2006 GMC Savana Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Savana years
- Not enough data 11th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- 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.

- 7owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 GMC Savana problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2 | 29% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 14% | 195,559 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 14% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 14% | 9,300 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 14% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 14% | 9,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 GMC Savana recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:wiring
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/mobility
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/mobility
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 belts
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 belts
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:labels
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 connections
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Other GMC Savana years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Savana | 0 | 3 |
| 2025 Savana | 0 | 4 |
| 2023 Savana | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 Savana | 2 | 2 |
| 2021 Savana | 2 | 3 |
| 2020 Savana | 0 | 2 |
| 2019 Savana | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 Savana | 3 | 7 |
| 2017 Savana | 7 | 6 |
| 2016 Savana | 6 | 7 |
| 2015 Savana | 2 | 4 |
| 2014 Savana | 1 | 7 |
| 2013 Savana | 2 | 9 |
| 2012 Savana | 3 | 7 |
| 2011 Savana | 1 | 5 |
| 2010 Savana | 3 | 4 |
| 2009 Savana | 2 | 8 |
| 2008 Savana | 3 | 7 |
| 2007 Savana | 6 | 3 |
| 2006 | 7 | 7 |
| 2005 Savana | 13 | 5 |
| 2004 Savana | 12 | 7 |
| 2003 Savana | 22 | 11 |
| 2002 Savana | 12 | 0 |
| 2001 Savana | 19 | 0 |
| 2000 Savana | 49 | 2 |
| 1999 Savana | 49 | 1 |
| 1998 Savana | 33 | 1 |
| 1997 Savana | 46 | 1 |
| 1996 Savana | 35 | 2 |
| 1995 Savana | 2 | 0 |
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.