GMC Savana · model year

2008 GMC Savana

4 NHTSA complaints, and 7 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
4
Recalls
7

The verdict

The 2008 GMC Savana posts below-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.

Top 39%
fewest complaints, own model years
7
recall campaigns

The 2008GMCSavana carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2008 Savana is structure:body with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and electrical system:wiring (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2008 Savana. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
2008 GMC Savana

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.

Total Complaints

4 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STRUCTURE:BODY1
AIR BAGS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recalls (7)

08V34000028/07/2008

POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

GM IS RECALLING 151 MY 2008 CHEVROLET EXPRESS AND GMC SAVANA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD). SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE TRANSFER CASES THAT WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN INCORRECT PART THAT CAN CAUSE EARLY FAILURE OF A DRIVE CHAIN. IF THE CHAIN BREAKS, SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO PARK

08V31500014/07/2008

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE

GM IS RECALLING 567 MY 2008 CHEVROLET EXPRESS AND GMC SAVANA CUTAWAY VEHICLES WITH A 139" WHEEL BASE. THE FRAME RAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE MAY BE WIDER THAN SPECIFICATION.

10V20500013/05/2010

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

MAIN MOBILITY IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 AND 2009 CONVERSION VANS BUILT ON CHEVROLET EXPRESS AND GMC SAVANA CHASSIS FROM OCTOBER 2007 THROUGH MAY 2010 AND FITTED WITH CERTAIN RICON S SERIES AND K SERIES L-MODEL WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. DUE TO A PROBLEM IN THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE LIFT'S "

08V31300011/07/2008

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

GM IS RECALLING 2,481 MY 2008 CHEVROLET EXPRESS AND GMC SAVANA G-CUTAWAY FLEET VAN EQUIPPED WITH A 6.0L (RPO LY6) V8 ENGINE, 4L80E (RPO MT1) TRANSMISSION, 4.10 (RPO GT5) AXLE AND 75 MPH GOVERNOR (RPO 9D7). THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE TRANSMISSION MAY BE DAMAGED DUE TO FIRST GEAR EN

09V27200006/07/2009

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

MAIN MOBILITY IS RECALLING 185 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2009 CHEVROLET EXPRESS AND GMC SAVANA VANS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 1, 2005 AND JUNE 25, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD N

09V27000006/07/2009

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

MAIN MOBILITY IS RECALLING 185 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2009 CHEVROLET EXPRESS AND GMC SAVANA VANS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 1, 2005 AND JUNE 25, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD N

23V24700006/04/2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

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

Recent Complaints

20151228ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SAVANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

20150316AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SAVANA. WHILE IN PARK, THE CONTACT STEPPED OUT THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

Mileage: 66,000

20150316ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SAVANA. WHILE IN PARK, THE CONTACT STEPPED OUT THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

Mileage: 66,000

20130611STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SAVANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR SIDE CARGO DOORS WERE EXTREMELY DIFFICULTY TO RELEASE WHENEVER BEING ACCESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE DOOR HINGES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

Mileage: 36,000

Compare 2008GMCSavana to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 GMC Savana have?
The 2008 GMC Savana has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 GMC Savana?
Yes, the 2008 GMC Savana has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE). Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 GMC Savana?
The most-complained component for the 2008 GMC Savana is STRUCTURE:BODY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING.
Is the 2008 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.

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2008 GMC Savana; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.