Illustration1. REAR ADJUSTMENT SPRING WAS NOT INSTALLED IN VEHICLE FROM FACTORY, CAUSING BRAKES TO BECOME SPONGY. 2. TRANSMISSION HAS BECOME FAULTY WIHTIN 42,000.
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 reportsWHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE ARE LOUD SQUEAKING NOISES AND THE PEDAL GETS SOFT AND GOES CLOSER TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, FRONT CALIPERS HAVE GOTTEN STUCK, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER CANT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
FUEL TANK HOLDS 1/2 TANK CAPACITY THEN BEGINS TO LEAK. NLM
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE VAN BRIEFLY LOST POWER. AT THE NEXT STOP SIGN I NOTICED WHITE STEAM OR SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER TURNING THE VAN CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER UNTIL I GOT PULLED OVER. AFTER GETTING MYSELF AND TWO OF MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE VAN THE SMOKE TURNED BLACK AND I KNEW IT WAS A FIRE. AS WE WALK…
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE VAN BRIEFLY LOST POWER. AT THE NEXT STOP SIGN I NOTICED WHITE STEAM OR SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER TURNING THE VAN CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER UNTIL I GOT PULLED OVER. AFTER GETTING MYSELF AND TWO OF MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE VAN THE SMOKE TURNED BLACK AND I KNEW IT WAS A FIRE. AS WE WALKED BACK TO A SAFE DISTANCE I COULD SEE FIRE DRIPPING OUT FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VAN. IT WAS SOON ENGULFED IN FIRE AND CONTINUED TO BURN UNTIL THE FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED TO PUT IT OUT. THE VAN WAS TOTALED.
SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR CAPTAINS CHAIRS DO NO CONNECT WHEN A LARGE PERSON IS IN SEAT, AND WHEN A SMALL PERSON IS IN SEAT THE BELT CONNECTS ACROSS THE NECK, WHICH CAUSES CHOKING. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. STATES THE BELTS ARE NOT PROPERLY LOCATED AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE'S SEAT BELTS HAVE TWO RETRACTORS, THE SHOULDER HARNESS AND THE LAP AND FLOOR. WHEN THE BELT IS HOOKED TOGETHER, CONSUMER CAN STAND AND WALK AWAY FROM THE SEAT AT LEAST THREE FEET. THE CONSUMER'S CHILD WHEN BUCKLED IN, THE BUCKLE OF THE SEAT BELT STOPS IN THE CENTER OF THE CHILD'S CHEST. THE MANUFACTURER INSISTS THAT TH…
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VEHICLE'S SEAT BELTS HAVE TWO RETRACTORS, THE SHOULDER HARNESS AND THE LAP AND FLOOR. WHEN THE BELT IS HOOKED TOGETHER, CONSUMER CAN STAND AND WALK AWAY FROM THE SEAT AT LEAST THREE FEET. THE CONSUMER'S CHILD WHEN BUCKLED IN, THE BUCKLE OF THE SEAT BELT STOPS IN THE CENTER OF THE CHILD'S CHEST. THE MANUFACTURER INSISTS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT HANDLED BY THEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE CUTS OFF WITHOUT REASON AT 30MPH AND UNDER ONLY. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DISCOVERED. *AK
WHILE USING THE JACK TO CHANGE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, THE JACK COLLAPSED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FALL DOWN. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER WILL TO CONTACTED. *AK
GLOVE BOX IS NOT SET CORRECTLY.
DESIGN OF NARROW RUNNING BOARDS ALONG WITH THE VINYL STRIPS AND THE LACK OF A RIGID PLATFORM CAUSED OCCUPANT OF THE VAN TO SLIP AND FALL.
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.