2002 GMC Savana

Routine

Owners filed 12 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › body › door › hinge and attachments. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments3
000
Engine2
000
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls1
000
Tires1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
100
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
000
Seats1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System › Injectors1
000
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 28, 2015MI

S10 DIRECT REPLY- LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM CONSTITUENT RE REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH THE RECALL OF A 2012 GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED IN MARCH 2015, HE RECEIVED AN INFORMATION LETTER, NOT A RECALL THAT THE BRAKE LINE MAY FAIL DUE TO INADEQUATE CLEARANCE. AFTER VISITING THE GMC DEALER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WERE NO PROBLEM INDICATORS AT THAT TIME AND THE PART WOULD NOT BE REPLACED UNTIL IT FAILED. ON AUGUST 19, 2015, WHILE DRIVING ON A STEEP MOUNTAIN ROAD WITH AN 8% GRADE, THE BRAKES FAILED. BY USING THE TRANSMISSION TO ASSIST IN BRAKING, THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VAN TO A FLAT AREA BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ALL THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM THE RESERVOIR AND FLUID SPLASHED ON THE UNDER CARRIAGE DUE TO BRAKE LINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD TAKE 6-8 DAYS TO GET THE REDESIGNED PART. THE BRAKE LINE HAD A HOLE IN IT BECAUSE IT WAS INSTALLED IN A KNOWN AREA OF INADEQUATE CLEARANCE. *JB

Engine
Filed Dec 26, 201493,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SAVANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. MAILED OUT 01/13/15*LJ

Engine
Filed Oct 30, 2012KS

WE OWN SEVERAL GMC SAVANA 3500 15 PASSENGER VANS. WE SEEM TO BE HAVING REPEAT ISSUES WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BRAKING AND THE MANIFOLDS CRACKING. OUR 2002 HAS BEEN IN 2-3 TIMES AND OUR 2005 HAS IS NOW IN FOR IT'S SECOND MANIFOLD AND BOLTS. THE BOLTS ARE BREAKING AND THE MANIFOLDS ARE CRACKING. PLEASE ENCOURAGE A RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. AFTER CHECKING THE INTERNET, WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS GM MOTOR. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THIS IS A PROBLEM FROM ALL GMC VEHICLES WITH THE VORTEC 6.0L MOTOR. *TR

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Dec 29, 20061 milesWI

MY COMPLAINT IS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE PORTSIDE DOOR HINGES ON ALMOST ALL GMC SAVANAH 3500'S THAT I HAVE SEEN. IT IS A SAFTEY CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE THE DOOR IS ALMOST COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND IS INOPERABLE. I HAVE LUBRICATED THE HINGES MANY TIME TO NO AVAIL. THE WELDS ON THE HINGES ARE BADLY CRACKED WITH JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF THE WELD(APROX. 1/4") HOLDING THE DOOR ON. THE DOOR WILL NO LONGER CLOSE COMPLETELY. I KNOW OF MANY OTHER VANS FROM THE SAME MODEL YEAR HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. ONE OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS AND HIS SON BOTH HAVE THE SAME EXACT VAN; WE BOUGHT THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THEY HAVE IDENTICAL PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HINGES. I HOPE THAT YOU LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER, I THINK IT MAY BE A RAMPANT PROBLEM, AND I DEFINITELY FEEL IT IS A MAJOR SAFTEY CONCERN. LASTLY, I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE A RESPONSE EMAIL. THANK YOU. SINCERELY, JIM MERKEL

