1996 GMC Savana Problems & Complaints

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AT RANDOM.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 00V110000, REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM GASOLINE DELIVERY HOSES, LINES/PIPING AND FITTINGS. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATE 05/30/2006. *AK *TS

THIS IS A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE USED IN TRANSPORTING INTERIOR DECORATING ITEMS. ON OR ABOUT 8/2/04, I DELIVERED A TABLE TOP TO A CLIENT AND UPON OPENING THE REAR SIDE DOORS (BOTH DOORS) THE UPPER HINGE ON THE FURTHERMOST REAR DOOR BROKE. I HAD NOTICED A RATTLING SOUND PRIOR TO THIS DATE, HOWEVER I THOUGHT IT WAS ITEMS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DOOR IS ONLY BEING HELD ON BY THE LOWER HINGE AND THE OTHER DOOR CLOSED UPON IT. I AM FEARFUL THAT THE OTHER HINGE WILL SUFFER A STRESS FRACTURE AND POSSIBLY THE DOOR WILL FALL OFF. I RESEARCHED THROUGH THIS SITE AND FOUND TWO INCIDENTS OF SERVICE BULLETINS (SEPTEMBER 24, 2001 AND JUNE 1,2003) NOTIFYING THAT CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THE DOOR HINGE BINDS. THIS HAD OCCURRED TO ME ALSO, PRIOR TO ITS BREAKING. *JB

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. RECALL 03V159000 WAS ISSUED WHICH DESCRIBED THE EXACT PROBLEM. BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK THE WIPERS WOULD ALWAYS WORK WHEN ON HIGH SPEED. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT HIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS IN RECALL# 03V159000. *SC *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT WORK ON INTERMITTENT OR LOW SPEED. DEALER ADVISED MY VEHICLE NOT RECALLED WITH NUMEROUS OTHERS RECALLED FOR SAME PROBLEM.*AK

1996 GMC SAVANA VAN- FUEL PUMP FAILURES AT 40,000 MILES AND 75,000 MILES. $600 REPAIR EACH TIME. HIGH FAILURE ITEM LASTING LESS THAN A SET OF TIRES, MAJOR REPAIRS NEEDED. THIS *HAS* TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE PER THE GM DEALER.*JB

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN A SEVERE THUNDER STORM. AFTER PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE WIPERS STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. *JB

START THE ENGINE PUT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR REVERSE OR DRIVE AND THE THROTTLE IS STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION MY WIFE AND I HAVE SEARNED TO EITHER SET THE THE VEHICLE PROCEED AT IDLE TIL ANY DANGER OF UNINTENDED ACCELLERATION IS NOT PRESENT THEN PUSH TAP. THE ACCELLERATOR PEDAL UNTIL IT BREAKS LOOSE AND HAS FREE TRAVEL SO FAR THE ACCELLERATOR ONLY STICKS ON INITIAL STARTUP OF THE ENGINE EITHER HOT OR COLD. I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE OF READING A TRADE PUBLICATION REPORTING AN INVESTIGATION IN 98-99. DT

ABS BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON WET AND DRY ROAD CONDITIONS AND BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATES AND GOES TO THE FLOOR. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SPARE TIRE CABLE SNAPPED, CAUSING TIRE TO DROP. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THERE IS EXCESSIVE WEAR ON BRAKE PADS. DEALER REPLACED PADS, WHICH IN TURN, CAUSED VEHICLE TO PULL TO RIGHT. DEALER REPLACED PADS AGAIN AT 29,000 MILES, AND ADJUSTED ALIGNMENT AND ROTATED WHEELS FORWARD. RIGHT AFTER SECOND REPLACEMENT AT 29,000 MILES, VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO LEFT. AT 45,000 MILES, THERE WERE SCRAPING NOISES FROM THE BRAKE SYSTEM - TOLD BRAKE PADS WORE OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

GAS FUMES SMELL CONSTANT. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY-DEALER CANNOT DIAGNOSE PROBLEMS

THE GMC DEALER SAID THE COMPUTER FAILED FROM CORROSION AT THE COMPUTER CAUSING THE ABS SYSTEM TO KICK IN ON DRY ROADS. THEN THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THIS COST ME OVER $700 TO GET FIXED AND THREE DAYS WITHOUT THE USE OF MY VAN. THE GMC DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE BRAKES WORK PROPERLY. I CAN SEE THIS AS A BIG SAFTEY PROBLEM WITH THESE VANS! *AK

