Home · 2025 GMC Savana Passenger 3500 12 Pass · Complaints

What 16 owners told NHTSA about the 2025 GMC Savana Passenger 3500 12 Pass

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (16)Brakes (5)Electrical system (3)Driver assistance (2)Engine (2)Tires (2)Body & structure (1)Engine & cooling (1)Equipment (1)Lane Departure (1)Lights (1)

5 of 16 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Apr 19, 2026Brakes

The electronic part of the truck gave a warning and shut off my trailer brake system while towing a 21K 5th wheel trailer (X2). The truck is available for inspection. Any part of the electronics package that has the ability to disable a trailer braking system while towing needs to be removed/disabled immediately. The truck has not been seen by a dealer yet. yes there was a warning I briefly saw both times, but I can't say what it said.

NHTSA ODI 11732209

Apr 15, 2026BrakesEquipment

The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 3500 used for hauling a 2026 Aluminum Trailer equipped with a DeeMaxx: DBI-7K-MAXX-SS-KIT brake kit. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake caliper bracket detached due to insufficient generic quality bolts included in the brake kit. The contact pulled over and had the trailer towed to an RV park. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the failure was caused by improper installation. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11731433

Jan 30, 2026Brakes

The truck automatically engages the parking brake ONLY when on an incline, never at any other time. I am so used to engaging the parking brake at all other times I also engage it when on an incline. The problem is the truck DISENGAGES the brake automatically after I've engaged it. This has happened multiple times when I've been towing a large boat on a launch ramp or towing my heavy 5th wheel. I can be fully exited from the truck and 10 ft away when it disengages and I watch it lurch forward. Simple answer would be for me to not engage the brake on an incline, but its a total habit all the time so I never remember to not engage it on an incline. This is a dangerous feature that needs to be removed ASAP. Thank you

NHTSA ODI 11714433

Aug 27, 2025SteeringBrakes

Hose from power steering pump came off causing truck to loose power steering and brakes. Fortunately we had just exited the interstate and were in a parking lot when this occurred. Truck was towed 90 miles to dealer who confirmed that hose was incorrectly installed by factory

NHTSA ODI 11683541

Jun 20, 2025Brakes

While towing my fifth wheel trailer, the truck intermittently disconnects the trailer brakes while in motion. This results in a sudden loss of roughly 75% of my braking capability, creating an extremely dangerous situation. I have a professional driving background, which has helped me avoid an accident so far, but this issue could easily result in a collision, especially under emergency braking or downhill conditions Service Attempt: On June 17, 2025, I brought the vehicle to Madras Chevrolet in Oregon. The dealership acknowledged the issue but stated the truck is “within GM parameters,” so no repairs were made. They claimed the problem might be with the trailer, but I’ve confirmed the trailer works properly with other tow vehicles. This appears to be a systemic electrical or control issue with the truck. Safety Concern: No vehicle should be allowed to disable trailer brakes while moving. This is a clear design or control system fault. I am concerned that other GMC or GM truck owners may be at similar risk and urge the NHTSA to investigate this problem before it results in serious injury or death. PS. On social media most owners say this is happening to them

NHTSA ODI 11668227

Working with the data? Download all 16 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2025 GMC Savana Passenger 3500 12 Pass verdict →