RoadVitals

2005 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.
13
Latest Oct 12, 2026
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.
1
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.
1
Reports on file since Sep 15, 2005

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 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 1–13 of 13

Airbags
Filed Oct 12, 2026
Crash reported1 injury reported

I was in a crash today october 12th 2026 and the airbags failed to deploy it was a front end collision that resulted in the motor shutting off

NHTSA ID
11770691
Incident
Oct 12, 2026
Visibility
Filed Jul 17, 2023

I had a new front windshield sold by PGW installed by Coughlin Auto Glass in Deer Lodge Montana in November - December 2022. I immediately noticed that the windshield did not allow RED LIGHT to pass through the tinted area. This is most likely due to a manufacturing defect and is dangerous. Unfortunately I did not have time to argue with the installer about a replacement until now, as I have been out of the state until yesterday. The installer confirmed that the glass was defective. He states that he contacted PGW today and that they will not replace the window. He and Pittsburg Glass Works state that they have had no other complaints and that it is too late to do anything about it. I suspect there is an entire batch of glass windshields that have this manufacturing defect. The consumer representative for PGW admitted that they had problems with supplies and manufacturing during COVID. I suspect this happened due to COVID related manufacturing problems.

NHTSA ID
11532862
Incident
Nov 12, 2022
Body & structure
Filed Jul 30, 2014

WHITE VAN SINCE WAS 4 YEARS OLD THE FRONT HOOD WHITE PAINT STAR PEELING OFF . KNOW IS HAVE PAINT ONLY. BAD QUALITY PAINT. YOU CAN SEE IN THE ROAD ALMOST ALL CHEVY OR GMC CARGO VAN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10617484
Incident
Jul 1, 2009
Mileage
78,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Jun 17, 2014

WHILE DRIVING ON BUMPY ROAD AT 30 MILES / HOUR CAR TURNS OFF. I COULD NOT TURN, POWER STEERING LOCKED. CAR EVENTUALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUSY ROAD AND I BRAKE, CHANGED GEARS TO PARK. I TURN IGNITION KEY OFF AND THEN TURNED IT ON AGAIN. THIS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES. I TRY TO AVOID BUMPY AREAS. I TOOK TO MECHANIC & HE FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH ENGINE. I DID TO MENTION IT ONLY HAPPENS ON BUMPY RIDES, ( HE DROVE IT ON EXPRESSWAY). I JUST FOUND OUT GMC CARS HAVE A RECALL ON KEY IGNITIONS BUT NOT MY 2005 GMC. I CONTACTED GMC AND MY LOCAL DEALER BUT THEY SAY IT IS NOT RECALLED AND UNLESS IT HAPPENS WHILE THEY DRIVE IT THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE IT. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT UNLESS THEY DIAGNOSE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10598720
Incident
May 31, 2014
Mileage
100,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 25, 2011

TIRE "DEFINITY DAKOTA" HAD DEFECTED JUST FOR 20,000 MI. *TR

NHTSA ID
10421488
Incident
Aug 23, 2011
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Nov 28, 2010

SIDE CARGO REAR DOOR HINGES SIEZED AND BENT AFTER OPENING. NOW IT DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY (ALIGNMENT FROM HINGE), CAUSING FRONT SIDE CARGO DOOR TO STAY OPEN AT ALL TIMES. REAR DOOR IS OVER 1" OUT OF POSITION, PREVENTING FRONT DOOR FROM CLOSING AND ENGAGING LATCH. IF REAR DOOR IS OPENED, IT DOES NOT CLOSE WITHOUT EXCESSIVE FORCE TO REALIGN TO LATCHES, BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH TO CLOSE FRONT DOOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10368034
Incident
Nov 11, 2010
Mileage
49,923 mi
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Aug 12, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SAVANA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACTIVATE THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WOULD NOT BECOME COOL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COOLING LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A LEAK. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 41000. THE COOLANT LINES THAT RAN TO THE REAR CLIMATE CONTROL WERE LEAKING FREON. UPDATED 11/24/10

NHTSA ID
10349083
Incident
May 20, 2010
Mileage
41,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 13, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SAVANA. WHILE TRAVELING AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WHERE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000.

NHTSA ID
10342976
Incident
May 27, 2010
Mileage
33,000 mi
ElectricalOther / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Dec 28, 2007

2005 GMC SAVANNA WITH TIRE FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VAN HAS HAD THREE TIRE BLOW OUTS. HE STATED THAT THE BLOW OUTS OCCURRED ON THE SAME TIRE AND THE SAME SPOT. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE LOW PROFILE TIRES WERE NOT A GOOD MATCH FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED HE HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONICS AND THE WHEELS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10213888
Incident
Oct 1, 2006
Seat belts
Filed Aug 15, 2007

PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH. *JB

NHTSA ID
10199742
Incident
Jan 1, 2006
Steering
Filed Jul 27, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SAVANA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING GEAR TWICE AND THE STEERING PUMP ONCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,800. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

NHTSA ID
10197645
Incident
Jul 7, 2007
Mileage
3,800 mi
Suspension
Filed May 31, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH THE ENTIRE VEHICLE VIBRATED. IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THE TIRES AND RIMS WERE CHANGED, BY THE DEALER. THIS HAD NO AFFECT AND THE VIBRATION STILL OCCURRED. THE DEALER INDICATED THE VIBRATION CAN BE FELT, BUT THE CAUSE CAN NOT BE DETERMINED.

NHTSA ID
10158675
Incident
May 31, 2006
Mileage
20,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 15, 2005

2005 GMC 2500 HAS SEVERE RUST ON BRAKE BEARING SPINDLES & KNOCK HEAD JOINTS. *TS *JB

NHTSA ID
10138816
Incident
Sep 1, 2005
Mileage
4,122 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .