RoadVitals

2018 GMC Savana Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

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.
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Latest Mar 10, 2025
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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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.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 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

  • Brakes120.0%
  • Driver assistance120.0%
  • Engine120.0%
  • Other / unspecified120.0%
  • Suspension120.0%

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

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

AFTER WAITING MY TURN TO PAY A TOLL ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE EXIT IN TOLEDO, THE VAN DID NOT STOP WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND I RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. MY VAN BRAKES HAD BEEN WORKING AS WE EASED UP TO THE TOLL BOTH WITH ABOUT 6 CARS AHEAD OF ME. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES THE WHOLE TIME. WHEN I WAS SECOND ON LINE, I EASED UP ON THE BRAKES. BUT, THE VAN WOULD NOT STOP EVEN THOUGH I STOMPED ON THE BRAKES TWICE VERY HARD, IT STIL WOULD NOT STOP.

NHTSA ID 11172369 · filed Jan 27, 2019

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MY 2018 VAN IS AN EXPLORER CONVERSION WITH 13000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS TAKEN TO GMC FOR REPAIRS FOR WHAT THE TECH IS CALLING A "DEATH WOBBLE". BASICALLY THE VAN AT UNPREDICTED TIMES GETS INTO A ROUGH SHAKING IN THE FRONT END THAT FORCES YOU TO STOP. THIS HAPPENED WHILE BRAKING GOING DOWN STEEP GRADES (5%+), ALSO TURNING ONTO A SLOPED ROAD AND AGAIN JUST TRAVELING ON A HILLY ROAD WITHOUT AND USE OF BRAKES. DEALER FOUND THAT 3 OF THE 4 RIMS WHICH WERE INSTALLED BY EXPLORER CONVERSION VANS ARE WARPED OR BENT. THE TIRE SIZE INSTALLED IS 20" WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STOCK SIZE OF 16". THE CURRENT TIRES ARE PIRELLI SCORPION VERDE 265/50/R20. THE VAN HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON STANDARD ROAD AND NEVER COLLIDED WITH OR RAN OVER ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD. UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME IF REPLACING THE WHEELS WILL FIX THE ISSUE DUE TO ISSUES OBTAINING REPLACEMENTS. BIGGER CONCERN IS 3 OUT OF 4 WHEELS FAILING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND USE.

NHTSA ID 11376767 · filed Nov 27, 2020

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Savana. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The oil pressure light was illuminated. After several attempts, the vehicle failed to restart. The Police Department was called, and the Officer helped to push the vehicle out of the roadway. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed back to the residence and was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The repair was pending. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,634.

NHTSA ID 11647360 · filed Mar 10, 2025

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MY 2018 VAN IS AN EXPLORER CONVERSION WITH 13000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS TAKEN TO GMC FOR REPAIRS FOR WHAT THE TECH IS CALLING A "DEATH WOBBLE". BASICALLY THE VAN AT UNPREDICTED TIMES GETS INTO A ROUGH SHAKING IN THE FRONT END THAT FORCES YOU TO STOP. THIS HAPPENED WHILE BRAKING GOING DOWN STEEP GRADES (5%+), ALSO TURNING ONTO A SLOPED ROAD AND AGAIN JUST TRAVELING ON A HILLY ROAD WITHOUT AND USE OF BRAKES. DEALER FOUND THAT 3 OF THE 4 RIMS WHICH WERE INSTALLED BY EXPLORER CONVERSION VANS ARE WARPED OR BENT. THE TIRE SIZE INSTALLED IS 20" WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STOCK SIZE OF 16". THE CURRENT TIRES ARE PIRELLI SCORPION VERDE 265/50/R20. THE VAN HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON STANDARD ROAD AND NEVER COLLIDED WITH OR RAN OVER ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD. UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME IF REPLACING THE WHEELS WILL FIX THE ISSUE DUE TO ISSUES OBTAINING REPLACEMENTS. BIGGER CONCERN IS 3 OUT OF 4 WHEELS FAILING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND USE.

NHTSA ID 11376767 · filed Nov 27, 2020

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MY 2018 VAN IS AN EXPLORER CONVERSION WITH 13000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS TAKEN TO GMC FOR REPAIRS FOR WHAT THE TECH IS CALLING A "DEATH WOBBLE". BASICALLY THE VAN AT UNPREDICTED TIMES GETS INTO A ROUGH SHAKING IN THE FRONT END THAT FORCES YOU TO STOP. THIS HAPPENED WHILE BRAKING GOING DOWN STEEP GRADES (5%+), ALSO TURNING ONTO A SLOPED ROAD AND AGAIN JUST TRAVELING ON A HILLY ROAD WITHOUT AND USE OF BRAKES. DEALER FOUND THAT 3 OF THE 4 RIMS WHICH WERE INSTALLED BY EXPLORER CONVERSION VANS ARE WARPED OR BENT. THE TIRE SIZE INSTALLED IS 20" WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STOCK SIZE OF 16". THE CURRENT TIRES ARE PIRELLI SCORPION VERDE 265/50/R20. THE VAN HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON STANDARD ROAD AND NEVER COLLIDED WITH OR RAN OVER ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD. UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME IF REPLACING THE WHEELS WILL FIX THE ISSUE DUE TO ISSUES OBTAINING REPLACEMENTS. BIGGER CONCERN IS 3 OUT OF 4 WHEELS FAILING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND USE.

NHTSA ID 11376767 · filed Nov 27, 2020

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

Data on this page last refreshed .