2001 GMC Savana Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 GMC Savana, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes313.6%
- Electrical313.6%
- Transmission29.1%
- Airbags29.1%
- Body & structure29.1%
- Engine29.1%
- Driver assistance29.1%
- Visibility14.5%
- Fuel system14.5%
- Interior & seats14.5%
- Other / unspecified14.5%
- Suspension14.5%
- Tires & wheels14.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
SINCE YOU JUST ISSUED THE RECALL ON GM PICKUP TRUCKS, I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY GMC SAVANA 15-SEATER 2001 VAN. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2001. IT NOW HAS AROUND 56,000 MILES ON IT. PROBLEM: SOMETIMES THE BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON, IN WHICH CASE THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. SOMETIMES THE FRONT PASSENGER ELECTRIC WINDOW DOESN'T WORK DURING THESE TIMES. I LEARNED ABOUT THE RECALL FROM MSNBC, READING THE NEWS ONLINE. SINCE YOU DIDN'T HAVE "INTERNET" ON YOUR REFERRAL SOURCE CHOICES, I SAID "NEWSPAPER" AS BEING THE CLOSEST THING. *JB
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS PULSATION AND VIBRATION UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I don't know sometimes wrong with the electrical issue before I got to dive into it I had got some damages from death or vandalism
TROUBLE STARTING: TURN KEY, VEHICLE TURNS OVER FINE,THAN SHUTS OFF. BEEN TO DEALER SIX TIMES THEY CAN NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. AT FIRST THEY (DEALER) THOUGHT IT WAS THE KEY. ISSUED NEW KEY OEM. STILL PROBLEM EXSISTED.WHAT WE DO NOW WE FLIP THE KEY AND TRY TO START VEHICLE AND SOMETIMES IT WILL START.THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN BUT WHEN IT DOES IT'S FRUSTRATING. THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM HAPPENED BEFORE THE NEW YEAR 2004. BUT THIS TIME IT WAS BEING DRIVEN.THE LOSS OF ALL POWER IS SCARY BUT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. GMC WHY CAN'T YOU FIGURE THIS PROBLEM OUT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WILL NOT CHANGE GEAR OR WILL HESITATE AND JERK INTO GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER CANNOT FIX PROBLEM.*AK
FUME INHALATION FROM GEAR OIL BURNING. FAMILY BECAME ILL AT TIME OF INCIDENT. GMCWANTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND GIVE ME A 5 YEAR WARRANTY ... NO LIFE INSURANCE MENTIONED. BBB IS BEGINNING ARBITRATION, SINCE WE FEEL THE FUMES ARE UNSAFE AND WANT OUR MONEY BACK. CAN YOU HELP???*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SAVANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED AND ALL OF THE WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
PURCHASED 2001 GMC SAVANNA 2500 VAN ON 3-31-05 ( NO WARRANTY); NOTICED "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT WERE ON. HAD VAN SERVICED ON 4-6-05. MECHANIC CLEARED UP ALL PROBLEMS EXCEPT THE SCAN TOOL COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE AIR BAG MODULE. WHEN THE MECHANIC STARTED THE ENGINE BACK UP, THE ENGINE WAS ON FOR APPROX. 5 - 10 SECONDS, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WENT OFF! LUCKILY NO ONE WAS SITTING THERE AT THE TIME. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOTH CABLES TO THE LIFTGATE BROKE DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TRUCK WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK *TC
WHILE OPENING THE MIDDLE DOOR TO THE MINI VAN THE DOOR SHEARED OFF . THE DOOR IS HANG OFF BY THE HINGES. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I don't know sometimes wrong with the electrical issue before I got to dive into it I had got some damages from death or vandalism
ENGINES STALLS FREQUENTLY. DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I don't know sometimes wrong with the electrical issue before I got to dive into it I had got some damages from death or vandalism
SINCE YOU JUST ISSUED THE RECALL ON GM PICKUP TRUCKS, I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY GMC SAVANA 15-SEATER 2001 VAN. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2001. IT NOW HAS AROUND 56,000 MILES ON IT. PROBLEM: SOMETIMES THE BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON, IN WHICH CASE THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. SOMETIMES THE FRONT PASSENGER ELECTRIC WINDOW DOESN'T WORK DURING THESE TIMES. I LEARNED ABOUT THE RECALL FROM MSNBC, READING THE NEWS ONLINE. SINCE YOU DIDN'T HAVE "INTERNET" ON YOUR REFERRAL SOURCE CHOICES, I SAID "NEWSPAPER" AS BEING THE CLOSEST THING. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 GMC SAVANNA. THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS VIBRATE SO BADLY THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM DURING THE DAY SEEING THE CORRECT IMAGES. AT NIGHT THE PROBLEM IS WORSE. I AM CONSTANTLY READJUSTED THE MIRRORS TO TRY TO AVOID "HEADLIGHT FLASH". I HAVE HAD GMC REPLACE THE MIRRORS. WHEN I ASKED FOR A SECOND REPLACEMENT, THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS COMMON AND THAT I "WOULD JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT." I DRIVE THIS VAN APPROXIMATELY 350 HIGHWAY MILES A WEEK. BECAUSE MY FIELD OF VIEW IS SO POOR DUE TO THIS DEFECT, I FEEL THAT MY SAFETY HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED. *LA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO WARNING FAILURE OF STANADYNE PN [XXX] (GM NUMBER) OR MFG #[XXX]. VEHICLE IS 2001 GMC VAN [XXX]. THE FUEL SOLENOID DRIVER (FSD) IS LOCATED ON THE INJECTOR PUMP AND IS USED TO DRIVE THE FUEL SYSTEM. ITS FAILURE IS CAUSE BY HEAT OR LACK OF COOLING OF THE TWO 500 WATT TRANSISTORS. FAILURE IS ABRUPT WITH OUT WARNING AND CAUSES LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL DUE TO STALLING. AFTER COOL DOWN VEHICLE CAN BE RESTARTED. FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED 5/22/2003 AT 39630 MILES AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER CLAIM NUMBER 1-105619528. THE SECOND FAILURE (OF THE REPLACED PART) OCCURRED AT 65779 MILES AND WAS NOTED IN REPAIR TICKET 1-273605803. THE UNIT WAS NOT REPAIRED BY GM BUT WAS REPLACED BY THE OWNER (ME). THE PART DID NOT FAIL AT DEALER WHO ONLY DROVE THE VEHICLE 8 MILES. STALLING OF VEHICLE CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL SINCE THE DIESEL MOTOR DRIVES THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. PART FAILURE DOES NOT SET ANY COMPUTER CODES READABLE AT DTC11 CONNECTOR. BASED ON INTERNET INVESTIGATION USING FSD FAILURE AND GM IN THE GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINE, MANY REPAIR SOLUTIONS ARE RECOMMENDED. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM SINCE GM ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION, G00064D IN MAY 2003. ORIGINAL PART IS AVAILABLE. REPLACEMENT PART (THE SECOND FAILURE) IS AVAILABLE. *JB UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR LEFT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, THE LATCH IS BROKEN. I OWN THREE GMC VANS ALL OF WHICH THE LEFT REAR DOORS WILL NOT OPEN. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE DOOR ON THE SCHOOL BUS WAS OPENED, THE STOP SIGN ARM DID NOT DEPLOY AUTOMATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
DEALER HAS REPLACED THE REAR AXLE SET SEAL FOUR TIMES AT 1,000 , 20,000, 55,000 AND 60,000 MILES. DEALER HAS INSPECTED SEVERAL OTHERS, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE PEELED AND THE TIRE BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWAY AND THE SWAY BAR TO BREAK. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE PASSENGER TIRES RUBBER PEELED AWAY FROM THE STEEL BELT. AS THE RUBBER WAS PEELING FROM THE TIRE, IT WAS HITTING THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING NUMEROUS SCRATCHES AND RUBBER MARKS AS WELL AS BREAKING PIECES OFF OF THE REAR PANEL. *AK *SC *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .