GMC SAVANA · model year

1999 GMC SAVANA

64 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999GMCSAVANA carries 64 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 SAVANA is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 9 filings, followed by tires (5) and structure:body:door:hinge and attachments (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1999 SAVANA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

64
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

64 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP9
TIRES5
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
SEATS2
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2

Recent Complaints

20140213ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SAVANNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FUND THAT THE STARTER BOLT HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

20060819STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

THE POWER BRAKE/STEERING PUMP SHAFT BROKE, RENDERING THE POWER BRAKE AND STEERING INOPERABLE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING DOWNHILL AND PRESENTED A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES AT THE TIME. I WAS AND REMAIN CONCERNED THAT THE PART DEFECT WAS NOT IDENTIFIED EARLIER AND PRESENTED A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT I WANT TO KNOW IF THE REPLACEMENT PART IS SAFE AND HOW GMC WILL REIMBURSE ME FOR ALL OF THE COSTS I INCURRED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT WAS VERY DISTRESSING TO LOSE ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. HAD I BEEN TRAVELING FASTER, INJURIES MOST ASSUREDLY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE SEEN ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET THAT A 2000 GMC SAVANA VAN RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART. *NM

Mileage: 66,000

20050404STEERING

STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. DEALER STATED THE CONVERSION COMPANY MADE THE VEHICLE TOO HEAVY. *AK

Mileage: 60,000

20050113STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH SUDDENLY, THE DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER TO THE RIGHT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM......IT HAPPENED AFTER MAKING A SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT. CONSUMER COULD NOT STEER THE VAN LEFT RIGHT.THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE SHAFT FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP WA SSHEARED IN HALF. *AK

Mileage: 53,321

20041207STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

DEFECTIVE HINGES ON SIDE CARGO DOORS. SIDE DOORS NOT FREQUENTLY USED. REPEATEDLY GREASED/OILED TO REDUCE TENSION AND FORCE NECESSARY TO OPERATE DOORS. DOORS NOW INOPERABLE. HINGES CRACKED & RUSTED OUT COMPLETELY AFTER ONLY 3 1/2 YEARS OF OWNING VEHICLE. PASSENGERS WOULD BE TRAPPED INSIDE IF USING CENTER SEATS. HINGES ARE USELESS. PER GMC, MY PROBLEM; TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE & IT'S ISSUES AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED.*AK

20040503STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

HINGES ON 60/40 CARGO DOORS ARE VERY STIFF. DOORS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. RECENTLY, LOWER HINGE ON 40 DOOR HAS BROKEN. REPLACEMENT OF ALL HINGES ON THESE DOORS IS APPROXIMATELY $1100. HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT PROBLEM (HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH HINGES ON 95 VANDURA).*AK

Mileage: 115,000

20040430SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT RELEASE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *LA

20040323AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE THE VAN WAS PARKED. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. *AK *JB

Mileage: 99,500

20040128SEATS

PASSENGER SEAT HAS TIPPED BACK; THREE TIMES. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HINGE PIN AND PUT A SMALL SPROCKET TO LOCK IN PLACE. THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE ONLY REASON SOMEONE HASN'T BEEN HURT IS THE DISCOVERY OF THE MISSING PINS WHEN A PASSENGER IS LOADING INTO THE BACK.*AK

20040107POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC REPLACED TRANSMISSION. *AK

20031212CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I HAD TO MAKE A "PANIC STOP". I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. FELT THE VEHICLE SHUDDER SEVERAL TIMES AND FELT WHAT I ASSUMED WAS THE ABS BRAKES CYCLING, THEN THE VEHICLE JUST ROLLED FORWARD...NO BRAKING AT ALL WAS FELT, RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION. I KNOW THAT IF I HAD PROPERLY FUNCTIONING BRAKES, I WOULD HAVE STOPPED IN A SAFE DISTANCE. WHEN I FELT THE DECELERATION STOP, I PUSHED EVEN HARDER ON THE PEDAL, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN VELOCITY AND NO MORE ROOM FOR THE PEDAL TO MOVE. THERE WAS AT LEAST 15 BETWEEN VEHICLESAT THIS POINT,&..I COULD /SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SAFELY, WITH NO COLLISION IF THE BRAKES HAD WORKED PROPERLY! *AK

Mileage: 25,200

20030825STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

SIDE DOOR HINGES ARE STIFF, CAUSING THE DOOR TO BEARLY OPEN. THE HINGE IS CAUSING THE SHEET METAL TO FLEX AS IT TRIES TO OPEN AND CLOSE.*AK

20030625ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE "ENGINE" CRACKED, RESULTING IN A SEVERE COOLANT LEAK.*AK

Mileage: 62,000

20030213ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASGETS DETERIATING AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH 25,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 25,000

20030213ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASGETS DETERIATING AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH 25,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 25,000

20021010TIRES

DRIVING AT 65MI HR.--SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION CAR COME VERY CLOSE TO ROLLING OVER--REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES & HAD TO REPLACE A RIM

20020506VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

CONSUMER GETS DIZZY AND ALSO GETS A HEADACHE WHEN LOOKING THROUGH WINDSHIELD. LOOKS LIKE WINDSHIELD HAS WAVES AND SPOTS IN IT. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK *YD

20020405CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT FORD PICKUP REARENDED GMC ON PASSENGER'S REAR CORNER AND PUSHED IT INTO REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES, AND RECEIVED EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT.*AK *YH

20020227STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

CONSUMER STATES SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE, BOLTS AND HINGES WERE RUSTED AND FROZEN, DEALER CONTACTED BUT NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK *YD

20020227STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

CONSUMER STATES SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE, BOLTS AND HINGES WERE RUSTED AND FROZEN, DEALER CONTACTED BUT NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK *YD

Compare 1999GMCSAVANA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 GMC SAVANA have?
The 1999 GMC SAVANA has 64 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 GMC SAVANA?
The most-complained component for the 1999 GMC SAVANA is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS.
Is the 1999 GMC SAVANA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.