2006 GMC Savana Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Apr 6, 2023 · 7 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Savana years
Not enough data 11th of 31 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 GMC Savana. That ranks 11th out of 31 Savana model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (2 complaints, 29%), typically at around 71,000 miles. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year.

GMC Savana
A 2012 GMC Savana 3500 Extended photographed in Queens, New York , USA. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2006 GMC Savana problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine2 · ~71,000 mi
Air Bags1 · ~195,559 mi
Electrical System1 · ~26,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1 · ~9,300 mi
Steering1 · ~110,000 mi
Structure1
Tires1 · ~9,300 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine229%71,000——
Air Bags114%195,559——
Electrical System114%26,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic114%9,300——
Steering114%110,000——
Structure114%———
Tires114%9,300——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2008, with 2 complaints
2008: 2200822009: 1200912012: 1201212014: 1201412015: 1201512017: 120171

n = 7 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2006 GMC Savana recalls (7)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Electrical system:wiringApr 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.

Fix: 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.

Equipment adaptive/mobilityJul 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.

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

Fix: 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.

Equipment adaptive/mobilityJul 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.

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

Fix: 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.

Seat beltsApr 15, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V238000 · 4,003 vehicles

Problem: Gm is recalling 4,003 my 2006 chevrolet express and gmc savana 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.

Fix: 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 began on april 30, 2008. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463, or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> . Note: this campaign is an expansion of a previous recall (please see 05v558).

Seat beltsDec 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.

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

Fix: 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.

Equipment:other:labelsDec 7, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V552000 · 32,068 vehicles

Problem: Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle capacity weight.

Risk: A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on march 31, 2006. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, hummer at 1-800-732-5493, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.

Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connectionsOct 5, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V455000 · 123,592 vehicles

Problem: Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose may fracture and leak fluid.

Risk: If this were to occur, power steering assist would be lost and increased steering effort would be required. On vehicles equipped with hydro-boost power brakes, it could also result in loss of power brake assist and increased braking effort would be required. If the power steering fluid spray were to spray onto hot engine parts, an engine compartment fire could occur.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on october 14, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727, or hummer at 1-800-732-5493.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 gmc savana. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. Also, the vehicle would not start when prompted on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed, but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the…

Engine · received Apr 25, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10980453

Took my vehicle to the mechanic because it was making a noise,he looked at it and found 5 exhaust manifold bolts broken,checked the internet to find thousands of vehicles with gm v8 motors have this problem.this is an expensive repair being passed on to consumers by a large corporation well aware…

Engine · received Mar 23, 2015 · NHTSA complaint 10701130

Our technician was driving down the road when the airbag signal came on in the lower left corner of the dash and was on for about 30 seconds, tech smelt an odor similar to something shorting out and all of a sudden the airbag deployed while he was driving down the road. The entire process lasted…

Air Bags · received Nov 18, 2014 · NHTSA complaint 10658835

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 gmc savanna. The contact stated that the vehicle would sporadically fail to start and there was an increase in stopping distance when braking. In addition, the steering wheel would seize abnormally when attempting a turn in either direction. The contact took the vehicle…

Steering · received Apr 23, 2012 · NHTSA complaint 10456089

The 2 side doors for passengers fail to open properly because the hinges fail to operate correctly and stop the doors from opening properly. So when our children are in the van, it is very difficult to open the doors to allow them to exit because the hinges lock up. We have already had the hinges…

Structure · received Nov 24, 2009 · NHTSA complaint 10293447

Other GMC Savana years

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See all GMC Savana problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2006 GMC Savana?

Owners most often report engine, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 2 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2006 GMC Savana?

Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2006 GMC Savana a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Savana model years, the 2006 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.