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2016 GMC Savana problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2016 GMC Savana has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 6owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 0fire reports
- 0injuries reported
6 complaints, against an average of 9 for the other 8 GMC Savana model years.
Every GMC Savana model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2016 GMC Savana?
The components named most often in the 6 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2016 GMC Savana been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2016 GMC Savana as of October 25, 2026. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN before you rely on this.
What do 2016 GMC Savana owners report?
6 of the 6 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
6L80 transmission has failed @ 109,000 miles. At a stop light, in drive, vehicle would not move in drive or reverse. After switching back and forth transmission finally started to work and was able to limp to a dealership. Did not realize how big this issue is with this transmission until mine failed prematurely. I thank God that mine happened at a stop light and not when trying to accelerate at a say a stop sign where I need to cross multiple lanes of traffic. I would have been a sitting duck in the middle of oncoming traffic.
I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE I PURCHASED IN THE PENSKE PARKING LOT. I WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE IT TO THE FREEWAY. VEHICLE FELT FINE, ENGINE LOOKED GOOD, REAR TIRES WERE WORN, BUT I WAS TOLD THEY CONFORMED TO DOT STANDARDS. AFTER THE PURCHASE I STARTED TO DRIVE IT HOME. WHEN I GOT ON THE FREEWAY, I COULD NOT GET THE TRUCK ABOVE 50 MILES PER HOUR WITH OUT SEVERE VIBRATIONS. THE TRUCK ALSO PULLED TO THE RIGHT, IT WAS OBVIOUS THE TRUCK NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. PENSKE GIVES A 15 DAY PERIOD WHEN THEY WILL REPAIR DAMAGE YOU HAVE FOUND. I ARRANGED WITH ALYSE, THE GIRL THAT WORKS FOR PENSKE SALES IN…
OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING OVER LAST 4 MONTHS IN FOLLOWING ORDER: INTERMITTENT DEATH WOBBLE IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING STABLETRACK DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. BRAKE SWITCH AT PEDAL REPLACED. BRAKE LIGHTS NOW STAYING OFF. STABLETRACK DASH LIGHT CAME INTERMITTENTLY THREE TIMES AGAIN. STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTERS ITSELF TO LEFT A FEW DEGREES. INTERMITTENT DEATH WOBBLE IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING RE-OCCURS. BRAKES PULLING SLIGHTLY TO LEFT. BRAKES STOP PULLING LEFT. STEERING WHEEL RE-CENTERS. INTERMITTENT DEATH WOBBLE CEASES IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING.
THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK BUT DO NOT ALWAYS UNLOCK WHEN THEY SHOULD. IN THE PAST, A CAR DOOR WOULD OPEN WHEN THE DOOR RELEASE WAS PULLED, REGARDLESS IF THE DOOR WAS LOCKED. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. I WOULD LIKE THE OPTION TO TURN OFF THE AUTO LOCK FEATURE.
IN 2004 I PURCHASED A NEW CHEVY VAN. IN 2006 MY LIGHT SWITCH WIRING HARNESS MELTED TOGETHER AND I COULD NOT TURN MY LIGHTS OFF. I PAID TO GET THIS REPAIRED. IN 2008 THIS SAME VAN CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I PARKED THE VAN, OPENED THE DOOR AND GOT OUT.SAFELY. THE VAN WAS A TOTAL LOSS BUT I WAS SAFE. IN 2017 I PURCHASED A 2016 GMC VAN. THIS VAN HAS A FEATURE THAT AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS MY DOORS. THE DOORS DO NOT ALWAYS UNLOCK WHEN I PARK THIS VAN. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE TO HAVE THIS FEATURE. I WAS ABLE TO EGRESS MY OLD VEHICLE THAT CAUGHT FIRE BUT I MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME LUCK…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC SAVANA. WHILE THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION WITH THE VEHICLE TURNED ON, THE POWER WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COOK CHEVROLET BUICK (1193 W SAGINAW RD, VASSAR, MI 48768, (989) 823-8523) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER SWITCH FOR THE WINDOW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE…
2016 GMC Savana: questions owners ask
Is the 2016 GMC Savana reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Savana; the most common categories were steering (3, 50%), electronic stability control (esc) (2, 33.3%), service brakes (2, 33.3%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year. 1 complaint mentions a crash.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 GMC Savana?
Across 6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are steering (50% of complaints), electronic stability control (esc) (33.3% of complaints), service brakes (33.3% of complaints), electrical system (16.7% of complaints), power train (16.7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2016 GMC Savana have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2016 GMC Savana. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Savana
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2016 only; combines NHTSA's entries for SAVANA CARGO G23405, SAVANA CARGO G23705, SAVANA CARGO G33405, SAVANA CARGO G33705, SAVANA PASSENGER 2500, SAVANA PASSENGER 3500 12 PASS and SAVANA PASSENGER 3500 15 PASS.