2003 GMC Safari Problems

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Complaints Reported

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Complaints by Component

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

8 complaints

ABS SYSTEM DEFECT. WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP, AT VERY LOW SPEED (ABOUT 5 MPH) ABS ENGAGES, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO NEED FOR IT. THIS CAUSES A "FLOATING" SENSATION, MAKING CONTROL OF THE STOPPING POINT UNCERTAIN, UNLIKE NORMAL BRAKING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. MOST RECENTLY, CAR IS PULLING TO RIGHT DURING THE STOP, WHEN ABS ENGAGES. *TR

Oct 19, 2011

BACKING UP MY BOAT TO LAUNCH IT, THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SLOWED IT DOWN AND ENDED UP THROWING IT IN PARK TO KEEP THE BOAT, TRAILER, AND VAN FROM ROLLING INTO THE WATER. GOT TOWED OUT AND A FRIEND PULLED THE BOAT HOME FOR ME. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE RUSTED DRIVERS SIDE STEEL BRAKE LINE THAT HAD RUPTURED. HE ALSO TOLD ME ALL OF THE OTHER LINES HAD CONSIDERABLE RUST AND THAT ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE REPLACED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. THE ENTIRE STEEL BRAKE LINE HAS BEEN REPLACED AND I DID SAVE THE RUSTED LINES FOR NOW. *TT

Jul 15, 2011

OUR 2003 GMC SAFARI HAS HAD THE BRAKES SPONTANEOUSLY FAIL WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT AT LEAST SIX TIMES (EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS OR SO) FOR THE PAST YEAR. EACH TIME, THE PEDAL JUST DROPPED TO THE FLOOR, THE "BRAKE" LIGHT CAME ON, AND WE HAVE HAD TO PRACTICALLY STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET IT TO FINALLY ROLL TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY IT HAS BEEN AT SLOW SPEEDS EACH TIME AND WE HAVE NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS YET. WE HAVE BEEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS REPEATEDLY AND SPENT OVER $1000.00 FOR VARIOUS BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS THAT ARE NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM. WE THINK IT IS EITHER A BOOSTER OR SENSOR ISSUE, BUT THE DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT LISTEN TO US AND GMC'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL EITHER. WE ARE TERRIFIED OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BUT CAN'T AFFORD A NEW ONE AT THIS TIME. *TR

Jul 17, 2009

ON VACATION ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON DURING DRIVING. WHEN BRAKING, JUST BEFORE COMING TO A STOP, MORE TRAVEL IN THE PEDAL AND BRAKES CHATTERED. ABS LIGHT MIGHT BE ON OR OFF DURING BRAKING. WENT TO DEALER, RIGHT FRONT SENSOR ERRATIC. REPLACED RIGHT FRONT SENSOR. WORKS GOOD AGAIN. VAN HAS 32,000 MILES. *TR

Nov 12, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SAFARI. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. HE LIFTED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE CLAMP THAT HELD THE BRAKE LINE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. HE CHANGED THE BRAKE LINE HOSE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A MILE AT 35 MPH. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAILING WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE TO THE DRIVE POSITION. HE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND REALIZED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS HOT AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO HIS RESIDENCE AND INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,924 , AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,800.*AK

Apr 17, 2007

Fire: 1

+ 3 more complaints for this component

SERVICE BRAKES

3 complaints

THE BRAKE LINES IN FRONT ARE RUSTED OUT AND LEAKING CREATING A SERIOUS PROBLEM, AS THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING. I SEE THIS IS A RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH GMC VEHICLES. THE COST TO REPAIR IS ASTRONOMICAL. WHY ISN'T GMC RECALLING THESE VEHICLES?

Oct 05, 2015

. I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THE INCIDENT I HAD WITH MY AUTOMOBILE: GMC SAFARI WAGON 2003. ONE DAY IN JULY THIS YEAR (2014) I APPLIED THE BRAKES OF THE ABOVE VEHICLE WHEN I WAS APPROACHING THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP EVEN THROUGH THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS RECENTLY WORKED ON. I INVESTIGATED THE REASON WHY IT FAILED TO STOP AND FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS HEAVILY CORRODED. *TR

Sep 28, 2014

MY ABS SYSTEM IS THE SAME AS THE OTHER COMPLAINTS. I WILL PRESS ON THE BRAKES AND IT ACTS LIKE I HAVE NO BRAKES. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP YESTERDAY AND THEY SAID THE PART WOULD COST $1,310.00 FOR ONE PART ALONE. WHY HAVEN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS SITUATION. BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET HURT.

Apr 17, 2014

AIR BAGS

2 complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, HE CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

Mar 25, 2013

Crash: 1

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 42 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY BOTH DRIVERS. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND AND WAS DEEMED TOTALED. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED.

