Total Complaints
2 filings
GMC SAVANA 3500 · model year
1997 GMC SAVANA 3500
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997GMCSAVANA 3500 carries 2 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, 1 injury, 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 1997 SAVANA 3500 is air bags:frontal with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1). 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 1997 SAVANA 3500. 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150529AIR BAGS
I WAS SEATED ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT OF MY VEHICLE DOING PAPERWORK WHEN MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED CAUSING ME TO SUFFER BURNS AND CONTUSIONS TO MY LEGS AND GROIN REGIONS AND INJURIES TO MY HANDS, NECK, BACK AND SHOULDERS. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED.
20080630AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC SAVANA 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED WITH THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYING WITHOUT A CRASH OCCURRING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 145,000. UPDATED 07/15/08.*LJ UPDATED 07/15/08
Mileage: 145,000
Compare 1997GMCSAVANA 3500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 GMC SAVANA 3500 have?▼
The 1997 GMC SAVANA 3500 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC SAVANA 3500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 GMC SAVANA 3500 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS.
Is the 1997 GMC SAVANA 3500 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.