Total Complaints
1 filings
GMC SAFARI (GMC) · model year
2004 GMC SAFARI (GMC)
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004GMCSAFARI (GMC) carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 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 2004 SAFARI (GMC) is tires:temporary/emergency spare tire with 1 filings. 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 2004 SAFARI (GMC). 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.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080128TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
I PURCHASED NEW A 2004 GMC SAFARI VAN ALL WHEEL DRIVE WITH LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. I RECENTLY HAD A TIRE FAILURE 350 MILES FROM HOME (RIGHT REAR). NO BIG DEAL JUST PUT THE SPARE ON RIGHT. WELL IT WAS 8:30 AT NIGHT WITH ICE ON THE ROAD. I GOT TO THE BURM , JACKED IT UP, WHEELS CHOCKED, IT SLIPPED OFF THE JACK, DO TO THE ICE. WITH LUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED AND HAD A FLOOR JACK. GOT THE TIRE ON, LOOKING GOOD. TOOK OFF TO TRY AND GET A NEW TIRE ON BEFORE THEY CLOSE. WELL GUESS WHAT? THE DONUT SPARE FROM THE FACTORY ISN'T THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE OTHER THREE! THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BUCK AND JUMP. THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS YOU CAN DRIVE ON THIS SPARE FOR 3,000 MILES. IF I HAD TRIED TO DRIVE HOME I WOULD HAVE TORN UP MY TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE AND LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL!!!! THANKS GM. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF ACCIDENT WILL HAPPEN WHEN EVERYTHING FAILS! I SEE WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS MANDATING TIRE PRESSURE INFO TO THE DRIVER. TIRE PRESS
Mileage: 86,000
Compare 2004GMCSAFARI (GMC) to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 GMC SAFARI (GMC) have?▼
The 2004 GMC SAFARI (GMC) has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 GMC SAFARI (GMC)?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 GMC SAFARI (GMC) is TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2004 GMC SAFARI (GMC) 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.