1999 GMC SAVANA Recalls, Complaints & Safety

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crash

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crash 1 injured

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

WHILE DRIVING CHILD IN PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT NOTICED SEAT GETTING VERY HOT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND SAW HEATER OF THE SEAT HAD BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE FABRIC. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. PLEASE ADD FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I HAD THE TYPICAL FIRESTONE EXPERIENCE EXCEPT THIS TIME IT WAS WITH A GM MODEL AND A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TIRE. THE TREAD ON THIS TIRE JUST PEELED RIGHT OFF. LUCKILY, I'M ALIVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. FIRESTONE SAID IT WAS UNDERINFLATED. I DISAGREE. I USED THE BEST AND MOST EFFICENT MECHANIC IN TOWN AND HE ALWAYS KEEPS THE PRESSURE ADJUSTED PROPERLY FOR THE APPROPRIATE SEASON. ALL THE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. I SAVED THE OTHER 3 TIRES SO WHEN YOU INVESTIGATE YOU CAN TELL IF MY TIRES WERE UNDERINFLATED OR NOT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VN11B1A428 TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)

GOODYEAR, EAGLE GT ARE ORIGINAL TIRES ON 1999, GMC SAVANNA, P235/75R15, DOTMKM2E3HRO89. WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. SIDEWALLS CAME OFF TIRE. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT GO OFF AND THE VAN HAD A VERY HARD BRAKE PEDAL LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER BOOST, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AN EQUALIZER, HOWEVER WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED IT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THEN THEY DISCOVERED IT WAS THE SWITCH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THAT WAS BAD OR NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HARD BRAKE PEDAL WAS NORMAL FOR GMC'S, CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING HE EXPERIENCED HARD BRAKING AND THE WHEELS LOCKED UP, CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO ABS CONTROL EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS SUPPOSE TO HAVE IT, CONSUMER BELIVES HE ONLY HAS FRONT WHEEL BRAKING.*YD

INTERMITTENT STALLING. STALLS AT 55MPH, 20 MPH, WHILE IDLING IN PARK, OR WHILE IDLING IN DRIVE. DEALER SERVICE DEPT. UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.

SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN PROPERLY. HAD NOTICED PLASTIC PANELS INTERLOCKING AT BOTTOM. PLASTIC PANELS HAS FALLEN OUT. DOOR CLOSER TO REAR WAS PUSHED BACK INTO POSITION. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE 1ST PANEL WOULD AND COULD BE REPLACED, BUT NOT THE SECOND. *AK

THE GMC VAN WAS WEST BOUND ON HWY 67 AND WAS AT A STOP YIELDING FOR TRAFFIC TURNING ONTO CR 209. THE OTHER VEHICLE ALSO WEST BOUND WAS NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD WHILE HAVING HER HEAD DOWN LOOKING ON THE FLOOR BOARD AND DID NOT SEE THE VAN STOPPED AND REARENDED IT. SHE WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH AND NEVER APPLIED HER BRAKES. UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE COMPLETELY AND WHEN THE DRIVER CAME TO HE WAS LAID OUT FLAT IN THE SEAT ON THE FLOOR BOARD LOOKING UP AT THE CEILING. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SEVERE BACK INJURIES FROM THE SEAT BREAKAGE THAT BANGED INTO HIS BACK. *AK

Crash 1 injured

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNDER NORMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. PRIOR TO INCIDENT DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK

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SIDE CARGO DOOR HAS FROZEN AT HINGES AND DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THE DOOR FAILURE WAS SAFETY HAZARD. *YH

PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS. DEALER HAS REPLACED THREE SETS OF PADS.*AK

THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE VEHICLE IS THE SHIFT CONTROLLER BREAKS OFF THE STEERING SUPPORT(INSIDE THE STEERING BOWL ASSEMBLY). THE DIRECT RESULT OF THIS IS THE INABILITY TO SHIFT DIRECTION. THIS IS ALSO THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME, REPAIR WAS DONE BY MAXON GMC, 2301 RT. 22, UNION, NJ. WHEN I ASKED WHAT WAS THE CAUSE, I WAS TOLD EXCESSIVE SHIFTING. THE SECOND REPAIR WAS DONE BY MALOUF (WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED). WHEN ASKED WHAT WAS THE CAUSE, I WAS TOLD IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE SLAPPED THE PARTS TOGETHER, AND THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. NEVER HAS HAPPENED THE THIRD TIME, AND NOW, IT'S BACK AT MALOUF. I AM EVEN MORE CONCERNED NOW WITH THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, SINCE WHEN I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO HAVE A GM SAFETY EXPERT LOOK AT THIS, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD RETURNED WITH THE NEEDED PARTS REPLACED.

BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE DETERIORATED AND CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE WITHIN UNREASONABLY SHORT MILEAGE PERIODS, THE BRAKES SMOKE DURING SHORT INTERVALS OF DRIVING AND STICK TO ROTORS CAUSING A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHEN RELEASED AND FAIL TO ADEQUATELY STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ROTORS BEGIN CRACKING AND WARPING PREMATURELY CAUSING SHIMMYING AND VIBRATION. NLM

TIE ROD FAILED CAUSING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. NLM

AIR CONDITION/HEAT VENTS NOT CONNECTED TO REAR; REAR VIEW MIRRORS SHAKE AT ALL SPEEDS, MAKING VISABILITY DIFFICULT FOR REAR VIEW. VENTATLATION SYSTEM DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY AT DASH. THESE ITEMS WERE IN THIS CONDITION AT PURCHASE, THIS IS A VAN CONVERSION, AND SOLD AS A DEMO VEHICLE UNDER NEW CAR AD.

WHILE DRIVING 50MPH UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE WAS BEING HIT BY SOMETHING GOING CLUCK, CLUCK. STOPPED & CHECKED VEHI TIRE WITH SPARE.*AK

REAR SEATBELT LOCKING MECHANISM DOESN'T WORK, IT IS USELESS. ALSO, REARVIEW MIRROR SHAKES WHEN DRIVING, DRIVER CANT'T SEE WHAT IS BEHIND HIM. *AK REAR SEAT BELTS ARE NOT OF THE SAME DESIGN , WILL NOT BUCKLE FOR PROPER USE. *YH

BLIND SPOT TO THE RIGHT OF INTERSECTIONS. *SLC

TIRE BLOWOUT. TREAD IS GONE AND IN THE RIVER. ONLY SIDEWALLS REMAIN. TALKED TO DEALER AND THEY SENT ME TO FIRESTONE. FIRESTONE SAID IT WAS JUST A TIRE THAT WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING.( DOT NUMBER: VN11B1A089 TIRE SIZE: LT24575R16 )

THE TREAD "PEELED OFF" BOTH TIRES WITHIN 3 DAYS OF EACH OTHER AT NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING SPEED. THANK GOD THAT THEY DIDN'T FAIL WHEN WE WERE DRIVING ON THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY'S HAIRPIN TURNS, OR I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE TO SEND THIS EMAIL. THESE DUNLOP TIRES WERE INSTALLED ON 6/14/2000 BY TIRE KINGDOM. THEY WERE REPLACED THIS MORNING WITH GOODRICH TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R15 )

DRUM AND BRAKES ARE FAILING EVERY 13,000 MILES WITHOUT NOTICE. SERVICE STATION ADVISES THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL RELATED PROBLEMS. *AK

SIDE MIRRORS ON BOTH THE FRONT LEFT (DRIVER'S DOOR) AND FRONT RIGHT (PASSENGER) DOOR ARE NOT STABLE PARTICULARLY AT MODERATE TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE MIRRORS SHAKE AND VISION BECOMES BLURRED WHICH IS A SAFETY CONCERN. BOTH SIDE MIRRORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED OVER A YEAR AND ONE-HALF TIMEFRAME. PER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER (DAVID WRIGHT), THE DEALER HAS NOTICED THE PROBLEM ON MANY SIMILAR VEHICLES. IN FACT, THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER MENTIONED BOTH HE AND THE BODY SHOP MANAGER OWN SIMILAR VEHICLES AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ON THEIR OWN VEHICLES. AFTER NOTIFYING GENERAL MOTORS OF THE PROBLEM, A 4TH REPAIR ATTEMPT WAS MADE BY PUTTING MODEL YEAR 2000 MIRRORS ON THE 1999 VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY THE MOST RECENT REPAIR DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND PER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GM LEGAL CORRESPONDENCE / CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (DAWN WHITT @ 1-800-231-1841 PROMPT 9 EXT. 58909), PER HER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GM VEHICLE AREA MANAGER (DENNIS FERGUSON) THE PROBLEM IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND GM CAN DO NOTHING ELSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN WHAT IT HAS ALREADY DONE. USE OF THE MIRRORS IS VERY IMPORTANT PARTICULARLY FOR A FULL-SIZE VAN LIKE THE SAVANA. THE SHAKING IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THE VISION IS BLURRED WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN CHANGING LANES IF THE VISION IS NOT CLEAR AS THE SIDE MIRRORS ARE THE ONLY EQUIPMENT ON THE VAN THAT THE DRIVER CAN USE TO SEE VEHICLES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE VAN.

THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED 5 TIMES AFTER THE MENTIONED DATE. 11/13/99 @ 26,920 MILES, 12/23/1999 @ 29,524, 3/8/2000 @ 35,692 MI., 5/2/2000 @ 43,000 MI., 6/10/2000 @ 47,761 MIL, 7/31/2000 @ 51,136MI. *AK

GLAVAL PACKAGE IS FALLING APART DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. YH

SHIFT LEVER HAS BROKEN TWICE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED IT. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK SHIFT LEVER BROKE AGAIN CAUSE IS UNKNOWN BUT WAS REPLACED. *YH

WHEN MAKING A NORMAL STOP VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO STOP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE OIL LEAKING ONTO THE BRAKES. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DRUMS AND PUT NEW OIL SEALS IN AXLES. *AK.ET.

THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. YH