GMC Truck›Safari 4WD›1994›Overview/gmc-truck/safari-4wd/1994/base/

1994 GMC Truck Safari 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Safari 4WD.

The 1994 GMC Truck Safari 4WD is the four-wheel-drive variant of the Safari, carrying an engine oil specification of 4 quarts of 5W-30 API. In the 1990–2005 complaint record, this model year accumulated 154 owner complaints—near the top of the span and just below the 1995 peak of 201, against a low of 5 in 2005—with Service Brakes, Hydraulic cited as the top complaint area and two recalls on file. That complaint load places the 1994 Safari 4WD among the more problematic years in the model's reliability history, so a researcher should treat brake service history and recall completion as priority checks.

Model year200119941993

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 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 OE oil filter 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12737090
Engine air filter25040929 alt 19259086
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19302741
Front wiper blades15184702
Serpentine belt88986825 alt 12576753
Thermostat10190925 alt 24505924

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 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 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; spark plugs every 60,000 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) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miClutch Cross Shaft (lubricate) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Ignition Timing (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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 1994 GMC Truck Safari 4WD lead in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 41 of 154 reports (27%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 2 recall campaigns target the service brakes, hydraulic, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 18 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.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
154
Owner complaints
18 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’90’91’92’93’94’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 154 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic41
Visibility31
Suspension16
Air Bags10
Electrical System8
Steering6
Seats5
Structure5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E041000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 18/05/2006

CERTAIN R&B, INC. CENTRAL MULTIPORT FUEL INJECTION (CMFI) FUEL RETURN LINES, MODELS HELP 55163, NAPA BALKAMP 700-3270, AND THE CONNECTION 2560001, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE… Remedy: R&B, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND AT THE CUSTOMERS REQUEST, EITHER REPLACE THE FUEL LINE OR OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT R&B, INC. AT…

94V087000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 09/05/1994

THE MANUFACTURER'S CERTIFICATION LABEL AND/OR THE DRIVER AIR BAG ADVISORY LABEL MAY BE MISSING FROM THE VEHICLES, WHICH DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF 49 CFR 567. Remedy: THE LABELS WILL BE FURNISHED TO OWNER'S FOR INSTALLATION ON THE VEHICLES.

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 4WD. 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.

Vehicles taking 4 qtEngine oil filter 12737090Engine air filter 25040929Fuel filter 25171792Spark plug 19302741

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1994 Safari 4WD take?

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

Does the 1994 Safari 4WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.