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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1997–2015

GMC Savana 3500 recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 24 owner complaints for the GMC Savana 3500, covering model years 1997 to 2015. The 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2009 model years drew the most complaints (3 each), and Electrical System is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your GMC Savana 3500 VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 3 recall campaigns on file
  • 24 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 13 model years with data (1997–2015)
  • most complaints: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009 (3 for that model year)
  • top component: Electrical System (5 complaints)
  • latest recall 08V647000 (reported Dec 9, 2008)
  • 0 complaints reporting a crash (0.0%)
  • 2 complaints reporting a fire (8.3%)
  • 1 complaint reporting an injury (4.2%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

GMC Savana 3500 complaints by model year

13 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2009 model years share the highest count, 3 complaints each. Next come 1997 (2) and 2001 (2). The fewest are for 2015, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
GMC Savana 3500 owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 1997–2015Column chart of 24 complaints across 19 model years. The highest are 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009 with 3 each. The full figures are in the table below the chart.1997: 2 complaints219971998: 0 complaints19981999: 1 complaint119992000: 1 complaint120002001: 2 complaints220012002: 3 complaints320022003: 3 complaints320032004: 0 complaints20042005: 3 complaints320052006: 1 complaint120062007: 2 complaints220072008: 0 complaints20082009: 3 complaints320092010: 1 complaint120102011: 0 complaints20112012: 0 complaints20122013: 0 complaints20132014: 1 complaint120142015: 1 complaint12015
Show the figures for all 13 model years
GMC Savana 3500 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
GMC Savana 3500 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
199720010
199910000
200010000
200120000
200230000
200330200
200530000
200610000
200720000
200930000
201010000
201410000
201510000
All model years240210

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported GMC Savana 3500 components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Electrical System is the component named most often, in 5 complaints (20.8% of all 24), followed by Tires (4) and Air Bags (3).

Components named most often in GMC Savana 3500 complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in GMC Savana 3500 complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Electrical System520.8%
Tires416.7%
Air Bags312.5%
Service Brakes312.5%
Suspension312.5%
Unknown or Other312.5%
Engine and Engine Cooling28.3%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic28.3%
Equipment14.2%
Exterior Lighting14.2%
Fuel/Propulsion System14.2%
Power Train14.2%
Seat Belts14.2%
Seats14.2%
Structure14.2%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

GMC Savana 3500 recalls

3 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Savana 3500, newest first. The 3 campaigns cover model year 2006.

  • 3 recall campaigns
GMC Savana 3500 recall campaigns covering each model year
2006: 3 campaigns

  1. NHTSA campaign 08V647000

    Reported

    Equipment Adaptive/Mobility

    Model year 2006

    Myers is recalling 4 MY 2006 GMC 3500, MY 2007 thomas built 101PS and MY 2008 thomas built 1208S vans and buses equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 404, "platform lift installations in motor vehicles." The threshold warning system may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user in a certain spot within the defined threshold area.

    Consequence:
    The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
    Remedy:
    Myers is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07E095). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or myers at 1-330-533-5556.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 08V646000

    Reported

    Equipment Adaptive/Mobility

    Model year 2006

    Myers is recalling 4 MY 2006 GMC 3500, MY 2007 thomas built 101PS and MY 2008 thomas built 1208S vans and buses equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These lifts fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 403, "platform lift system accessible for motor vehicles." The anti-stow interlock may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user. The pressure sensing switch that detects the presence of weight on the platform was not adjusted to the necessary sensitivity level. The lift could stow even though someone or something is still on the lift.

    Consequence:
    A lift occupant can be injured should the lift begin to stow unintentionally.
    Remedy:
    Myers is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07E097). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or myers at 1-330-533-5556.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  3. NHTSA campaign 08V519000

    Reported

    Equipment Adaptive/Mobility

    Model year 2006

    Mobilityworks is recalling 133 MY 2005-2006 Ford E250, MY 2000, 2004-2006 E350, MY 2000, 2005 E450, MY 2005-2006 GMC 2500, GMC 3500, and MY 2006 Dodge 2500 vans equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These lifts fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 403, "platform lift systems for motor vehicles." The anti-stow interlock may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user. The pressure sensing switch that detects the presence of weight on the platform was not adjusted to the necessary sensitivity level. The lift could stow even though someone or something is still on the lift.

    Consequence:
    A lift occupant can be injured should the lift begin to stow unintentionally.
    Remedy:
    Mobilityworks is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07E097). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or mobilityworks at 1-800-769-8267.

    Filed by Ford Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

GMC Savana 3500 questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the GMC Savana 3500 have?

NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recall campaigns for the GMC Savana 3500, covering model years 1997 to 2015. The most recent, 08V647000, was reported on December 9, 2008 and is filed under “Equipment adaptive/mobility”.

Which GMC Savana 3500 model year has the most complaints?

The 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2009 model years tie, with 3 complaints each out of 24. The next are 1997 (2) and 2001 (2). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common GMC Savana 3500 complaint?

Electrical System is the component named most often: 5 complaints, or 20.8% of all 24. Tires (4) and Air Bags (3) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my GMC Savana 3500?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a GMC dealer.

How many GMC Savana 3500 complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 24 complaints, 0 report a crash, 2 a fire, 1 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other GMC models

8 models · most complaints first

The GMC models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the GMC VIN decoder with every GMC model page, WMI code and VIN note.

  • GMC Sierra 1500 1995–2026 · 60 recalls · 8,852 complaints
  • GMC Acadia 2007–2026 · 38 recalls · 5,557 complaints
  • GMC Yukon 1995–2026 · 74 recalls · 4,874 complaints
  • GMC Sierra 1995–2017 · 52 recalls · 3,585 complaints
  • GMC Terrain 2010–2026 · 22 recalls · 3,110 complaints
  • GMC Envoy 1995–2009 · 27 recalls · 2,459 complaints
  • GMC Yukon XL 1999–2026 · 54 recalls · 2,403 complaints
  • GMC Jimmy 1995–2004 · 18 recalls · 1,869 complaints

All GMC models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.