2018 GMC Savana maintenance schedule

The 2018 Savana is part of the GMT610 generation (2014-2026), sold as a van. Below: its service intervals with the source behind each one, the fluids it takes, the problems owners report for this year, and the NHTSA recalls issued for it.

Service schedule

What the 2018 Savana needs, and when

1 of these 12 items comes from GMC's own published schedule. Manufacturer rows link to GMC's own schedule, Independent rows to a service shop or parts retailer's published guide.

ServiceIntervalSource
Engine oil and filter

Requires dexos1 full synthetic

7,500 mi / 1 yearIndependent
Engine air filter

Inspect at oil changes; 45,000 mi is a check cadence, not a confirmed replacement interval

Inspect, replace as neededIndependent
Cabin air filter

Replace more frequently in dusty environments

22,500 mi / 2 yearsIndependent
Tire rotation

Check tread wear and balance

7,500 mi / 1 yearIndependent
Brake fluid60,000 mi / 5 yearsIndependent
Engine coolant

DEX-COOL drain and replenish

150,000 mi / 5 yearsIndependent
Transmission fluid

Fleet/severe duty interval

30,000 miIndependent
Spark plugs (Gas)97,500 miIndependent
Serpentine belt

Inspect accessory drive belts

150,000 mi / 10 yearsIndependent
Differential and transfer case fluid

Rear axle service

45,000 miIndependent
PCV valve (Gas)Inspect, replace as neededManufacturer
12V battery

Test cold-cranking amps annually

Inspect, replace as neededIndependent

Intervals are for normal driving; towing, short trips, extreme heat or dust shorten them. Services we could not find an interval for are left off rather than guessed.

Fluids and engines

What goes in it

Engine oil
5W-30
Coolant
DEX-COOL
Transmission fluid
DEXRON-VI

Powertrains in this generation

  • 4.3L 6-cyl (LV3), 276 hp, 8-Speed Automatic, RWD
  • 4.8L 8-cyl (L20), 285 hp, 6-Speed Automatic, RWD
  • 6.0L 8-cyl (L96), 341 hp, 6-Speed Automatic, RWD
  • 6.6L 8-cyl (L8T), 401 hp, 6-Speed Automatic, RWD
  • 2.8L 4-cyl diesel (LWN), 181 hp, 8-Speed Automatic, RWD

Confirm the exact spec against the owner's manual or the label under the hood; capacities vary by engine and drivetrain.

Known problems

What 2018 Savana owners run into

Problems reported for this model year, with the mileage they tend to show up at. Buying past a window is not automatically a pass - it just needs to be priced in.

Fuel pump failure

high severity

60,000-120,000 mi · $800-$1,200 to fix

No start, stalling

Source: repairpal.com

Stuck fuel injectors

medium severity

60,000-120,000 mi · $500-$1,200 to fix

Misfire, rough idle

Source: repairpal.com

Tail light wiring damage

low severity

30,000-80,000 mi · $100-$300 to fix

Electrical shorts, bulb failure

Source: repairpal.com

Safety recalls

7 NHTSA recalls for the 2018 GMC Savana

From NHTSA's recall database, matched by model and year. Recall repairs are free at GMC dealers, and a given car may already be fixed or fall outside a campaign, so check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.

Electrical system

NHTSA 23V247000

April 2023

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.

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.

February 2021

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.

June 2019

Unicell Body Company Inc. (Unicell) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, 2018-2019 Hino 155, Ford Econoline and Transit and Isuzu NPR, and 2018 Ram ProMaster-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed.

Remedy: Unicell will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners and offer a remedy, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service 1-800-384-4400 or Unicell at 1-716-853-8628.

Visibility

NHTSA 19V387000

May 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. One or both of the rear-quarter windows may be tempered glass instead of laminated glass. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tempered glass windows with laminated glass windows, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192218960.

Electrical system

NHTSA 18V655000

September 2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a single, manual, rear climate control module (CCM). If the temperature is set to maximum heat or the mode knob is set to maximum floor vent and an electrical short occurs, components within the CCM may overheat.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the electrical insulation from a wiring connector within the CCM to remove the fire risk, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18299.

August 2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles with certain combinations of front-tire and gross-vehicle-weight option codes. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be incorrectly calibrated, causing the TPMS warning lamp to illuminate when tire pressure reaches 37 PSI, not 41 PSI. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will check the PSI information on the remote control door lock receiver (RCDLR) and tire placard match, and if the information is different the RCDLR will be reprogrammed. This repair will be done free of charge. The recall began August 27, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18255.

April 2018

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

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.

Running costs

What maintenance typically costs

A typical year of maintenance
$1,114
Five years of maintenance
$5,570
The major service near 100,000 mi
$1,200

Typical US independent-shop estimates for this generation; they vary by region and condition.

Other Savana model years

Shopping new? The GMC Savana guide covers the current model, with what it costs to keep for 1 to 15 years.

Sources

Researched 2026-09-19. Modeling, not mechanic advice - always confirm against your car's owner's manual and service records.

Running a Savana for income?

Carlyle scores the exact listing on cost per remaining mile and projected Turo income, so you know what a 2018 Savana earns before you buy it.

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