YearToAvoid

2009 GMC Savana Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2009 GMC Savana has a complaint index of 32, ranking 14th out of 20 model years, with 2 complaints and 8 recall campaigns. It sits in the middle of the pack — worse years like 2007 (index 95) and 2017 (index 100) fare far worse on complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
32/100
#14 of 20 Savana years
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
2
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
8
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2006
lowest-risk (no Good/Best year)
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14
13 city / 16 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2009 GMC Savana problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System1 (50%)
  2. Fuel System1 (50%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report the ignition key gets stuck or is hard to turn after the vehicle is turned off, requiring wiggling to remove or restart, reported around 72,000 miles.
  • Owners report a strong fuel smell entering the passenger cabin during startup, idling, and after stopping, reported around 2,000 miles.
  • One owner said fuel lines were replaced but the fuel odor persisted, describing the vehicle as almost undrivable.
2009 GMC Savana complaints: complaints filed per month1Apr 2014Dec 2019
2 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2014 to Dec 2019; peak Apr 2014 (1).

2009 GMC Savana recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V247000Apr 6, 2023Electrical System150,830 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring

    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.

  2. NHTSA 18V267000Apr 26, 2018Other6,154 vehicles

    Equipment

    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.

  3. NHTSA 14V117000Mar 17, 2014Airbags303,013 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans manufactured January 27, 2009, through March 7, 2014 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds and less and equipped with front passenger air bags. In the affected vehicles, during a frontal impact below the air bag deployment threshold, if an unbelted front passenger's head hits the instrument panel above where the passenger air bag is located, the panel may not sufficiently absorb the impact. As such, these vehicles fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."

    Risk: In the event of a crash below the air bag deployment threshold, an unbelted front passenger seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will modify the passenger instrument panel free of charge. Notices to the owners of the heavy duty vans were mailed on April 28, 2014. The recall began on May 19, 2014. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14082.

See all 8 recalls for the 2009 GMC Savana →

2009 GMC Savana fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13 MPG
Highway
16 MPG
Combined
14 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Savana years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Avoid956314
2008No verdict373714
2009No verdict322814
2010No verdict473414
2011No verdict211514

All GMC Savana years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 GMC Savana reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2009 Savana has a complaint index of 32 and ranks 14th out of 20 model years for this model, placing it in the middle of the range compared to other Savana years.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 GMC Savana?
NHTSA complaints for this year split evenly between the Electrical System and Fuel System, each accounting for 50% of complaints, with median failure mileage of 72,000 and 2,000 miles respectively.
Does the 2009 GMC Savana have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2009 Savana, covering areas including electrical wiring, airbags, HVAC controls, a fire extinguisher replacement, and wheelchair lift issues on conversion vans.
How does the 2009 Savana compare to other years?
The 2009 Savana's complaint index of 32 is lower than Avoid-rated years like 2007 (95), 2016 (89), 2017 (100), and 2019 (79), and also lower than 2005 (84) and 2006 (63).
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 GMC Savana?
EPA rates the 2009 Savana at 14 mpg combined (13 city / 16 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,650.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.