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Dec 29, 20061 milesWI

MY COMPLAINT IS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE PORTSIDE DOOR HINGES ON ALMOST ALL GMC SAVANAH 3500'S THAT I HAVE SEEN. IT IS A SAFTEY CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE THE DOOR IS ALMOST COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND IS INOPERABLE. I HAVE LUBRICATED THE HINGES MANY TIME TO NO AVAIL. THE WELDS ON THE HINGES ARE BADLY CRACKED WITH JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF THE WELD(APROX. 1/4") HOLDING THE DOOR ON. THE DOOR WILL NO LONGER CLOSE COMPLETELY. I KNOW OF MANY OTHER VANS FROM THE SAME MODEL YEAR HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. ONE OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS AND HIS SON BOTH HAVE THE SAME EXACT VAN; WE BOUGHT THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THEY HAVE IDENTICAL PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HINGES. I HOPE THAT YOU LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER, I THINK IT MAY BE A RAMPANT PROBLEM, AND I DEFINITELY FEEL IT IS A MAJOR SAFTEY CONCERN. LASTLY, I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE A RESPONSE EMAIL. THANK YOU. SINCERELY, JIM MERKEL

Seats
Filed May 5, 2006MI

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS ARE POWERED BY THE DURAS SEAT MECHANISMS. THE DRIVER SEAT STEEL BRACKET BROKE OFF AT ONE OF THE PIVOT POINTS WHICH LOWERS AND RAISES THE SEAT. I WOULD NEVER EXPECT THE METAL BRACKET TO BREAK (ESPECIALLY, ON SOMETHING IMPORTANT AS OF FRONT SEAT). I SPOKE WITH A WELDER ABOUT THE MECHANISM, HE FELT THE STEEL USED FOR THE BRACKET WAS TOO THIN. CURRENTLY, I REMOVED THE FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT AND INSTALLED THE PASSENGERS GOOD SEATS MECHANISM IN PLACE ON THE BROKEN ONE. *NM

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash
Filed Feb 13, 200638,000 milesMI

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP ON WET PAVEMENT AT 2-3 MPH. THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE; THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. THE ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Nov 18, 2005WI

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT SHUT. HE HAD TO DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE DOOR OPEN. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THE HINGE SNAPPED. HE STATES IT WAS BECAUSE THE PIN WAS PUT IN THE HINGE AND THEN CAPPED ON THE BOTTOM. THIS DID NOT ALLOW MOISTURE TO ESCAPE, CAUSING IT TO FREEZE AND SNAP THE HINGE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP DID GET THE DOOR SHUT. GENERAL MOTORS OFFERED $150 TOWARDS THE REPAIR. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System › Injectors
Filed Mar 6, 200511,000 milesTX

FUEL INJECTORS CLOGGING VERY OFTEN CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN ROUGH AND SHAKE. DEALER REPAIRED FIRST TIME WITH ONLY 11,000 ON VEHICLE. BUT STATED THAT IT WAS NOT WARRANTY. INJECTORS ARE CONTINUING TO CLOG EVERY 6,000-7,000 MILES EVEN WHEN CHANGING FUEL FILTER AND HAVING INJECTORS SERVICED. AND USING QUALITY FUEL AND INJECTOR CLEANER EVERY 3,000 MILES. *AK

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Oct 1, 200324,000 milesMO

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COMPUTER SHUT DOWN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE EIGHT TIMES, BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

Tires
Filed Aug 28, 2003VT

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH DRIVER HEARD A TIRE BLOWING OUT. DRIVER PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD AND STOPPED VEHICLE. DRIVER CHECKED THE TIRES, AND NOTICED RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED. *AK

Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls
Filed Oct 23, 2002LA

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH THAT THE REAR SIDE WINDOW BROKE OUT LAND ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MR *TR

12 of 12 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20260300Routine
20250400Routine
20230200Routine
20222200Routine
20212300Routine
20200200Routine
20195500Routine
20183700Routine
20177600Routine
20166700Routine
20152410Routine
20141700Routine
20132900Routine
20123700Routine
20111500Routine
20103400Routine
20092800Routine
20083700Routine
20076300Routine
20067700Routine
200512500Routine
200412710Routine
2003221110Routine
2002 — this page12000Routine
200119010Routine
200049220Routine
199949200Routine
199833210Routine
199746230Routine
199635300Routine
19952000Routine
19941000Routine

Compare every Savana year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.