Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (1)
Suspension: front, control arm
CERTAIN MINIVANS HAVE AN INTERFERENCE CONDITION BETWEEN THE LOWER BALL JOINT RUBBER BOOT AND THE STEERING KNUCKLE (BOTH LEFT/RIGHT SIDES), WHICH COULD RESULT IN CUTTING OF THE BOOT THAT IS INTENDED TO SEAL THE BALL JOINT. IF THE LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT WERE CUT, CONTAMINATION FROM THE ROAD (SALT, DIRT, WATER, ETC.) COULD ENTER THE BALL SOCKET AREA OF THE BALL JOINT CAUSING THE JOINT TO WEAR OUT TOO QUICKLY.
Risk and remedy
Risk: THE STEERING KNUCKLE COULD SEPARATE FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, DROPPING DOWN THE AFFECTED CORNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE COIL SPRING WOULD PUSH THE CONTROL ARM DOWN INTO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, CREATING A DRAG THAT WOULD SLOW THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE AFFECTED WHEEL ASSEMBLY COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE IF FORCES RESULTING FROM THE WHEEL'S DRAGGING ACTION WERE SUFFICIENT TO FRACTURE THE TIE ROD END AND UPPER BALL JOINT CONNECTIONS. SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WOULD ALSO SEVER THAT WHEEL'S HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSE, RESULTING IN LOST BRAKING PERFORMANCE FROM THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD INCREASE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING KNUCKLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON APRIL 8, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.
Canadian recalls (1)
Show 1 Canadian recall
Steering
2003-09-05 · campaign 2003-218
On certain vehicles, interference between the lower ball joint rubber boot and the steering knuckle could result in cutting the boot. If the lower ball joint boot were cut, contamination from the road could enter the ball socket area of the ball joint. Contamination could cause the ball joint to wear out faster than one that remained sealed. Correction: The dealer will modify the spindle for clearance.
Owner complaints (18)
Owners filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 GMC Safari Passenger (1 crashes, 1 fires reported). Among 21 model years of this model, it ranks #14 for the most complaints (median 39).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 5 | |
| Power train | 2 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | |
| Service brakes | 2 | |
| Steering | 1 | |
| Structure | 1 | |
| Visibility | 1 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 GMC Safari Passenger.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2003 GMC Safari | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2003 GMC Safari Passenger version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Safari 2WD (Passenger) 4.3 L Automatic 4-spd | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Safari AWD (Passenger) 4.3 L Automatic 4-spd | 12 | 16 | 14 | $4,800 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.