RecallRepo

1985 GMC Safari Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1985 GMC Safari has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 630,948 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

SEATS 93V187000 1993-11-16 604,207 affected
Defect

THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE.

Consequence

IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULDALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FOAM AND/OR VINYL FROM BETWEEN THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME "SOFT" JOINT AND REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS.

STEERING 85V160000 1985-12-03 26,741 affected
Defect

A PART OF THE STEERING GEAR HOUSING WHICH ATTACHES TO THE FRAME MAY BREAK. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: STEERING DIFFICULTIES WILL OCCUR AND THE STEERING GEAR TO THE FRAME MAY…

Remedy

REPLACE BROKEN OR CRACKED STEERING GEAR OR INSTALL A BRACE IF STEERING GEAR IS NOT BROKEN OR CRACKED.

Complaints by component

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
1
1fires
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
1
1fires
Total complaints2

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“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”

LATCHES/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”

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

Defect investigations

Investigation EA87009 Opened 1987-01-21 · closed 1988-08-16

REAR BRAKES

ANALYSIS: THE PROPOSED GM CHANGES SHOULD REDUCE THE FRONT-BIAS IN THEREAR BRAKE SYSTEM.HOWEVER THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT GM WILL RETROFITTHE 1985 AND 1986 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES.REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE PROBLEMMAY NOT LIE IN THE BRAKE BIASING SYSTEM, BUT RATHER IN MALFUNCTIONINGOR IMPROPERLY DESIGNED REAR BRAKE…

Investigation EA92022 Opened 1992-06-24 · closed 1993-11-19

SEAT BACK BOLT BREAKAGE

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE86053 Opened 1986-05-01 · closed 1987-01-20

INADEQUATE REAR BRAKES

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:NO TSB'S OR RECALLS HAVE BEENISSUED ON THIS MATTER.THE 1985 CAMIP PHASE II SURVEY RATED THE GM M-VANBRAKE EFFECTIVENESS LOWEST AMONG VEHICLE LINES TESTED.IN RESPONSE TO THECONCERN OF VAN OWNERS, CHANGES IN THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER DIAMETER AND THEPROPORTIONING VALVE WERE…

Investigation PE89106 Opened 1989-03-23 · closed 1989-09-19

REAR AXLE SEAL FAILURE

===

Investigation PE90039 Opened 1990-02-05 · closed 1990-06-29

SPARE TIRE CARRIER FAILURE

There is no summary currently available

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1985 GMC Safari as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.