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Model-year record

2018 GMC Savana
Image: Own work. · Public domain

2018 GMC Savana

See the complaints, recalls, crash rating, and fuel economy in the public record. Then check the mileage and history of the car you found.

This page shows records, not a buy or avoid call.

The same model year can include a well-kept car and a neglected one. Use these records to plan what to check. Use the specific-car check when you know the mileage.

Complaints filed

3

Reports to NHTSA, 2018

Safety recalls

7

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Not rated

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

No data

EPA estimate

Known issues

Engine issues lead owner complaints (33% of 3 reports), followed by service brakes (33%).

Engine33% · 1 report
Service Brakes33% · 1 report
Suspension33% · 1 report

Share of all 3 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11647360.

Individual complaint reports(3)

Showing the 3 most recent reports
EngineMar 2025 · ODI 11647360Details +

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Savana. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The oil pressure light was illuminated. After several attempts, the vehicle failed to restart. The Police Department was called, and the Officer helped to push the vehicle out of the roadway. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed back to the residence and was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The repair was pending. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,634.

Reported
Mar 2025
Incident date
Jan 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11647360 at NHTSA →
SuspensionNov 2020 · ODI 11376767Details +

MY 2018 VAN IS AN EXPLORER CONVERSION WITH 13000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS TAKEN TO GMC FOR REPAIRS FOR WHAT THE TECH IS CALLING A "DEATH WOBBLE". BASICALLY THE VAN AT UNPREDICTED TIMES GETS INTO A ROUGH SHAKING IN THE FRONT END THAT FORCES YOU TO STOP. THIS HAPPENED WHILE BRAKING GOING DOWN STEEP GRADES (5%+), ALSO TURNING ONTO A SLOPED ROAD AND AGAIN JUST TRAVELING ON A HILLY ROAD WITHOUT AND USE OF BRAKES. DEALER FOUND THAT 3 OF THE 4 RIMS WHICH WERE INSTALLED BY EXPLORER CONVERSION VANS ARE WARPED OR BENT. THE TIRE SIZE INSTALLED IS 20" WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STOCK SIZE OF 16". THE CURRENT TIRES ARE PIRELLI SCORPION VERDE 265/50/R20. THE VAN HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON STANDARD ROAD AND NEVER COLLIDED WITH OR RAN OVER ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD. UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME IF REPLACING THE WHEELS WILL FIX THE ISSUE DUE TO ISSUES OBTAINING REPLACEMENTS. BIGGER CONCERN IS 3 OUT OF 4 WHEELS FAILING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND USE.

Reported
Nov 2020
Incident date
Nov 2020
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11376767 at NHTSA →
Service BrakesJan 2019 · ODI 11172369 · crashDetails +

AFTER WAITING MY TURN TO PAY A TOLL ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE EXIT IN TOLEDO, THE VAN DID NOT STOP WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND I RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. MY VAN BRAKES HAD BEEN WORKING AS WE EASED UP TO THE TOLL BOTH WITH ABOUT 6 CARS AHEAD OF ME. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES THE WHOLE TIME. WHEN I WAS SECOND ON LINE, I EASED UP ON THE BRAKES. BUT, THE VAN WOULD NOT STOP EVEN THOUGH I STOMPED ON THE BRAKES TWICE VERY HARD, IT STIL WOULD NOT STOP.

Reported
Jan 2019
Incident date
Dec 2018
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
Crash
Open ODI 11172369 at NHTSA →

Recalls(7)

Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.

Electrical SystemJun 2023 · 23V247000Details +

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: 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.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
EquipmentNov 2019 · 19V428000Details +

Unicell Body Company Inc. (Unicell) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, 2018-2019 Hino 155, Ford Econoline and Transit and Isuzu NPR, and 2018 Ram ProMaster-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed.

