. Such a failure could easily result in serious injury or death. Since the torsion bar failure I have been told by different mechanics "they break all the time" and "it is a design flaw". I understand that general motors is aware of the problem and has redesigned the affected parts. This is a far more serious and dangerous issue than those addressed by other recalls on this vehicle (seatbelt warning buzzer and windshield wiper motor failures). In the interest of safety for all owners, passengers and anyone in the proximity of the affected vehicles I believe a recall is in order.
1996 GMC Safari engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 GMC Safari a good car?
Based on 139 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 Safari rates avoid: 2.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Safari at the same age. It is one of the Safari years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 GMC Safari?
The windows, wipers & sunroof — 32 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about windshield wiper/washer. Next are the brakes (29) and suspension (29).
How many recalls does the 1996 GMC Safari have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1996 GMC Safari, the most recent from April 28, 2003 (windshield wiper/washer). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Safari?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2003 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. See the full GMC Safari years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 GMC Safari problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 94,000 miles; 9% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.