Most common 1998 GMC Safari problems
Share of the 89 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 →
1998 GMC Safari recalls (3)
Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior
Certain sport utility vehicles, Mini vans, and pickup trucks May develop a short circuit in the electric outside rearview mirror switch.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused jumper harness to the electric outside rearview mirror switch. Owner notification began on April 24, 2003.
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.
What 1998 GMC Safari owners say
Brakes
Excessive corrosion of hydraulic brake lines. Brake lines so corroded that they are cracking and splitting leaking fluid and necessitating expensive repairs. Corrosion also noted on fuel lines, and vehicle undercarriage.
The broken shaft on the hyd. Pump controls both the brakes ,which I had next to none ,and also the power steering .I was able to steer to the side of the road very gingerly, only because at that time I was coasting at about 10mph ,almost in front of our driveway.at this time I was towing our travel trailer, returning from vacation,from the west coast, via interstates and many mountainous roads.god help if this would had happen at the time .after unhitching the 24ft. Trailer, our van was flatbedded to our dealer who did a fine repair job on the hyd. Pump problem.as for the wiper control module that is another story. The problem occured in rapid city n.d. While traveling 65mph along a highway, during a rain storm. They just quit operating without warning. We sat out the storm, then proceed back to our camp ground.we located a GMC dealer in rapid city s.d. Who repaired the problem. …
Electrical system
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.
Consumer pulled up in driveway waiting for rain storm to calm down. Vehicle was off and key was out of ignition. Smoke started coming out of power window controls on driver's side. Consumer got children out. Took plyers and disconnected battery. Vehicle was still driveable. Manager in service department said ground wire touched control wires.
Windows, wipers & sunroof
Tl 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. Updated 05/06/08
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.
1998 GMC Safari engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 GMC Safari a good car?
Based on 89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Safari rates use caution: 1.4× 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 1998 GMC Safari?
The brakes — 14 complaints, 16% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the electrical system (9) and windows, wipers & sunroof (9).
How many recalls does the 1998 GMC Safari have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1998 GMC Safari, the most recent from March 7, 2003 (exterior). 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 1998 GMC Safari problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 71,000 miles; 18% 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.