AI Damage2009 GMC Savana 3500: common problems
Owners of the 2009 GMC Savana 3500 filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 33% of all complaints
- 4 Wheels 33% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Fleet vehicle I for service thought tire was bad, under closer inspection, weld failed causing rim to split from inner mounting hub causing 3/-1/2 inch crack at tire bead. I have been in business for 22 years I have never seen a failure like this, I will keep the rim in case you want it for study.
When towing a trailer with my 1 ton gm van down hill and braking the front end shakes almost uncontrollably. The manufacturer knows about it as they have it in the owners manual. They claim the brakes get hot and to down shift the van.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 17,152 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Savana 3500 has 1 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 3, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 GMC Savana 3500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, service brakes, suspension. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (33%), vibration (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 GMC Savana 3500?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 GMC Savana 3500 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.