2004 GMC Savana recalls and problems

The 2004 GMC Savana has 7 safety recalls and 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any GMC dealer.

Recalls
7
Complaints
12
Crashes / fires
2 / 1
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2004 GMC Savana vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2004 GMC Savana recalls

Recall 23V-247: Electrical System

Reported Apr 6, 2023 · 150,830 vehicles affected · General Motors, LLC

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.

Recall 12V-388: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported Aug 8, 2012 · 9,389 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS LLC

Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with a left side cargo door, and originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Water and road contaminants may become trapped in the protective conduit that covers the fuel filler pipe and may cause the pipe to corrode.

Risk: Significant corrosion may allow fuel to leak during refueling, and in the presence of an ignition source; there is an increased risk of fire.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuel filler neck, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 1, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

Recall 05V-558: Seat Belts

Reported Dec 19, 2005 · 425,593 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

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.

Recall 05V-043: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Reported Feb 8, 2005 · 77,411 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator may crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.

Risk: If a separation occurred and the hood of the vehicle were open, fragments from the accumulator could cause injury to people in the immediate area. The presence of this crack or fractured surface could allow the hydraulic fluid to leak from the accumulator circuit of the booster assembly. The loss of fluid would cause increased steering and braking effort and a crash may occur without prior warning.

Fix: Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on march 23, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc trucks at 1-866-996-9463 and hummer at 1-800-732-5493.

Recall 04V-320: Power Train

Reported Jul 6, 2004 · 1,792 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: Certain vans were built with a transmission shift cable assembly that may separate. If the cable assembly separates, the transmission shift lever position and the transmission indicator may no longer correlate.

Risk: If this were to occur, the vehicle could move in a direction not anticipated by the driver, which could result in a vehicle crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the transmission shift cable assembly, and if necessary, replace it. The recall began on august 19, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.

Recall 04V-189: Seat Belts

Reported Apr 19, 2004 · 331 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: Certain vans fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." these vehicles may have been produced with seat belt buckle assemblies containing a latch with a brittle condition that may not withstand the force requirements of the standard.

Risk: The safety belt may not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, which could result in injury to the occupant.

Fix: Dealers will replace the safety belt buckle. The recall beagn may 7, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.

Recall 04V-045: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Reported Feb 4, 2004 · 68,875 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.

Risk: Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.

Fix: Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; gmc at 1-866-996-9463; or hummer at 1-866-486-6376.

2004 GMC Savana problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Steering2
Power Train2
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Engine and Engine Cooling1
Suspension1
Exterior Lighting1
Air Bags1
Seat Belts1
Seats1
Fuel/Propulsion System1
Unknown or Other1

Most reported parts

  • Steering › Gear Box › Shaft Pitman — 1
  • Steering › Linkages › Arm › Idler and Attachment — 1
  • Suspension › Rear — 1
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 1
  • Exterior Lighting › Tail Lights — 1
  • Air Bags › Frontal — 1
  • Seat Belts › Rear/Other — 1
  • Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 63,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2004 GMC Savana complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · at 92,000 miles · reported Nov 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2004 GMC Savana. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal went to the floorboard while depressed. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V045000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Wheels · reported Dec 17, 2019
Problem is with a new tire purchase bf goodrich lt245/75r16 bfg commercial ta a/s2. I notice flat spotting every morning and it could take 1/2 hr of driving to clear up been driving for over 60 yrs and have never experienced this before. I consider this to be a bad tire. If it has flat spots with 70psi and min. Load what will happen with full load. Returned to dealer but he fails to see a problem. I was parked 12hrs and problem appears each morning. I feel very uncomfortable with this tire on my truck.
Unknown or Other · reported Aug 20, 2014
Submission from explorer van co., re receipt of your correspondence dated july 10, 2014 regarding the early warning reporting of deaths and injuries. The driver was involved in an accident, while driving a 2004 gmc savana, which resulted in serious and permanent injuries.
Power Train · at 63,000 miles · reported Aug 30, 2013
The vehicle is out of warranty. However, it only has 63k plus miles on the odometer. The transmission suddenly became erratic. It would not shift to "d", but the second and the first gear works fine. We were told by gmc customer service to have it inspected and have it diagnosed by a gmc dealer to find out the exact cause of the problem. The results indicated no problems were detected or no codes were showing up on their computer, gmc then told us that it needs a new transmission. We could not afford a newly rebuilt transmission.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · at 87,927 miles · reported Mar 4, 2009
The contact owns a 2004 gmc savana. While driving less than 20 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal extended to the floor. The contact had to use maximum effort in order for the brakes to catch. His VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 05v043000. The failure and current mileages were less than 87,927.

Other GMC Savana years

Compare all GMC Savana years · All GMC models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 GMC Savana have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2004 GMC Savana: 23V-247 (electrical system), 12V-388 (fuel system, gasoline), 05V-558 (seat belts), 05V-043 (service brakes, hydraulic), 04V-320 (power train) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2004 GMC Savana?

Owners report steering problems most often (2 reports), followed by power train (2). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 63,000 miles.

Are GMC recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized GMC dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.