RoadVitals

2017 GMC Savana

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
6
Latest Jun 13, 2023
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
6
Latest Apr 6, 2023
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2017 GMC Savana, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), body & structure and brakes categories. 6 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 1,155 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Powertrain (other)330.0%
  • Body & structure110.0%
  • Brakes110.0%
  • Other / unspecified110.0%
  • Seat belts110.0%
  • Steering110.0%
  • Airbags110.0%
  • Suspension110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

6 campaigns cover this model year

View all 6

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
23V247000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Apr 6, 2023
150,830 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2023 Chevrolet Express Cutaway and GMC Savana Cutaway incomplete vehicles equipped with wiring for an optional rear heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. When the HVAC blower motor circuit is left unused with exposed connectors and wiring, the circuit can corrode and overheat.
The risk: An overheated electrical circuit increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will properly seal the rear HVAC blower motor circuits at the left side B-pillar, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GMC's number for this recall is N222386050.
General Motors, LLCManufacturer number N222386050View on NHTSA.gov
19V428000

EQUIPMENT

Jun 11, 2019
325 units potentially affected
The defect: Unicell Body Company Inc. (Unicell) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, 2018-2019 Hino 155, Ford Econoline and Transit and Isuzu NPR, and 2018 Ram ProMaster-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed.
The risk: The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Unicell will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners and offer a remedy, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service 1-800-384-4400 or Unicell at 1-716-853-8628.
Unicell Body Company Inc.View on NHTSA.gov
19V387000

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

May 23, 2019
1,159 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. One or both of the rear-quarter windows may be tempered glass instead of laminated glass. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
The risk: Tempered glass increases the risk of injury in the event of a side impact or rollover crash.
The remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tempered glass windows with laminated glass windows, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192218960.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number N192218960View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE23016ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

6L90 Transmission Failure

Opened Sep 27, 2023
Closed Jan 10, 2025

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) after receiving one Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) complaint related to four school buses built on General Motors (GM) van chassis. The VOQ alleged transmission failure resulting in a loss of all forward gear. In ODI's pre-investigative discussions with GM, ODI learned that valve body separator plates had been machined out of tolerance during production periods between October 2016 to April 2017 and February 2021 to April 2021. This out of tolerance machining may create excessive wear to the valve body check balls, possibly resulting in an inability to engage drive or reverse. The potential loss of drivability only begins when shifting from a park or neutral transmission selection and does not occur during a functional drive cycle. The average failure mileage of vehicles which experienced this condition is within warranty and related claims or complaints did not include any accidents, injuries, or fatalities. After discussions with GM, Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-NA-142 (NHTSA ID number 10243753) was released in September 2023. This technical service bulletin provides a procedure for technicians to replace the forward check ball and separator plate if found to be the cause of a customer's concern. During the course of the investigation, GM also released a Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) N232428780 (NHTSA ID 10253316) in February 2024, to notify school bus and ambulance fleets of the concern and to proactively mitigate the risk in these essential-operation vehicles. Recently, ODI contacted multiple school bus fleets, verifying that there have not been any stranded buses mid-route from this condition. Additionally, ODI has not received any additional VOQ complaints since the opening of this investigation. Based on the available information, including GM's TSB and CSP, this PE is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI report cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Numbers document, go to NHTSA.gov.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:VALVES/VALVE BODY

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 13, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Savana. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ID
11526817
Incident
May 1, 2023
Mileage
75,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 18, 2023

The ABS Control Unit is faulty for the second time on this vehicle, with only 28,174 miles on it. The first time was 11/09/20 at 24,156 miles.

NHTSA ID
11502438
Incident
Dec 5, 2022
AirbagsPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 17, 2022

My airbag light will come on randomly . I had it scanned and its coming up as a DTC .

NHTSA ID
11469854
Incident
Jun 16, 2022
Powertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jul 26, 2021

Have taken it to the GMC dealership over seven times with same issue. They refuse to fix problem due to not being able to replicate it. Losing steering and braking issue is getting worse. This is a LARGE HEAVY TRUCK and GM refuses to help fix. This is very disturbing. Has to be something in the drive train.

