1997 GMC Safari Consumer Discussions

GMC Safari/Chevy Astro Electrical Issues

1997 GMC Safari - dim headlights on low beam

Written by: jrekj on Nov 02, 2008 07:30 PM

My 1997 GMC Safari has dim headlights when on low beam. I have checked fuses (all ok), replaced both bulbs, and I;ve cleaned up numerous electrical grounds. The alternator is only a couple of years old. Any suggestions? Thanks. Read More...

GMC Safari/Chevy Astro

Re: 1997 GMC Safari MAP problem [dlm1954]

Written by: the_big_al on Jun 27, 2008 04:16 PM

just read your post and it brought a couple of questions to my mind... I currently own an '04 Astro with almost 90K on it and an '01 S-10 with over 110K on it. The Astro gets about 15 MPG average (this is with ladder racks over the top) and the S-10 gets about 16-17 now. It used to get almost [the s-10] 19 in town and I could push it to 24 on the highway. Both idle exactly the ... Read More...

Re: 1997 GMC Safari MAP problem [samyerardi]

Written by: dlm1954 on Apr 01, 2008 01:57 PM

If you are doing it yourself which is a very good idea, because you'll know what's been replaced and what's not you should be ok. If you plan on doing the basic tune up along with it you shouldn't have any problems, I'm disabled and I let mine sit over a year until I felt like doing it myself, but I would make sure I cleaned the plenum and egr port real good because more than ... Read More...

Re: 1997 GMC Safari MAP problem [dlm1954]

Written by: samyerardi on Apr 01, 2008 04:29 AM

Thanks dlm. I am going to do all the work myself (I've got two other vehicles lined up behind it waiting or me to work on them as well). Any ideas what other sorts of trouble I'll run into with it having sat so long without running? Read More...

Re: 1997 GMC Safari MAP problem [samyerardi]

Written by: dlm1954 on Mar 28, 2008 03:42 PM

It would stall and idle rough but most map senser codes are created from a differant problem,bad connection, vaccuum leak and so forth and it sounds to me like you have some carbon sticking your egr valve open which these vanss are notoriuos for from the bad design.My pickup which is a ford had a bad map sensor and ran fine until it hit second gear and it just flattened ... Read More...

Re: 1997 GMC Safari MAP problem [dlm1954]

Written by: samyerardi on Mar 28, 2008 11:58 AM

dlm, Thanks. That actually makes me feel a little bit better. It's been so long I can't remember what it was doing when we quit using it. Good point on the deterioration of the wires, etc. If the MAP sensor were completely dead (no output), how would you expect it to act? Read More...

Re: 1997 GMC Safari MAP problem [samyerardi]

Written by: dlm1954 on Mar 28, 2008 10:28 AM

sounds more like cap and rotor problems for the stalling, map sensor could be bad but i don't think it would cause it to stall that bad.sitting for that long didn't do cap rotor and wires much good and usally big culprit in stalling. also these vans are notorious for injectors and regulator problems i have one i just redone and have seen the same problem with most of ... Read More...

1997 GMC Safari MAP problem

Written by: samyerardi on Mar 28, 2008 08:00 AM

I will be rebuilding my wife's '97 GMC Safari engine & van this spring/summer. It has sat for 5 years without running so there is a lot of things that need fixed/rebuilt, etc. The last time I looked at it with an OBD scanner it said the MAP sensor was bad. I can jump start it, but as soon as I try to move in drive it starts missing and choking and dies. I was going to try to replace ... Read More...

2003 GMC Oil filter

Re: 2003 GMC Oil filter [flintlockdave]

Written by: slushpup on Jan 13, 2008 07:03 AM

Well now, I am glad to hear this. I have a 2003 Safari Van and also a 1997 Van. The 97 uses a fram 3980 and the 2003 uses the 3387. My main concern for using the longer filter is that it is easier to take off. My filter wrench has very little room to get the short filter off and then the filter tends to collapse making it that much more difficult to get off. I know that I must me ... Read More...

GMC Safari/Chevy Astro

1997 GMC Safari

Written by: loudog55 on Sep 06, 2006 04:34 PM

Intrested in finding out what knocking & clicking sound could possibly mean, any ideas besides, Transmission. It feels sluggish, it knocks when just idling, could there be a safety feature, regarding the braking system that would make this sound, any ideas, feel free to share....just wondering if fixing it would be worth it. Lou Read More...