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2016 GMC Savana Passenger 3500 12 Pass
Limited data: few reports on file, read the verdict loosely
Too few owner complaints are on file to affirm this car. Treat it as unproven, not endorsed, and lean hard on a professional pre-purchase inspection.
6 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
What the record shows so far
Only 6 owner complaints on file for this exact model year, too few to judge long-term reliability. Treat this as unproven, not endorsed, and lean on a professional inspection.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 GMC Savana Passenger 3500 12 Pass, plotted where owners report it happening.
Steering
50%3 complaints
“OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING OVER LAST 4 MONTHS IN FOLLOWING ORDER: INTERMITTENT DEATH WOBBLE IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING STABLETRACK DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND …”
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
33%2 complaints
“OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING OVER LAST 4 MONTHS IN FOLLOWING ORDER: INTERMITTENT DEATH WOBBLE IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING STABLETRACK DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND …”
Brakes
33%2 complaints
“OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING OVER LAST 4 MONTHS IN FOLLOWING ORDER: INTERMITTENT DEATH WOBBLE IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING STABLETRACK DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND …”
Transmission & drivetrain
17%1 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“6L80 transmission has failed @ 109,000 miles. At a stop light, in drive, vehicle would not move in drive or reverse. After switching back and forth transmission finall…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 6 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 1 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking any seller before you hand over money:
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 GMC SAVANA PASSENGER 3500 12 PASS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every Savana Passenger 3500 12 Pass model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 GMC Savana Passenger 3500 12 Pass against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.