Risk: The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Unicell will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners and offer a remedy, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service 1-800-384-4400 or Unicell at 1-716-853-8628.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
TiresFeb 2018 · 18V509000Details +

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles with certain combinations of front-tire and gross-vehicle-weight option codes. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be incorrectly calibrated, causing the TPMS warning lamp to illuminate when tire pressure reaches 37 PSI, not 41 PSI. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Risk: If the low tire pressure telltale is not illuminated at the correct tire pressure, the driver may have less time to react to a low-tire-pressure situation, which could affect the driver's ability to control the vehicle in certain situations and could increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will check the PSI information on the remote control door lock receiver (RCDLR) and tire placard match, and if the information is different the RCDLR will be reprogrammed. This repair will be done free of charge. The recall began August 27, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18255.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
Equipment · 18V267000Details +

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
Electrical System · 18V655000Details +

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a single, manual, rear climate control module (CCM). If the temperature is set to maximum heat or the mode knob is set to maximum floor vent and an electrical short occurs, components within the CCM may overheat.

Risk: If the CCM overheats, there is an increased risk of a fire in the vehicle's headliner.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the electrical insulation from a wiring connector within the CCM to remove the fire risk, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18299.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
Visibility · 19V387000Details +

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. One or both of the rear-quarter windows may be tempered glass instead of laminated glass. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Risk: Tempered glass increases the risk of injury in the event of a side impact or rollover crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tempered glass windows with laminated glass windows, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192218960.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
Tires · 21V115000Details +

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.

Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.

Open full NHTSA recall record →

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

1 NHTSA investigation on record

Investigations are agency reviews, not findings that a vehicle is defective.

6L90 Transmission Failure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) after receiving one Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) complaint related to four school buses built on General Motors (GM) van chassis. The VOQ alleged transmission failure resulting in a loss of all forward gear. In ODI's pre-investigative discussions with GM, ODI learned that valve body separator plates had been machined out of tolerance during production periods between October 2016 to April 2017 and February 2021 to April 2021. This out of tolerance machining may create excessive wear to the valve body check balls, possibly resulting in an inability to engage drive or reverse. The potential loss of drivability only begins when shifting from a park or neutral transmission selection and does not occur during a functional drive cycle. The average failure mileage of vehicles which experienced this condition is within warranty and related claims or complaints did not include any accidents, injuries, or fatalities. After discussions with GM, Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-NA-142 (NHTSA ID number 10243753) was released in September 2023. This technical service bulletin provides a procedure for technicians to replace the forward check ball and separator plate if found to be the cause of a customer's concern. During the course of the investigation, GM also released a Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) N232428780 (NHTSA ID 10253316) in February 2024, to notify school bus and ambulance fleets of the concern and to proactively mitigate the risk in these essential-operation vehicles. Recently, ODI contacted multiple school bus fleets, verifying that there have not been any stranded buses mid-route from this condition. Additionally, ODI has not received any additional VOQ complaints since the opening of this investigation. Based on the available information, including GM's TSB and CSP, this PE is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI report cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Numbers document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Crash-test ratings

No NHTSA crash test is on record for this year. Some vehicles and model years were not tested or do not have a published NCAP result.

Fuel economy by trim

No EPA fuel-economy record is available for this model year. Some trims and older vehicles were not tested or are not in the current EPA feed.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

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2018 GMC Savana: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2018 GMC Savana?

Owners filed 3 NHTSA complaints about the 2018 GMC Savana. This is raw owner-reported complaint volume with no production or exposure normalization, so it is not a reliability score or a best/worst-year ranking.

What are the most common problems on the 2018 GMC Savana?

The most-reported problem areas are Engine (33% of complaints) and service brakes (33%).

How many recalls does the 2018 GMC Savana have?

7 recalls have been issued that affect the 2018 GMC Savana, covering components such as electrical system. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.

What gas mileage does the 2018 GMC Savana get?

EPA fuel-economy figures for the 2018 GMC Savana aren't available yet.