FaultScore

1999 GMC Savana brake problems

18 of the 64 complaints about the 1999 GMC Savana are about the braking system — 28% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 25,200 miles.

F

18

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 9 50.0%
Pads 4 22.2%
Rotor 2 11.1%
Drum 2 11.1%
Foundation Components 1 5.6%

Brakes across every GMC Savana year

1997 13 17.8%
1998 11 15.1%
1999 18 24.7%
2000 31 42.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 25,200 miles Tucson, AZ Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I HAD TO MAKE A "PANIC STOP". I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. FELT THE VEHICLE SHUDDER SEVERAL TIMES AND FELT WHAT I ASSUMED WAS THE ABS BRAKES CYCLING, THEN THE VEHICLE JUST ROLLED FORWARD...NO BRAKING AT ALL WAS FELT, RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION. I KNOW THAT IF I HAD PROPERLY FUNCTIONING BRAKES, I WOULD HAVE STOPPED IN A SAFE DISTANCE. WHEN I FELT THE DECELERATION STOP, I PUSHED EVEN HARDER ON THE PEDAL, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN VELOCITY AND NO MORE ROOM FOR THE PEDAL TO MOVE. THERE WAS AT LEAST 15 BETWEEN VEHICLESAT THIS POINT,&..I COULD /SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SAFELY, WITH NO COLLISION IF THE BRAKES HAD WORKED PROPERLY!

NHTSA complaint #10049621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Orlando, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT GO OFF AND THE VAN HAD A VERY HARD BRAKE PEDAL LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER BOOST, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AN EQUALIZER, HOWEVER WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED IT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THEN THEY DISCOVERED IT WAS THE SWITCH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THAT WAS BAD OR NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HARD BRAKE PEDAL WAS NORMAL FOR GMC'S, CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING HE EXPERIENCED HARD BRAKING AND THE WHEELS LOCKED UP, CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO ABS CONTROL EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS SUPPOSE TO HAVE IT, CONSUMER BELIVES HE ONLY HAS FRONT WHEEL BRAKING.

NHTSA complaint #562198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Holbrook, NY Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNDER NORMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. PRIOR TO INCIDENT DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #890165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kalamazoo, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS. DEALER HAS REPLACED THREE SETS OF PADS.

NHTSA complaint #880142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Char, WV

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE DETERIORATED AND CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE WITHIN UNREASONABLY SHORT MILEAGE PERIODS, THE BRAKES SMOKE DURING SHORT INTERVALS OF DRIVING AND STICK TO ROTORS CAUSING A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHEN RELEASED AND FAIL TO ADEQUATELY STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ROTORS BEGIN CRACKING AND WARPING PREMATURELY CAUSING SHIMMYING AND VIBRATION. NLM

NHTSA complaint #558372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Char, WV

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE DETERIORATED AND CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE WITHIN UNREASONABLY SHORT MILEAGE PERIODS, THE BRAKES SMOKE DURING SHORT INTERVALS OF DRIVING AND STICK TO ROTORS CAUSING A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHEN RELEASED AND FAIL TO ADEQUATELY STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ROTORS BEGIN CRACKING AND WARPING PREMATURELY CAUSING SHIMMYING AND VIBRATION. NLM

NHTSA complaint #558372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Bedford, MA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM

DRUM AND BRAKES ARE FAILING EVERY 13,000 MILES WITHOUT NOTICE. SERVICE STATION ADVISES THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL RELATED PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #726156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Bedford, MA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DRUM AND BRAKES ARE FAILING EVERY 13,000 MILES WITHOUT NOTICE. SERVICE STATION ADVISES THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL RELATED PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #726156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brunswick, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED 5 TIMES AFTER THE MENTIONED DATE. 11/13/99 @ 26,920 MILES, 12/23/1999 @ 29,524, 3/8/2000 @ 35,692 MI., 5/2/2000 @ 43,000 MI., 6/10/2000 @ 47,761 MIL, 7/31/2000 @ 51,136MI.

