1988 GMC Safari Service and Repair Manual
This factory service and repair manual for the 1988 GMC Safari pairs the 4.3L V6 with the smaller 2.5L inline-four, both overhead-valve gasoline engines fed without a turbocharger or supercharger. Bodies run to two, a three-door standard cargo van and a three-door standard passenger van, and four trims are listed: Base, SLE, SLT and SLX. Whichever combination is in the bay, the manual's procedures, specifications, torque values, wiring diagrams and diagnostics are indexed by system rather than by model, which keeps the lookup short on a mixed fleet.
Engines covered
- 4.3L V6 (262 cu in) — OHV, naturally aspirated, gasoline
- 2.5L inline-four (151 cu in) — OHV, naturally aspirated, gasoline
Body styles covered
- 3-door standard cargo van
- 3-door standard passenger van
Trims covered
- Base
- SLE
- SLT
- SLX
Known issues on the 1988 Safari. Three recalls stand on the federal record. Road salt attacking the joint between a brake rotor's stamped steel center and its cast outer section can corrode it badly enough for the two halves to separate, costing braking at that wheel. Replacement fuel filters that do not seal at the connection can leak fuel toward an ignition source. Seat recliner bolts clamped over foam or vinyl fall short of specified torque and eventually fatigue and snap. Seven owner complaints are logged, led by the steering and the seat belts with two each and the seats with one, all systems this manual specifies.
SEVERE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT AT THE JOINT OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER SECTION AND THE CAST OUTER SECTION CAN CAUSE THE SECTIONS TO SEPARATE.
SEPARATION OF THE ROTOR SECTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OFBRAKING ABILITY IN THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THIS COULD
REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPL
GENERAL MOTORS: ON ALL 1988-2009 FULL SIZE CHEVROLET/GMC PICKUPS, UTILITIES AND VANS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL MOVE DOWN OR SELF APPLY DURING FULL LOCK TURNS OR NEAR FULL LOCK TURNS. CHEVROLET ASTRO AND GMC SAFARI VANS; HUMMER 2 ARE INCLUDED. *
DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT
WINDOW REGULATOR MOTOR DOES NOT FIT. *TT
TRANSMISSION EXTENTION SEAL LEAKS. *TW
THE BOLTS ON THE POWER STEERING BOX SNAPPED OFF. *JB
THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB
STEERING WHEEL: DRIVING ALONG AND BUSHINGS FELL OUT OF TILT STEERING WHEEL COUPLING, AND STEERING WHEEL DROPPED IN CONSUMERS LAP. *AK *JB
RECALL REPAIRS DONE ON BROKEN SEAT BOLT, BUT DEALER CHARGED CONSUMER.
(7) OF (8) SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LOCK. BELT IS VERY LOOSE, ALLOWING ALOT OF MOVEMENT AND (1) 0F (8) SEAT BELT BUCKLES DOES NOT LATCH. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
Showing the 5 most serious of 8 complaints filed with NHTSA.
