2003 GMC Savana: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2003 GMC Savana: 11 recalls, 22 owner complaints and up to 15 mpg combined.
Recalls
11 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Wheels Vehicle recall #02V305000 · 2002 · 18,409 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain vans were built without a wheel bearing assembly retaining nut, which could lead to a possible bearing separation.
Why it matters: If this were to occur, the amber-colored ABS tell-tale lamp in the instrument panel would illuminate and the ABS system would be disabled. The driver would also notice a grinding noise, a decrease in the vehicle speed, and the steering will pull in the direction of the affected brake assembly. This…
The fix: Dealers will inspect the wheel bearing assembly. If the inspection reveals a missing retaining nut, the wheel bearing assembly will be replaced. Owner notification began November 13, 2002.
Steering Vehicle recall #02V326000 · 2002 · 18,648 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain vans, the right-hand tie rod end nut May not be tightened adequately. The nut can loosen resulting in separation of the tie rod from the steering knuckle.
Why it matters: Separation of a tie rod can cause unexpected vehicle steering in some maneuvers and could cause a crash without prior warning.
The fix: Dealers will tighten the tie rod end nut and, if necessary, replace the tie rod end. Owner notification began November 27, 2002.
Steering Vehicle recall #02V330000 · 2002 · 4,158 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain vans with an 8,500 lb. Or 8,600 lb. Gross vehicle weight rating, the nut attaching the pitman arm to the steering linkage May not be tightened adequately resulting in a possible separation.
Why it matters: A separation could result in loss of vehicle control, and a crash could occur with prior warning.
The fix: Dealers will tighten the pitman arm nut to the proper specification. If the nut is missing, the dealer will install a new nut and tighten it correctly. Owner notification began December 10, 2002.
Seat belts Vehicle recall #03V050000 · 2003 · 18,327 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain vans with a gross vehicle weight of less than 8,500 pounds, during a vehicle crash sufficient enough to deploy the safety belt pretensioner, the front safety belt buckles May not release after the vehicle crash, or alternately May eject the safety belt latch during the vehicle crash.
Why it matters: This could result in increased risk of personal injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front driver and passenger side safety belt buckle. Owner notification began June 3, 2003.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #03V217000 · 2003 · 50,225 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain vans have a condition in which water May enter and corrode the rear license plate lamp socket. If the lamp socket were to corrode, the rear license plate lamp May operate intermittently or not at all, and the left rear tail lamp May become inoperative. The temperature of the license plate lamp socket could increase to the point that it May begin to soften and melt.
Why it matters: If the socket assembly were to reach the point of melting, the occupants of the vehicle May notice an odor and smoke at the rear doors of the vehicle. If this odor and smoke were ignored, the plastic could ignite and a fire could occur.
The fix: Dealers will install a new sealed rear license plate lamp socket assembly. Owner notification began July 21, 2003. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.
Equipment Vehicle recall #03V250000 · 2003 · 1,707,825 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.
Why it matters: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
The fix: Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or booster cushion. Owner notification began August 18, 2003. Owners should contact…
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #04V045000 · 2004 · 68,875 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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…
The 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.
Seat belts Vehicle recall #04V225000 · 2004 · 736 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain extended and regular cab pickup trucks and cargo vans converted to compressed natural gas (cng) fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 225, 'child restraint anchorage systems.' these vehicles have one seating position, the center rear seat, equipped with child restraint lower anchorages.
Why it matters: The standard requires child seat lower anchorages in two seating positions for vehicles with three rear seating positions. The standard cab and cargo van vehicles, which only have front seating positions, have an air bag off switch to disable the front passenger air bag and do not have child…
The fix: To bring the standard cab and cargo van vehicles into compliance, dealers will inject epoxy into the air bag off switch to prevent air bag activation, relocate the switch behind the instrument panel and then install a cover over the resulting opening. The sun visor label and owner's manual will…
Seat belts Vehicle recall #05V558000 · 2005 · 425,593 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain full-size passenger, cargo, or cutaway vans, the front and rear seat belt buckles will not latch or will not unlatch.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash, a seat occupant May not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.
The 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.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #12V388000 · 2012 · 9,389 vehicles
What's wrong: Water and road contaminants May become trapped in the protective conduit that covers the fuel filler pipe and May cause the pipe to corrode.
Why it matters: Significant corrosion May allow fuel to leak during refueling, and in the presence of an ignition source; there is an increased risk of fire.
The 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.
Electrical Vehicle recall #23V247000 · 2023 · 150,830 vehicles
What's wrong: When the HVAC blower motor circuit is left unused with exposed connectors and wiring, the circuit can corrode and overheat.
Why it matters: An overheated electrical circuit increases the risk of a fire.
The 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.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 3 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Engine & cooling (4): the most common themes are leaks (2).
- Body & structure (3): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Seats (2): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Brakes (hydraulic) (2): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
The 2003 GMC Savana has 22 owner complaints, ranking #6 of 32 Savana model years for complaints (2.0× the average Savana year). Complaints peaked in 2003 (5 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 2 years old, at a median of 24,750 miles. Neighboring years: 2002 (12 complaints, 0 recalls), 2004 (12 complaints, 7 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 15 | Regular |
| 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 12 | 17 | 14 | Regular |
| 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 12 | 16 | 13 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2003 GMC Savana.
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FAQ
Does the 2003 GMC Savana have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 11 vehicle recalls for the 2003 GMC Savana. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2003 GMC Savana problems?
Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are engine & cooling (4), body & structure (3), seats (2).
What gas mileage does the 2003 GMC Savana get?
EPA ratings run up to 15 mpg combined (4.3 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 3 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2003 GMC Savana repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.