2005 GMC Savana recalls and problems

The 2005 GMC Savana has 5 recalls and 13 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

Pictured: a 2004 model; the 2005 may differ in details. Photo: 2004 Gmc Savana by User3204, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2005 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 22 Savana model years — 4th most.

5recalls

13complaints

1crashes

0fires

1injuries

41,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

5 recalls

Electrical System

Apr 6, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V247000 · 150,830 vehicles

Problem: 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 and wiring, the circuit can corrode and overheat.

Risk: An overheated electrical circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will properly seal the rear HVAC blower motor circuits at the left side B-pillar, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GMC's number for this recall is N222386050.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Equipment

Jul 6, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V272000 · 185 vehicles

Problem: 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 no. 403, "platform lift installations in 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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 NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT INSTALLATIONS IN 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.

Risk: The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.

Original NHTSA wording

THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy & notes

Main mobility 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 main mobility at 1-716-759-6811.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Equipment

Jul 6, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V270000 · 185 vehicles

Problem: 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 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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 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.

Risk: The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.

Original NHTSA wording

THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy & notes

Main mobility 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 main mobility at 1-716-759-6811.

Seat Belts

Dec 19, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V558000 · 425,593 vehicles

Problem: On certain full-size passenger, cargo, or cutaway vans, the front and rear seat belt buckles will not latch or will not unlatch.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN FULL-SIZE PASSENGER, CARGO, OR CUTAWAY VANS, THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL NOT LATCH OR WILL NOT UNLATCH.

Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat occupant May not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, A SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the buckles and, if found to be inoperative, the entire buckle assembly would be replaced. For buckles found to be operative, dealer will replace only the upper buckle cover. The recall will be conducted in phases. The first phase mailing began during March 2006. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

Gm recall no. 05113. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Feb 8, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V043000 · 77,411 vehicles

Problem: Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with Bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator May crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND VANS EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH HYDRO-BOOST BRAKE ASSEMBLIES, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR MAY CRACK AND SEPARATE FROM THE HYDRO-BOOST ASSEMBLY DURING NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

Risk: If a separation occurred and the hood of the vehicle were open, fragments from the accumulator could cause injury to people in the immediate area. The presence of this crack or fractured surface could allow the hydraulic fluid to leak from the accumulator circuit of the booster assembly. The loss of fluid would cause increased steering and braking effort and a crash May occur without prior warning.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WERE OPEN, FRAGMENTS FROM THE ACCUMULATOR COULD CAUSE INJURY TO PEOPLE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. THE PRESENCE OF THIS CRACK OR FRACTURED SURFACE COULD ALLOW THE HYDRAULIC FLUID TO LEAK FROM THE ACCUMULATOR CIRCUIT OF THE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY. THE LOSS OF FLUID WOULD CAUSE INCREASED STEERING AND BRAKING EFFORT AND A CRASH MAY OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on March 23, 2005. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC trucks at 1-866-996-9463 and Hummer at 1-800-732-5493.

Gm recall no. 05006.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Latches/locks/linkages1

Seat Belts1

Suspension1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2005 vs. other GMC Savana years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 GMC Savana have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2005 GMC Savana, the latest from Apr 6, 2023 (electrical system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2005 GMC Savana?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (2), service brakes (2), steering (2). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.