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1996 GMC Savana

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 35 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Power Train complaints

4 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2000
Power Train

ENGINECHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR THREE DAYS. THEN IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT OF GEAR. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FLUSHED OUT. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT AT 40,000 MILES SHE HAD SEVERE SHIFTING PROBLEM.*AK RUST IN TRANSMISSION FLUID, METAL FILING WAS FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION POSSIBLY FROM COOLANT LE…

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ENGINECHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR THREE DAYS. THEN IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT OF GEAR. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FLUSHED OUT. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT AT 40,000 MILES SHE HAD SEVERE SHIFTING PROBLEM.*AK RUST IN TRANSMISSION FLUID, METAL FILING WAS FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION POSSIBLY FROM COOLANT LEAK INTO IT. *YH

NHTSA ODI #869783

Mileage unknown · Dec 16, 1999
Electrical SystemPower Train

WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER WILL GET STUCK AT 15 MPH/ 20MPH THEN 30MPH. WHEN CONSUMER GETS TO 60 MPH THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE SPEEDOMETER BEING STUCK. SPEEDOMETER HAS TO STAY UP WITH THE TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO KNOW HOW FAST THE CAR IS GOING, AND TO KEEP SPEED LIMITS. POLICE HAS PULLED CONSUMER OVER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BECAUSE CONS…

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WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER WILL GET STUCK AT 15 MPH/ 20MPH THEN 30MPH. WHEN CONSUMER GETS TO 60 MPH THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE SPEEDOMETER BEING STUCK. SPEEDOMETER HAS TO STAY UP WITH THE TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO KNOW HOW FAST THE CAR IS GOING, AND TO KEEP SPEED LIMITS. POLICE HAS PULLED CONSUMER OVER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE OF HOW FAST THE CAR WAS TRAVELING. ALSO, DEALER CHANGED THE CLUSTER UNIT. BUT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STICKING AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #853151

Mileage unknown · Jan 6, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

THE VEHICKE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE HEADS REWORKED DUE TO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON STARTING AT 2000 MILES. #1 CYLINDER EXHUAST VALVE WAS STICKING OPEN. WE HAVE HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE WINDOW MOTOR CONTROL MOTOR AND SWITCH. FAILED 4 TIMES. BRAKES ARE TERRIBLE. ALTHOUGH ABS RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, DEALER CAN'T SE…

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THE VEHICKE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE HEADS REWORKED DUE TO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON STARTING AT 2000 MILES. #1 CYLINDER EXHUAST VALVE WAS STICKING OPEN. WE HAVE HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE WINDOW MOTOR CONTROL MOTOR AND SWITCH. FAILED 4 TIMES. BRAKES ARE TERRIBLE. ALTHOUGH ABS RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO CORRECT. FUEL PUMP FAILED IN AUGUST 1998. SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING UP, WOULD MOVE 4-5 MILES PER HOUR AT A TIME, NOT SMOOTHLY, WOULD JUMP UP OR DOWN. CRUISE DIDN'T WORK WELL. DEALER REPLACED SPEED CONTROL SENSOR IN AUGUST 1998. DRIVE GEAR FOR SPEED SENSOR CAME APART INSIDE TRANSMISSION ON 12/31/98, LEAVING US 800 MILES FROM HOME ON NEWS YEARS EVE. TRYING TO GET REIMBURSEMENT ETC FROM GMC. STARTED ASKING FOR HELP ON MONDAY 1/4/99....PROMISED A PHONE CALL BACK ON 1/5/99...NO RETURN CALL ...CALLED GMC ON 1/6/99...PROMISED A RETURN CALL NOTHING AS OF 5 PM EST. WE WANT TO HAVE GMC BUY VEHICLE BACK UNDER LEMMON LAWS....HOW DO I PROCEED? *AK

NHTSA ODI #701961

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 1998
Power TrainVisibility

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED THREE TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #533556

Official recalls

2

96V092000 · Suspension:rear:springs:leaf Spring ASSEMBLY:U-BOLT, Leaf Spring To Axle

Jun 3, 1996

ONE OF THE FOUR REAR AXLE U-BOLTS CAN BREAK. THIS CAN POTENTIALLY LEAD TO THE SPRING LIFTING FROM THE AXLE UNDER CERTAIN REBOUND, BRAKING OR CORNERING MANEUVERS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FOUR REAR AXLE U-BOLTS ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.