NHTSA complaint #726688 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reno, NV

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS FAILURE CAUSED THE BRAKE NOISY. YH

NHTSA complaint #551676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reno, NV

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS FAILURE CAUSED THE BRAKE NOISY. YH

NHTSA complaint #551676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reno, NV

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. YH

NHTSA complaint #551676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

OAK Harbor, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN MAKING A NORMAL STOP VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO STOP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE OIL LEAKING ONTO THE BRAKES. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DRUMS AND PUT NEW OIL SEALS IN AXLES. *AK.ET.

NHTSA complaint #861023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

OAK Harbor, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM

WHEN MAKING A NORMAL STOP VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO STOP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE OIL LEAKING ONTO THE BRAKES. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DRUMS AND PUT NEW OIL SEALS IN AXLES. *AK.ET.

NHTSA complaint #861023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fitchburg, MA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH IN GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PRESSED ON BRAKES & THE ABS BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. LEFT FRONT & RIGHT REAR LOCKED UP. GMC WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM AND WILL INVESTIGATE MORE.

NHTSA complaint #859648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Madison, AL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP ABS RELEASES TOO MUCH, AND WILL NOT STOP VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP BRAKES TEND TO STAY LOCKED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THEN RELEASE. VAN HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN FIXING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE LIST OTHER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS.

NHTSA complaint #857034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hudson, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

11/16/99 - OIL COOLER LINE FAILURE(198 MI), 11/16/99 - CHECK GAUGES LITE. 11/17/99 - FRONT BRAKE FAILURE (200MI.) , 11/17/99 - CHECK GAUGES LIGHT (CONTINUES TO COME ON - OFF / NO PATTERN), 11/17/99 - OIL GAUGE PRESSURE SWING - >20# -60+#, 11/18/99 - PURCHASING DEALER "REPAIRS" OIL LEAK, BRAKE PROBLEM,GAUGE LIGHT PROBLEM, 11/18/99 , GAUGE LIGHT AFTER "REPAIR". 11/26 /99 - LOCAL DEALER TO REPAIR LIGHT/BRAKES PROBLEM - "CAN'T FIND PROB'S." - I PROD THEM TO USE OLD METHODS TO FIND PROBLEMS- I.E. -ROAD TEST FOR BRAKES , ACTUAL GAUGE ATTACHED TO ENGINE FOR OIL LIGHT- AMAZING "WE FOUND PROBLEMS"-ORDER PARTS "2WEEKS"-01/14 /2000 - "WE GOT PARTS"(2 WKS.-HA!)-01/19/2000 -REPLACED GAUGE CLUSTER, NOTIFIED ME OF BRAKE SERVICE BULLETIN, "WILL ORDER PARTS"- 01/19/2000-NOTICE SIGNIF. CHANGES IN GAUGE READINGS.- 01/24/2000 - SPEEDOMETER STOPS AT 25MPH- MOVING OR STOPPED- CALL DEALER TO REPORT THIS, SPEED READ CONTINUES TO GO DOWN(WHILE DRIVING) , SETTLING AT 20 FOR A FEW MILES, THEN 10,THEN 0 FOR A FEW MORE,THEN RETURNS TO "?NORMAL?"- 01/26/2000- RETURN TO DEALER FOR BRAKE WORK("PARTS ARE IN") , AFTER ALL DAY, CALL TO PICK UP - BRAKES GRIND -PULL TO RIGHT 1/2 MILE AWAY. PAST CLOSING TIME- HEAD HOME -20 MILES LATER BRAKES REALLY GRINDING- ABLE TO MAKE SHARP CORNER RIGHT TURN BY JUST APPLYING BRAKES-01/26/2000 -THERE'S PART OF MY JOURNAL/ADVENTURE - ???WHAT NOW??????????. *AK

NHTSA complaint #717931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Claire, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, LEFT WHEEL STARTED TO GRAB AFTER APPLYING ABS BRAKES. WOULD MAKE CLUNKING SOUNDS. STOPPING DISTANCE IS EFFECTIVE BY ABS BRAKE PROBLEM. IS INTERMITTENT. BEEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES & PROBLEM WITH ABS BRAKES NOT CORRECTED.

NHTSA complaint #847540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

← Full 1999 GMC Savana report