Pontiac Safari problems
The Pontiac Safari is a line of station wagons that was produced by Pontiac from 1955 to 1989. Initially introduced as the Pontiac counterpart of the two-door Chevrolet Nomad, the division adopted the nameplate across its full-size wagon range in 1957. Through its production, the Safari was positioned between Chevrolet full-size station wagons and below its Buick and Oldsmobile counterparts. During the mid-1960s, the Safari added simulated woodgrain trim to the exterior, becoming a feature associated with the model line.
The name "safari" is derived from the Swahili word safari, which means journey, originally from the Arabic سفر (safar) meaning a journey; the verb for "to travel" in Swahili is kusafiri. As General Motors expanded into the intermediate, compact, and subcompact segments, the Safari nameplate saw a similar usage as the Estate (Buick, Chevrolet) and Cruiser (Oldsmobile) nameplates, denoting the highest-trim station wagon in each model range.
After 1989, Pontiac became the first GM division to discontinue its full-size wagons; along with model overlap between its divisional counterparts, demand for full-size wagons had been overtaken by minivans. For 1990, the Pontiac Trans Sport was introduced as the first Pontiac minivan. After 1991, Pontiac ended its use of the Safari nameplate (and production of station wagons) entirely; the GMC Safari continued through the 2005 model year.
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Pontiac Safari model years
Common Pontiac Safari problems
The Pontiac Safari is a car that has been known for a few common problems based on complaints from its owners.
Another common issue with the Pontiac Safari is related to the car's overall design and construction. The Safari was based on the same platform as the Chevrolet Caprice, and as a result, it shared many of the same design elements and components.
The Safari was also known for having some issues with its suspension and steering systems. Some owners reported problems with the car's steering, which could be difficult to control at high speeds or in tight turns.
Finally, the Safari was known for having some issues with its electrical systems. Some owners reported problems with the car's electrical wiring, which could lead to issues with the car's lights, gauges, and other electrical components. Additionally, the Safari's electrical systems were known to be relatively complex, which could make them difficult to diagnose and repair when problems did occur.
Overall, the Pontiac Safari was a car that was known for a few common problems based on complaints from its owners. These issues included engine problems, design and construction issues, suspension and steering problems, and electrical system problems. While these issues could be frustrating for some owners, the Safari was still a popular car in its day, thanks to its spacious interior, comfortable ride, and classic style.
Percentage distribution of complaints by Pontiac Safari years
We have researched Pontiac problems and analysed all the complaints filed against Pontiac Safari cars and compiled the top 3 most problematic Pontiac Safari model years:
Below you can see the percentage distribution of known problems by Pontiac Safari model years.
Distribution of the number of complaints by Pontiac Safari years
We've also compiled a chart for you with the number of complaints about Volkswagen Jetta cars of certain model years:
Pontiac Safari car problems categorized by type of issue
After analysing all complaints related to Pontiac Safari , it was concluded that the most common issues with these cars are:
- Visibility problems
- Vehicle speed control problems
- Steering problems
- Electrical system problems
- Service brakes problems
The graph below shows statistics for all Pontiac Safari vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
Distribution of the number of complaints with fire by Safari model years
There were a total of 1 complaints that resulted in a fire. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model year.
The NHTSA has received 6 complaints about various vehicle components related to the Pontiac Safari . Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for Pontiac Safari vehicles.
List of Pontiac Safari complaints
Pontiac Safari 1987
- Date Of Incident: 2001-09-01
- Date Complaint: 2002-03-14
- VIN: 1G2BL81Y6HX
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Summary: THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS) BEGAN FAILING AT APPROXIMATELY, THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT SOON WOULD SPORADICALLY COME ON. CAR WOULD RUN ROUGH AND STALL WHEN IN TRAFFIC, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER BRAKES. TPS REPLACED FOUR TIMES.
Pontiac Safari 1987
- Date Of Incident: 1992-01-01
- Date Complaint: 1999-10-12
- VIN: 1G2BL81Y5HA
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLS TURN ON AND WORK FINE AT ALL SPEEDS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU TRY TO TURN THE WIPERS OFF, (TURN THE WIPER CONTROLL TO THE "OFF" POSITION, YOU CANNOT DO SO UNLESS YOU STOP THE CAR AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THEREFORE ONCE YOU TURN THEM ON AND THEN IT STOPS RAINING, YOU CANNOT TURN OFF THE WIPERS BY JUST SETTING THE WIPER CONTROL TO "OFF". YOU MUST INSTEAD SET THE CONTROL TO "OFF" STOP THE CAR, AND THEN TURN OFF THE ENGINE COMPLETELY. WHEN YOU START THE CAR AGAIN, THE WIPERS WILL BE STOPPED UNTIL THE NEXT TIME YOU USE THEM, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCEDURE AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR INTO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE IS THE ONE WHO THINKS IT IS IN THE RELAY BOX AND NOT THE MOTOR. HE THINKS IT IS NOT MAKING A GOOD CONTACT SOMEWHERE AND THAT IS WHAT'S CAUSING THE PROBLEM. HE DID NOT KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE SYSTEM SO HE WAS HESITANT TO TRY AND FIX IT. I THEN CALLED EVERHART O'LEARY MOTORS, BUT THEY WANT TO CHARGE $32.00 JUST TO LOOK AT IT, AND ARE GUESSING THAT IT MIGHT COST APPROXIMATELY $150. TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED (I ONLY GUESSED AT THE DATE), BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE SYSTEM WHICH THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ADDRESS. YOUR HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
Pontiac Safari 1985
- Date Of Incident: 1999-07-30
- Date Complaint: 1999-08-06
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: UNABLE TO GET THE FLUID FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO CLEAN THE WINDOWS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A ELECTRICAL SHORT.THE PLASTIC PIECE TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM IS BROKEN.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
Pontiac Safari 1986
- Date Of Incident: 1993-09-19
- Date Complaint: 1999-06-04
- VIN: 1G2BL35Y3GX
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Summary: MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOPPED WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER & HAD MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES. *AK
Pontiac Safari 1987
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- Date Complaint: 1998-06-08
- VIN: 1G2BL81Y6HX
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: THE TILT WHEEL COLUMN IS VERY LOOSE AND MOVES LEFT AND RIGHT.
Pontiac Safari 1987
- Date Of Incident: 1995-08-04
- Date Complaint: 1995-08-08
- Fire: 1
- VIN: 1G2BL81Y7HX
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, UNKNOWN CAUSES. TT
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