Total Complaints
2 filings
GMC SAFARI · model year
1985 GMC SAFARI
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985GMCSAFARI carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 SAFARI is latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1985 SAFARI. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19970314FireLATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
OWNER STATES UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE.THE FIRE STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, BUT THE CAUSE HAS BEEN UNDETERMINED, OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOOD LATCH ON THIS VEHICLE IS MADE HE HAD A HARD TIME IN LIFTING THE HOOD. *AK
19970314FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
OWNER STATES UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE.THE FIRE STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, BUT THE CAUSE HAS BEEN UNDETERMINED, OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOOD LATCH ON THIS VEHICLE IS MADE HE HAD A HARD TIME IN LIFTING THE HOOD. *AK
Compare 1985GMCSAFARI to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 GMC SAFARI have?▼
The 1985 GMC SAFARI has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 GMC SAFARI?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 GMC SAFARI is LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1985 GMC SAFARI safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.