WE WERE COMING HOME FROM LITTLE ROCK TO PINE BLUFF, AR ON 9-13-99 WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD POP. I ASKED MY HUSBAND TO PULL OVER TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. THE REAR RIGHT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED----PEALED AND STEEL WIRES POKING OUT. WE HAD NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING. IT JUST BLEW. WE WERE TRAVELING ABOU 70 MPH. THE ONLY THING UNUSUAL THAT I REMEMBER WAS GOING TO LITTLE ROCK THAT MORNING MY HUSBAND SAID THAT THE CAR SURE WAS RIDING BUMPY. THE NEXT DAY WE HAD THE TIRE REPLACED AT FIRESTONE AND THEY PRORATED IT. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER WE BOUGHT 3 MORE NEW ONES (FIREHAWKS) SO WE'D HAVE A COMPLETE SET OF NEW TIRES. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WITH THE FIREHAWKS. I WONDER IF THEY ARE SAFE. WE STILL HAVE 3 OF THE ORIGINAL ONES IN OUR GARAGE THAT STILL LOOK GOOD TO ME.*AK

ENGINECHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR THREE DAYS. THEN IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT OF GEAR. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FLUSHED OUT. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT AT 40,000 MILES SHE HAD SEVERE SHIFTING PROBLEM.*AK RUST IN TRANSMISSION FLUID, METAL FILING WAS FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION POSSIBLY FROM COOLANT LEAK INTO IT. *YH

PLEASE CONTACT JASON KENNEDY OF THE CENTRE OF AUTO SAFETY IN WASHINGTON,DC. HE HAS A COMPLETE AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ALL OF THE DEFECTS OF THE VEHICLE AND THE EFFORTS OF THE MANUFACTURER TO NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEMS, BUT TO ELIMINATE THE OWNERS/DRIVERS AND PASSANGERS BY MAKING THE VEHICLE TOXIC AND THUS UNUSABLE OR SAFELY REPAIRABLE. TRANSPORT CANADA ALSO HAS DETAILS AND SUGGESTED THAT NHTSA BE CONTACTED AS I AM DOING NOW. I HAVE ALL THE WORK ORDERS AND THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTED REPORTS TO BACK UP EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY STATEMENTS AND AS THE TOXIC CHEMICALS WERE APPROVED BY GM IN MISSOURI, THERE ARE LIKELY THOUSANDS MORE THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA BEING DRIVEN THAT CAN ONLY BE DESCIBED AS "SLOW DEATH". I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR POSITIVE ACTIONS AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER WILL GET STUCK AT 15 MPH/ 20MPH THEN 30MPH. WHEN CONSUMER GETS TO 60 MPH THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE SPEEDOMETER BEING STUCK. SPEEDOMETER HAS TO STAY UP WITH THE TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO KNOW HOW FAST THE CAR IS GOING, AND TO KEEP SPEED LIMITS. POLICE HAS PULLED CONSUMER OVER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE OF HOW FAST THE CAR WAS TRAVELING. ALSO, DEALER CHANGED THE CLUSTER UNIT. BUT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STICKING AGAIN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING EXTERIOR MIRRIORS VIBRATE SO MUCH THAT IT MAKES IT HARD TO SEE, AND MAY CAUSE TENSION HEADACHES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. GM SAYS THIS IS A "NO-FIX" SITUATION AND REFUSE TO MAKE REPAIRS. *AK