NHTSA ID
11426488
Incident
Jul 13, 2021
Other / unspecifiedSeat beltsSuspension
Filed Dec 5, 2019

I HAVE PURCHASED A CONVERSION VAN THAT HAS BEEN MODIFIED BY AN AFTERMARKET UPFITTER BUT SOLD AS NEW ON A FRANCHISED GMC DEALERSHIP LOT. THE VAN CARRIES TWO PLACARDS WITH CONFLICTING GVWR INFORMATION. THESE VANS ARE BEING MODIFIED IN MASS QUANTITIES. THE REAR SPRINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO SOFTEN THE RIDE BUT ARE INADEQUATE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF A 3/4 TON VAN. THE TIRES THAT ARE BEING INSTALLED ON THESE VANS FOR VANITY REASONS ARE NOT OF THE CORRECT WEIGHT RATING FOR A 3/4 TON VAN. WE HAVE HAD MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE TIRES FAILING AND THE REAR SPRINGS BENDING. THE CONVERSION COMPANY, THE GMC DEALER, NOR GM CUSTOMER SERVICE WISH TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. YET THESE VANS CONTINUE TO BE SOLD IN MASS QUANTITIES ON GMC AND CHEVROLET DEALER LOTS AS BRAND NEW VEHICLES. I AM SEEING MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS IN FORUMS AND FACEBOOK GROUPS FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUES. I AM GENUINELY CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE INJURED EVENTUALLY DUE TO TIRE OR SPRING FAILURE. ALSO I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE SEAT BELTS BECOMING COMPLETELY UNBOLTED FROM THE SEATS. THE FASTENERS USED BY THE CONVERSION COMPANY FOR THE SEAT BELTS ARE ALSO INADEQUATE FOR TODAY'S STANDARDS. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT MY COMPLAINT IS NOT IN REGARD TO THE OEM SPEC GM VAN. THIS COMPLAINT IS RELATED TO A GM AUTHORIZED UPFITTER THAT IS TAKING BRAND NEW VANS PROVIDED BY GM, INSTALLING THEIR PARTS, THEN SELLING THEM AS NEW VEHICLES AT GM DEALERSHIPS. THIS CONVERSION COMPANY (THE EXPLORER VAN COMPANY) ALSO INSTALLS THEIR PRODUCTS ON FORD, MERCEDES, AND POSSIBLY THE RAM VANS AS WELL. WE HAVE HAD THREE TIRE FAILURES ALREADY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. BELLE TIRE WOULD NOT SELL US A REPLACEMENT TIRE BECAUSE THE SIZE INSTALLED ON THE VAN IS NOT RATED PROPERLY AND THERE IS NO TIRE MANUFACTURER IN THE US THAT PRODUCES A TIRE IN THE PROPER SIZE WITH THE CORRECT WEIGHT RATINGS.

NHTSA ID
11287037
Incident
Aug 12, 2019
Mileage
24,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 8, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC SAVANA. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VEER TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HOLIDAY AUTOMOTIVE (321 N ROLLING MEADOWS DR., FOND DU LAC, WI 54937, (866) 875-3224) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ID
11078219
Incident
Dec 28, 2017
Mileage
3,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PIT5099J

PI to help diagnose A/C concern

PIT3271Q

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

PIP6104

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

PIP4902V

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

PIT6400A

This PI Communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform 19-NA-255: Wax Coating on Frame Peeling, Metal Shows Corrosion/Rusting due to issue with getting product from current supplier listed in the bulletin.

PIP5700G

This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

GMC Savana by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026030—
2025040—
2024000—
2023020—
2022221—
2021231—
2020020—
2019550—
2018371—
2017Viewing661—
2016671—
2015240—
2014170—
2013290—
2012370—
2011150—
2010340—
2009280—
2008370—
2007630—
2006770—
2005125039.8
2004127054.8
20032211054.0
2002120137.5
2001190035.6
2000492155.7
1999492046.4
1998332042.3
1997462049.9
1996353043.1
1995200—
1994100—
1993000—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.