GMC TruckSafari 2WD2001Overview/gmc-truck/safari-2wd/2001/base/

2001 GMC Truck Safari 2WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Safari 2WD.

Body VAN

The 2001 GMC Safari 2WD is a full-size van built on a rear-wheel-drive platform, requiring 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API-grade motor oil for its engine maintenance intervals. Across the model's 1990-2005 production span, complaint trends show a clear downward trajectory—from a peak of 201 owner complaints in 1995 to just 5 by 2005—and the 2001 model year, with 49 total owner complaints and three recalls, falls between these extremes in a period of gradual improvement, suggesting a vehicle that arrived as the reliability trajectory was moving favorably downward though not yet near the model's later lows.

Model year200119941993

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-, 6.5-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175
Engine air filter19259086
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug12681665
Front wiper blades15184702
Serpentine belt12576572 alt 19355374
Thermostat12632948 alt 12551507

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts74 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts8.85 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)74.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket74.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle103.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket74.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub147 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11-14 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Compression215 Nominal psi
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure6
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle38 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle38 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Drum Runout Limit0.006 in
Drum Nominal Diameter9.5 in
Drum Maximum Machining9.56 in
Drum Discard at-or-over9.59
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
1all bolts22 ft. lbs
2long bolts75 degrees
3medium bolts65 degrees
455
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1all bolts22 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 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)
Every 7,500 miDifferential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Underbody (inspect)
At 15,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Wheel Bearing (repack)
Every 50,000 miTransfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 miPCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 2001 GMC Truck Safari 2WD lead in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 13 of 49 reports (27%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the service brakes, hydraulic, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 3 of the reports describe a crash and 2 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.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
341
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
49
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 49 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic13
Electrical System7
Steering4
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Exterior Lighting3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Structure2
Electrical System,Visibility,Latches/Locks/Linkages1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

05V099000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 14/03/2005

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH MAY DEVELOP AN OPEN CIRCUIT CONDITION IN THE STOP LAMP OR HAZARD LAMP CIRCUIT THAT RESULTS IN THE STOP LAMPS AND HAZARD LAMPS BEING INOPERATIVE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD WARNING FLASHER SWITCH AND APPLY SPECIAL GREASE TO THE CONTACTS AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION OF THE MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE REPAIR WOULD BE USED…

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 341 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIP5358D2025-02-19Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J2024-10-25Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

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 2WD. 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 2001 Safari 2WD take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 Safari 2WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.