THE VEHICKE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE HEADS REWORKED DUE TO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON STARTING AT 2000 MILES. #1 CYLINDER EXHUAST VALVE WAS STICKING OPEN. WE HAVE HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE WINDOW MOTOR CONTROL MOTOR AND SWITCH. FAILED 4 TIMES. BRAKES ARE TERRIBLE. ALTHOUGH ABS RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO CORRECT. FUEL PUMP FAILED IN AUGUST 1998. SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING UP, WOULD MOVE 4-5 MILES PER HOUR AT A TIME, NOT SMOOTHLY, WOULD JUMP UP OR DOWN. CRUISE DIDN'T WORK WELL. DEALER REPLACED SPEED CONTROL SENSOR IN AUGUST 1998. DRIVE GEAR FOR SPEED SENSOR CAME APART INSIDE TRANSMISSION ON 12/31/98, LEAVING US 800 MILES FROM HOME ON NEWS YEARS EVE. TRYING TO GET REIMBURSEMENT ETC FROM GMC. STARTED ASKING FOR HELP ON MONDAY 1/4/99....PROMISED A PHONE CALL BACK ON 1/5/99...NO RETURN CALL ...CALLED GMC ON 1/6/99...PROMISED A RETURN CALL NOTHING AS OF 5 PM EST. WE WANT TO HAVE GMC BUY VEHICLE BACK UNDER LEMMON LAWS....HOW DO I PROCEED? *AK

STEERING WHEEL DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. AT TIMES WOULD NOT TURN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

TRAVELING BETWEEN 35-50MPH WHEN THE FUEL PUMP WOULD STOP WORKING SUDDENLY. GAS WAS NOT GETTING TO ENGINE & VEHICLE WOULD EITHER STOP OR STALL. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP, TWICE. PROBLEM IS CONTINUOUS & CONSISTANT. GMC SAID OWNER'S PROBLEM. *AK

WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 35-50MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. THE FUEL PUMP HAD STOPPED WORKING. GAS NOT GETTING TO ENGINE. TOOK TRUCK TO DEALERSHIP. FUEL PUMP REPLACED TWICE ON TRUCK. ITS A CONSISTANT & CONTINUOUS PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER SAID WAS OWNER'S PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 35-50MPH, THE TRUCK WOULD STOP OR STALL OUT. GAS NOT GETTING TO ENGINE. FUEL PUMP HAD STOPPED WORKING. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP 2 OR MORE TIMES. ITS A CONTINUOUS & CONSISTENT PROBLEM & MANUFACTURER SAID ITS OWNER'S PROBLEM. *AK

DRIVING ABOUT 35-50MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED OUT FOR NO REASON. FUEL PUMP NOT WORKING PROPERLY. GAS NOT GETTING TO ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. HAD BEEN DONE AT LEAST TWICE. ITS A CONTINUOUS & CONSISTENT PROBLEM. GMC SAYS ITS THE OWNER'S PROBLEM. *AK

GOING ABOUT 35-50MPH WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED FOR NO REASON. FUEL PUMP FAILED. NO GAS TO ENGINE. WENT TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP AT 2 TIMES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS CONTINUOUSLY. GMC SAYS ITS OWNER'S PROBLEM. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED THREE TIMES.

SKY ROOF LEAKING WATER.

IN SNOWY CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE'S DEFECTIVE ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

PASSENGER STEP IS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY, IS LOOSE AND GIVES WAY WHEN STEPPED ON.

THE REAR DOOR OF THE VAN WILL NOT OPEN ALL THE TIME, AND THE LATCH STICKS AND PREVENTS ENTRY OR EXIT. *AK

BACK DOOR DOES NOT OPEN AT TIMES.O WNER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL OTHER DEFECTS. *AK

WHEN THE MIDDLE SEATS ARE PULLED UP IN THE FORWARD POSITION, THE SEAT BELTS CANNOT BE FASTENED. THIS IS A CONVERSION VAN. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

BACK DOOR RUSTED.

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.

POOR ABS BRAKE PERFORMANCE DURING NORMAL BRAKING, THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. *AK *JB

PURCHASED THE TRUCK NEW, IT IS A CONVERSATION VAN, THE BUCKET AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE TOO SHORT . *AK

ON UPWARD INCLINE, PASSENGER RIGHT REAR DOOR, WHEN OPENED MOVES FREELY TOWARD REAR WHEEL, POSSIBLY MAY CAUSE INJURY. &AK ALSO ON DOWNWARD INCLINR, WHEN OPENED MOVES FREELY TOWARD FRONT WHEEL AND SLAMS SHUT.*JB