Total Complaints
22 filings
GMC SAFARI · model year
1987 GMC SAFARI
22 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987GMCSAFARI carries 22 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 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 1987 SAFARI is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2). 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 1987 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.
22
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20070418STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
CUSTOMER WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLES ON A 1987 SAFARI VAN**CC *JB
20030605CrashSEAT BELTS
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT PERFORM AS DESIGNED. *JB
Mileage: 1,912
20000823VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
CONSUMER WAS BACKING INTO GARAGE, PUT GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF BACKWARDS SECOND TIME WHILE WAITING FOR SOME PEOPLE TO CROSS. CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKES AND TIRES WERE SPINNING. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL TO GET IT TO STOP.*AK
19990929ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY.
19990929ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
MANY OTHER OCCURANCES CAN'T FIND ANY USED PARTS ANYWHERE RECYCLERS SAY VERY POPULAR OCCURANCE
19980813SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
INTERMITTENTLY THE RESTRAINTS WILL NOT RETRACT. THE DRIVER HAS TO TIE A KNOT IN THE REAR REESTRAINT TO PROPERLY SECURE THE CSS . DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
19980224STRUCTURE:BODY
PAINT IS PEELING OFF ROOF AND HOOD OF VEHICLE.
19980224STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
BRACKET THAT HOLDS ALL MOVING COMPONENTS (AIR COMPRESSOR, AIR PUMP, POWER STEERING PUMP, WATER PUMP) CRACKED.
19960502STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
BRACKET HOLDING POWER STEERING UNIT CRACKED, SHEERING OFF THE MOUNTING BOLT, CAUSING BELT TO COME OFF. *DSH
19951019SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKE FAILURE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL.
19951019STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
DEFECTIVE IDLER ARMS.
19951019SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT END MISALIGNED, ALSO REPLACED TIRES. *AK
19951019ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
REPLACED SERPENTINE BELT.
19950419ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
REPLACED THERMOSTAT DUE TO COOLANT LEAK. *AK
19950419ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL LEAKS ONTO ENGINE DUE TO DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET,CREATING POTENTIAL RISK OF FIRE. TT
19950419ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
POOR ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. *AK
19950419POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
REPLACED LEAKING PINION GEAR. *AK
19950419SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
NOISY BRAKES. AK
19950419FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
VEHICLE IS SLUGGISH, HAS NO POWER. *AK
19950419FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
INTAKE GASKET LEAKING. *AK
Compare 1987GMCSAFARI to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 GMC SAFARI have?▼
The 1987 GMC SAFARI has 22 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 GMC SAFARI?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 GMC SAFARI is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1987 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.