Oct 16, 2006

Crash: 1

Injuries: 2

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

1 complaint

FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A LEAK WHERE FUEL LINE ENTERS THE TANK. *TR

Sep 06, 2007

SEAT BELTS

1 complaint

PURCHASED BOOSTER SEATS FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN. A CERTIFIED INSPECTOR SHOWED US THAT ALL FOUR REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT LOCK WHEN PULLED QUICKLY INDICATING THAT THE SEATBELTS WOULD NOT RESTRAIN THE CHILD IN AN ACCIDENT (OR AN ADULT EITHER). TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. DEALER CLAIMS THE SEATBELTS LOCK WHEN YOU BRAKE HARD, BUT ARE NOT MADE FOR CHILDREN'S BOOSTER SEATS. WE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT VEHICLES MADE AFTER 2001 HAD TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE SEATBELTS FOR CHILD SAFETY. *JB

Apr 19, 2007

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

1 complaint

MY 2003 GMC SAFARI VAN HAS NOW TWICE HAD ITS ABS ACTIVATE IN A PARKING LOT SITUATION AT A SLOW SPEED CAUSING THE VAN TO TAKE AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME TO STOP. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO PERSON IN FRONT OF ME OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE MANUAL STATES THAT IF THE ABS LIGHT GOES ON THAT THE SYSTEM IS NOT ACTIVE, BUT THE VAN IS STILL OK TO DRIVE-BUT NO LIGHT CAME ON. I HAVE TLKED WITH OTHERS WHO OWN GM CAR/VEHICLES AND THEY HAVE REPORTED SIMILIAR INSTANCES. DOES GM HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKES?

Jan 19, 2007

SEATS

1 complaint

DRIVER SEAT CAN'T BE PRESET FOR DRIVER 1 OR 2. OFTEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE SEAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. AT OTHER TIMES THE SEAT REMAINS SO FAR BACK THAT NOBODY CAN REACH THE GAS/BRAKE PEDAL. EACH TIME ANYONE DRIVES THE VEHICLE THE SEAT MUST BE RESET OR READJUSTED. GMC HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR FACILITY MANY TIMES BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS UP, BUT THE REPAIR CENTER SAID THEY HAD NO IDEA OR REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM. *JB

Aug 09, 2005

SUSPENSION

1 complaint

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Jan 31, 2005

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 complaint

DAMPNER FAILED, PURCHASE VAN WITH THIS PROBLEM 3 MONTHS AGO AND STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE DAMPNER PART FROM GMC. *BF THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH ONLY 60 MILES ON IT. DURING THE TEST DRIVE, PRIOR TO PURCHASE, THERE WAS A HARMONIC ROAR NOISE VIBRATION COMING FROM THE REAR. *SC

Nov 05, 2004

TIRES

1 complaint

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03V328000. RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AT DEALERSHIP. AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED CONSUMER NOTICED TIRES WERE WEARING VERY BADLY ON THE OUTSIDE, AND WERE LOSING ALL TREAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT TIRES WERE NOT ROTATED AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. BRIDGESTONE, P215/70R16. HAD TIRES ALIGNED AND ROTATED AFTER 11,000 MILES. *AK

Aug 23, 2004

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

VALVE BODY WAS REPLACED, THE FAN MOTOR WAS REPLACED, AND ALL OF THESE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE AGAIN. DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED WARRANTY EXPIRED.*AK

Aug 11, 2004

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH ENGINE IDLED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

Jan 22, 2004

VISIBILITY

1 complaint

DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR HAS A VIBRATION CAUSING VIEWING DISTORTION. *MR THE DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATIONS WHICH CAUSED VARIOUS DEGREES OF DISTORTION. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE NAUSEA, HEAD ACHES, AND BODY TENSION. ROAD CONDITIONS, WEATHER/TEMPERATURE, AND THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE HAVE ALL EFFECTED THE MIRROR VIBRATIONS. (THE PASSENGER SIDE VIEW MIRROR WAS PERFECT) *SCC *JB

Aug 26, 2003

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN RAINING /OR GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH REAR OF VEHICLE WOULD HAVE STANDING WATER ON FLOOR. ALSO ON THE BACK PANEL, WHEN YOU OPEN DOOR THE LIGHT DOESN'T GO ON. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES . *AK *CB

Jul 24, 2003

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

I READ AN ARTICLE TODAY IN THE DETROIT FREE PRESS WHICH HAS PROMPTED ME TO WRITE YOU REGARDING HIDDEN LAMPS. MY COMPLAINT IS GENERAL, IN THAT THE AMOUNT OF "DAZZLE" FROM THE SCATTERED LIGHT IS GREATLY OBJECTIONABLE, AND MUST BE CONTROLLED. "HEAD-ON" VIEWING OS ACCEPTABLE, BUT SLIGHT OFF-ANGLE IS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND PAINFUL FROM THESE LAMPS. I WORK FOR A MAJOR AUTO COMPANY, AND HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY. I WOULD PREFER IF NHTSA MIGRATE TO EUROPEAN REQUIREMENTS (CUT-OFF LINES) AND ENFORCE SOME TYPE OF ANTI-DAZZLE REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE LAMPS. ALTHOUGH ALLOWING A "WASH" IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD, THE SIDE SCATTER I BELIEVE IS MORE DANGEROUS, POSSIBLE CAUSING OR RELATING TO ONCOMING DRIVER IRRITATION, ROAD RAGE, OR POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS. *AK

Jul 20, 2003

POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT RESPOND QUICKLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING FORWARD WHILE IN REVERSE. THE GM TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. *NLM *NLM

Mar 27, 2003

STEERING

1 complaint

WHILE DRIVING 40MPH THE HYDRO BOOST FAILED CAUSING POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK AND SLIGHT LOST OF POWER STEERING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Jan 23, 2003

4.7/5.0

74 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2003 GMC Safari have?

The 2003 GMC Safari currently has 27 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2003 GMC Safari?

The most common problems reported for the 2003 GMC Safari are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2003 GMC Safari problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2003 GMC Safari comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.