GMC TruckSafari1990Overview/gmc-truck/safari/1990/base/

1990 GMC Truck Safari

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1990 Safari.

Body VAN

The 1990 GMC Safari is a van that requires 3 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil. This model year accumulated 37 owner complaints, with the most frequent issues involving the service brakes, and was subject to 4 recalls. Within the Safari’s 1990–2005 complaint history, where the 1995 model year peaked at 201 complaints and the 2005 model year fell to just 5, the 1990 edition represents a relatively moderate level of reported problems.

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilAPI · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Engine OilAPI · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miClutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1990 GMC Truck Safari dominate in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 14 of 37 reports (38%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the service brakes, hydraulic are also the target of recall 93V-119 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes, hydraulic pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
6
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
37
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 37 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic14
Seats5
Structure5
Seat Belts3
Steering,Suspension2
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Visibility2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Electrical System,Seat Belts,Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

90V146000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 13/08/1990

FUEL RETURN HOSES MAY BREAK AT EITHER CRIMPED COUPLING, CAUSING A LEAKAGE OF FUEL. Remedy: INSTALL A PROPERLY CRIMPED FUEL RETURN HOSE.

93V119000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:RotorReported 02/08/1993

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. Remedy: REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LININGS ARE NECESSARY, IT WILL BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 6 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT-3665-A2010-11-01Service Brakes, HydraulicGENERAL MOTORS: ON ALL 1988-2009 FULL SIZE CHEVROLET/GMC PICKUPS, UTILITIES AND VANS, THE…
020730024A2005-08-01Power TrainDIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY…
016672004-01-01VisibilityWINDOW REGULATOR MOTOR DOES NOT FIT. *TT
990730016A2002-10-01Power TrainDIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR…
3761051995-02-01Engine And Engine CoolingCOLD ENGINE KNOCK. *TW

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Safari. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1990 Safari take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 30W API, ABOVE 0 degrees F 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1990 Safari have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.