1998 Gmc SAFARI: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
59 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
71,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 17 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 59 complaints (10.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 15 | 25.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 11.9% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 10.2% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 8.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 6.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 4 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 3 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 3 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 2 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 2 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 4; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor: 4; Electrical System: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 3; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer: 3; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 2
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 42 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 10 |
| 2001 | 15 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2000: 10; 2001: 15; 2002: 9; 2003: 13; 2004: 3; 2005: 5; 2006: 1; 2007: 2; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10014055 · 2003-04-07 (April 7, 2003)
I HAD THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE REPAIRED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN THE 3 YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT. THE DEALER DID IT TWICE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD ON IT, THE THIRD TIME WAS 3,000 MILES AFTER THE WARRANTY ENDED AN AAMOCO TRANSMISSIONS REPAIRED IT. THIS WAS THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER 2002. THE TRANSMISSION IS AGAIN SHIFTING HARD AND "JUMPING" INTO GEAR AFTER STOPPING FOR RED LIGHT OR ANY SUCH INCIDENT.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014055 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017923 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)
THE RIM PRESSED ON THE BEAD OF THE TIRE WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE TO BLOW OUT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017923 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018014 · 2003-06-26 (June 26, 2003)
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON, THE EXTERIOR TAIL LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE UNLESS THE HIGH BEAMS WERE TURNED ON. *NLM *TS *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10018014 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020506 · 2003-05-23 (May 23, 2003)
THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 03-V-930-000 RELATED TO A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR SWITCH. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020752 · 2003-05-30 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020752 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022209 · 2003-05-13 (May 13, 2003)
GAUGE READS HOT AND PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. PH
Owner-reported narrative. 128,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022209 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022701 · 2003-06-27 (June 27, 2003)
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FORWARD, THE GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK AND HARD PRESSURE HAD TO BE APPLIED IN ORDER FOR THE PEDAL TO WORK. CAUTION WAS USED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED FORWARD BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER. *AK *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022701 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025585 · 2003-07-07 (July 7, 2003)
WINDSHIELD WIPERS SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF PULSE MODULE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 36,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025585 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
01V123000 · Seat Belts:Front:Warning Light/Devices
Reported: 2001-04-10 (April 10, 2001)
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.
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF 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 REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
NHTSA campaign record ↗03V093000 · Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior
Reported: 2003-03-07 (March 7, 2003)
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS MAY DEVELOP A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD RESULT IN AN INOPERATIVE SWITCH, HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND/OR IGNITION OF COMPONENTS IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V009000 · Child Seat
Reported: 1999-01-20 (January 20, 1999)
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. IF THE PAWL SPRING WAS MISSING, THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT WOULD CONTINUALLY PLAY OUT AND WOULD NOT LOCK.
Consequence: THESE CONDITIONS COULD INCREASE THE OCCUPANT'S RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELTS ON THE CHILD SEATS, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CHILD SEAT.
NHTSA campaign record ↗