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1999 GMC Savana Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
49
Latest Feb 13, 2014
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Sep 13, 1999

What this page shows

Our database holds 49 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 GMC Savana. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 49 · page 1 of 2

Electrical
Filed Feb 13, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SAVANNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FUND THAT THE STARTER BOLT HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10564196
Incident
Feb 13, 2014
Mileage
130,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 19, 2006

THE POWER BRAKE/STEERING PUMP SHAFT BROKE, RENDERING THE POWER BRAKE AND STEERING INOPERABLE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING DOWNHILL AND PRESENTED A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES AT THE TIME. I WAS AND REMAIN CONCERNED THAT THE PART DEFECT WAS NOT IDENTIFIED EARLIER AND PRESENTED A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT I WANT TO KNOW IF THE REPLACEMENT PART IS SAFE AND HOW GMC WILL REIMBURSE ME FOR ALL OF THE COSTS I INCURRED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT WAS VERY DISTRESSING TO LOSE ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. HAD I BEEN TRAVELING FASTER, INJURIES MOST ASSUREDLY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE SEEN ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET THAT A 2000 GMC SAVANA VAN RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART. *NM

NHTSA ID
10166024
Incident
Jul 21, 2006
Mileage
66,000 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 4, 2005

STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. DEALER STATED THE CONVERSION COMPANY MADE THE VEHICLE TOO HEAVY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10117371
Incident
Apr 4, 2005
Mileage
60,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jan 13, 2005

WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH SUDDENLY, THE DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER TO THE RIGHT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM......IT HAPPENED AFTER MAKING A SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT. CONSUMER COULD NOT STEER THE VAN LEFT RIGHT.THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE SHAFT FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP WA SSHEARED IN HALF. *AK

NHTSA ID
10107394
Incident
Sep 17, 2004
Mileage
53,321 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 7, 2004

DEFECTIVE HINGES ON SIDE CARGO DOORS. SIDE DOORS NOT FREQUENTLY USED. REPEATEDLY GREASED/OILED TO REDUCE TENSION AND FORCE NECESSARY TO OPERATE DOORS. DOORS NOW INOPERABLE. HINGES CRACKED & RUSTED OUT COMPLETELY AFTER ONLY 3 1/2 YEARS OF OWNING VEHICLE. PASSENGERS WOULD BE TRAPPED INSIDE IF USING CENTER SEATS. HINGES ARE USELESS. PER GMC, MY PROBLEM; TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE & IT'S ISSUES AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10102286
Incident
Oct 27, 2004
Body & structure
Filed May 3, 2004

HINGES ON 60/40 CARGO DOORS ARE VERY STIFF. DOORS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. RECENTLY, LOWER HINGE ON 40 DOOR HAS BROKEN. REPLACEMENT OF ALL HINGES ON THESE DOORS IS APPROXIMATELY $1100. HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT PROBLEM (HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH HINGES ON 95 VANDURA).*AK

NHTSA ID
10068220
Incident
Jan 4, 2004
Mileage
115,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 30, 2004

THE REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT RELEASE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *LA

NHTSA ID
10071942
Incident
Apr 30, 2004
Airbags
Filed Apr 20, 2004

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE THE VAN WAS PARKED. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10064668
Incident
Mar 22, 2004
Mileage
99,500 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 28, 2004

PASSENGER SEAT HAS TIPPED BACK; THREE TIMES. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HINGE PIN AND PUT A SMALL SPROCKET TO LOCK IN PLACE. THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE ONLY REASON SOMEONE HASN'T BEEN HURT IS THE DISCOVERY OF THE MISSING PINS WHEN A PASSENGER IS LOADING INTO THE BACK.*AK

NHTSA ID
10055099
Incident
Jan 13, 2004
Transmission
Filed Jan 7, 2004

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC REPLACED TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10053623
Incident
Jan 7, 2004
Brakes
Filed Dec 12, 2003
Crash reported

I HAD TO MAKE A "PANIC STOP". I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. FELT THE VEHICLE SHUDDER SEVERAL TIMES AND FELT WHAT I ASSUMED WAS THE ABS BRAKES CYCLING, THEN THE VEHICLE JUST ROLLED FORWARD...NO BRAKING AT ALL WAS FELT, RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION. I KNOW THAT IF I HAD PROPERLY FUNCTIONING BRAKES, I WOULD HAVE STOPPED IN A SAFE DISTANCE. WHEN I FELT THE DECELERATION STOP, I PUSHED EVEN HARDER ON THE PEDAL, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN VELOCITY AND NO MORE ROOM FOR THE PEDAL TO MOVE. THERE WAS AT LEAST 15 BETWEEN VEHICLESAT THIS POINT,&..I COULD /SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SAFELY, WITH NO COLLISION IF THE BRAKES HAD WORKED PROPERLY! *AK

NHTSA ID
10049621
Incident
Dec 9, 2003
Mileage
25,200 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 25, 2003

SIDE DOOR HINGES ARE STIFF, CAUSING THE DOOR TO BEARLY OPEN. THE HINGE IS CAUSING THE SHEET METAL TO FLEX AS IT TRIES TO OPEN AND CLOSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10033477
Incident
Aug 25, 2003
Engine
Filed Jun 25, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE "ENGINE" CRACKED, RESULTING IN A SEVERE COOLANT LEAK.*AK

