IllustrationTIRE CAME APART-DID NOT DEFLATE-CONSIDERABLE BODY DAMAGE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 909D TIRESIZE: LT245/75R1)
1997 GMC Savana
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Savana years →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 46 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. 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.
1 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
46 reportsELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS HAVE ALL CORRODED DUE TO MOISTURE, POSSIBLY CAUSING FIRE OR ELECTRICAL FAILURES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, FIRESTONE FIREHAWK SS10 TIRE P235/70R15 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, TREAD HAD FALLEN OFF ON RIGHT FRONT TIRE, WAS NOT A BLOWOUT.PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES ALREADY. VEHICLE TOWED TO TIRE SHOP & REPLACED. SENT TIRE TO FIRESTONE. *AK *SLC
MAJOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE FIRST EVIDENCED BY HARSH 1-2 UPSHIFT CAUSED BY KNOWN FACTORY DEFAULT IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND SOLENOID CIRCUITRY. MANY OWNERS REPORTING SAME PROBLEM EITHER WITHIN OR AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD.
THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT SOON AFTER WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A POP AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. NLM
WHILE SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE DRIVER FELT A PULSATION IN FRONT STEERING WHEEL. TOOK TO DEALER, AND HE CHANGED BRAKE ROTORS, BUT NOT PADS. SINCE THEN, CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER 4 MORE TIMES. LAST TIME WAS ON 01/ 28/99. PICKED IT UP A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, AND IT STILL HAD PULSATION. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WHEN APPLY…
Read full complaint
WHILE SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE DRIVER FELT A PULSATION IN FRONT STEERING WHEEL. TOOK TO DEALER, AND HE CHANGED BRAKE ROTORS, BUT NOT PADS. SINCE THEN, CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER 4 MORE TIMES. LAST TIME WAS ON 01/ 28/99. PICKED IT UP A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, AND IT STILL HAD PULSATION. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IT FELT AS THOUGH VEHICLE WAS GOING TO STOP. *AK
SAFETY HAZARD! THE ELECTRIC DRIVER SEAT IS NOT SQUARE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.THE SEAT POSITION MAKES THE DRIVER SET AT AN ANGLE TO THE RIGHT OF THE WHEEL SO IF THE AIR BAG IS DEPLOYED IT WILL HIT THE DRIVER IN THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HEAD AND TWIST THE BODY AROUND.THE WAY THE DRIVER SEAT IS ANGLED THE AIR…
Read full complaint
SAFETY HAZARD! THE ELECTRIC DRIVER SEAT IS NOT SQUARE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.THE SEAT POSITION MAKES THE DRIVER SET AT AN ANGLE TO THE RIGHT OF THE WHEEL SO IF THE AIR BAG IS DEPLOYED IT WILL HIT THE DRIVER IN THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HEAD AND TWIST THE BODY AROUND.THE WAY THE DRIVER SEAT IS ANGLED THE AIR BAG WILL NEVER HIT SQUARE WITH THE BODY . THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE AIR BAG WILL CAUSE THE BODY TO TWIST AS OPPOSED TO HITTING YOU SQUARE AND HOLDING YOU FACE FORWARD . I FEEL IT WILL CROWD THE DRIVER TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IN A TWISTED CONDITION. GMC AND AUTO FORM AND THE DEALER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND I AM TOLD I WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS SAFETY HAZARD AS THEY CANNOT CORRECT IT AND THEY ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM. AGAIN THAT I WILL HAVE TO JUST LIVE WITH. I HOPE THAT THE VEHICLE IS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND MULTIPLE DEATHS AND OR PERMANENT INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
FUEL SENDING UNIT TANK FAILED TWICE ON THIS VAN. ONCE ON ANOTHER 3/4 TON VAN. VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *AK
TOWING A RENTED TRAILER AND SMALL HYDRA-HOE. WEATHER CONDITIONS HAD BEEN RAINING. THE TRAILER CONTAINS A HYRDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDER THAT IS ACTIVATED FROM THE FORCE OF THE TRAILER PUSHING THE VEHICLE WHEN STOPPING. IN THIS CAUSE THE ANTI-LOCKS WOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT STOPPING POWER AS THEY WOULD NOT LOCK UP. THE MORE THE TRAILE…
Read full complaint
TOWING A RENTED TRAILER AND SMALL HYDRA-HOE. WEATHER CONDITIONS HAD BEEN RAINING. THE TRAILER CONTAINS A HYRDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDER THAT IS ACTIVATED FROM THE FORCE OF THE TRAILER PUSHING THE VEHICLE WHEN STOPPING. IN THIS CAUSE THE ANTI-LOCKS WOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT STOPPING POWER AS THEY WOULD NOT LOCK UP. THE MORE THE TRAILER PUSHED THE LESS THEY WOULD BRAKE. RIG WAS VIRTUALLY BRAKELESS INTO AN INTERSECTION. THIS WAS NOT A PANIC STOP, THE LIGHT HAD CHANGED WITH APPX 80 YARDS TO STOP SPEED APPX. 35MPH . *AK
BRAKE PEDAL KEEPS SQUEAKING. DEALER HAS REPLACED PEDAL. BUT, WITHIN 1000 MILES NOISE WILL COME BACK. *AK
Official recalls
100V110000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Apr 17, 2000
PASSENGER VANS. THESE VANS EXPERIENCE FUEL ODORS OR LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED EVAPORATIVE EMISSION PIPE ASSEMBLY.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.