NHTSA ID
10024924
Incident
Apr 1, 2003
Mileage
62,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 13, 2003

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASGETS DETERIATING AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH 25,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10005807
Incident
Dec 31, 2002
Mileage
25,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 1, 2002

DRIVING AT 65MI HR.--SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION CAR COME VERY CLOSE TO ROLLING OVER--REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES & HAD TO REPLACE A RIM

NHTSA ID
9006278
Incident
Dec 9, 2001
Visibility
Filed May 6, 2002

CONSUMER GETS DIZZY AND ALSO GETS A HEADACHE WHEN LOOKING THROUGH WINDSHIELD. LOOKS LIKE WINDSHIELD HAS WAVES AND SPOTS IN IT. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK *YD

NHTSA ID
8009199
Incident
Apr 1, 2002
Airbags
Filed Apr 5, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT FORD PICKUP REARENDED GMC ON PASSENGER'S REAR CORNER AND PUSHED IT INTO REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES, AND RECEIVED EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID
8006969
Incident
Mar 27, 2002
Body & structure
Filed Feb 27, 2002

CONSUMER STATES SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE, BOLTS AND HINGES WERE RUSTED AND FROZEN, DEALER CONTACTED BUT NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK *YD

NHTSA ID
8004676
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Jan 4, 2002

WHILE DRIVING CHILD IN PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT NOTICED SEAT GETTING VERY HOT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND SAW HEATER OF THE SEAT HAD BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE FABRIC. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. PLEASE ADD FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8001579
Incident
Dec 21, 2001
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 14, 2001

I HAD THE TYPICAL FIRESTONE EXPERIENCE EXCEPT THIS TIME IT WAS WITH A GM MODEL AND A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TIRE. THE TREAD ON THIS TIRE JUST PEELED RIGHT OFF. LUCKILY, I'M ALIVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. FIRESTONE SAID IT WAS UNDERINFLATED. I DISAGREE. I USED THE BEST AND MOST EFFICENT MECHANIC IN TOWN AND HE ALWAYS KEEPS THE PRESSURE ADJUSTED PROPERLY FOR THE APPROPRIATE SEASON. ALL THE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. I SAVED THE OTHER 3 TIRES SO WHEN YOU INVESTIGATE YOU CAN TELL IF MY TIRES WERE UNDERINFLATED OR NOT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VN11B1A428 TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)

NHTSA ID
753214
Incident
Aug 6, 2001
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 18, 2001

GOODYEAR, EAGLE GT ARE ORIGINAL TIRES ON 1999, GMC SAVANNA, P235/75R15, DOTMKM2E3HRO89. WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. SIDEWALLS CAME OFF TIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
896447
Incident
Aug 30, 2001
Engine
Filed Aug 20, 2001

INTERMITTENT STALLING. STALLS AT 55MPH, 20 MPH, WHILE IDLING IN PARK, OR WHILE IDLING IN DRIVE. DEALER SERVICE DEPT. UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
750780
Incident
May 18, 2001
Brakes
Filed Jul 23, 2001

CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT GO OFF AND THE VAN HAD A VERY HARD BRAKE PEDAL LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER BOOST, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AN EQUALIZER, HOWEVER WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED IT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THEN THEY DISCOVERED IT WAS THE SWITCH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THAT WAS BAD OR NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HARD BRAKE PEDAL WAS NORMAL FOR GMC'S, CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING HE EXPERIENCED HARD BRAKING AND THE WHEELS LOCKED UP, CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO ABS CONTROL EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS SUPPOSE TO HAVE IT, CONSUMER BELIVES HE ONLY HAS FRONT WHEEL BRAKING.*YD

NHTSA ID
562198
Incident
Aug 10, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Jun 29, 2001

SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN PROPERLY. HAD NOTICED PLASTIC PANELS INTERLOCKING AT BOTTOM. PLASTIC PANELS HAS FALLEN OUT. DOOR CLOSER TO REAR WAS PUSHED BACK INTO POSITION. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE 1ST PANEL WOULD AND COULD BE REPLACED, BUT NOT THE SECOND. *AK

NHTSA ID
891718
Incident
Apr 16, 2001
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 19, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

THE GMC VAN WAS WEST BOUND ON HWY 67 AND WAS AT A STOP YIELDING FOR TRAFFIC TURNING ONTO CR 209. THE OTHER VEHICLE ALSO WEST BOUND WAS NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD WHILE HAVING HER HEAD DOWN LOOKING ON THE FLOOR BOARD AND DID NOT SEE THE VAN STOPPED AND REARENDED IT. SHE WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH AND NEVER APPLIED HER BRAKES. UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE COMPLETELY AND WHEN THE DRIVER CAME TO HE WAS LAID OUT FLAT IN THE SEAT ON THE FLOOR BOARD LOOKING UP AT THE CEILING. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SEVERE BACK INJURIES FROM THE SEAT BREAKAGE THAT BANGED INTO HIS BACK. *AK

NHTSA ID
747085
Incident
May 17, 2000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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