Photo: Chevrolet / edited
Stalwarts of the full-size van segment in the United States, the Chevrolet Express and technically similar GMC Savana are called back over an issue stemming from two fire incidents alleging two cutaway vehicles. General Motors promptly started investigating the root cause behind these fires, discovering that the rear HVAC system's unsealed blower motor circuit may corrode.
Cutaways feature an unused circuit from the factory. The final-stage manufacturer elects whether to install the rear HVAC system or not. If the final-stage manufacturer leaves the connectors or cut wires unsealed, corrosion may build up due to moisture, resulting in high current draw through the circuit. In other words, excessive heat may lead to a vehicle fire.
Further investigation revealed two more vehicle fires, bringing the grand total to four incidents. General Motors isn't aware of any injuries related to said condition. A whopping 149,028 cutaways are called back to remedy this condition, split between 138,588 units of the Express and 10,440 units of the Savana.
Dealers have already been instructed to seal the rear HVAC blower motor circuit at the left side B pillar to eliminate the high current draw condition. Owners will be informed by first-class mail no later than May 22.
Production dates range between May 8, 2002 and March 27, 2023 for the 2003 through 2003 model years. It boggles the mind how little changes were brought to the Express and Savana during this period. One of the most long-lived American automotive designs, the Express and Savana rolled out in 1995 for the 1996 model year as replacements to the GM G-series family of vans.
The 2003 model year saw a mid-cycle revision of the Express and Savana, which included some updates for the body-on-frame platform, a higher hood line, and the addition of dual-stage airbags. GM is expected to replace both of them with all-electric vans for the 2026 model year, most likely based on the Ultium-based BrightDrop Zevo 600. There is also talk of yet another update for the existing combustion-engined variants, although it seems unlikely due to the EPA's push for electric vehicles at the expense of ICE vehicles.
For the 2023 model year, the Chevrolet Express Cutaway is $35,000 sans destination charge. Available in four exterior colors, including the Red Hot finish of the pictured vehicle, the Express Cutaway comes with either a 4.3-liter V6 or a 6.6-liter V8. Connected to an eight-speed automatic, the lesser engine makes 276 horsepower and 298 pound-feet (404 Nm) of torque.
The 6.6er is more like it because it's the only Gen V small block with an iron block. Codenamed L8T, this lump also makes do without cylinder deactivation and a stop-start system. Launched for the 2020 model year in the Silverado HD and Sierra HD pickup trucks, the V8 produces 401 ponies and 464 pound-feet (629 Nm). Rather than an eight-speed transmission or the newer ten-speed automatic developed by Ford, a six-speed automatic of the HD variety will have to make do.
Further investigation revealed two more vehicle fires, bringing the grand total to four incidents. General Motors isn't aware of any injuries related to said condition. A whopping 149,028 cutaways are called back to remedy this condition, split between 138,588 units of the Express and 10,440 units of the Savana.
Dealers have already been instructed to seal the rear HVAC blower motor circuit at the left side B pillar to eliminate the high current draw condition. Owners will be informed by first-class mail no later than May 22.
Production dates range between May 8, 2002 and March 27, 2023 for the 2003 through 2003 model years. It boggles the mind how little changes were brought to the Express and Savana during this period. One of the most long-lived American automotive designs, the Express and Savana rolled out in 1995 for the 1996 model year as replacements to the GM G-series family of vans.
The 2003 model year saw a mid-cycle revision of the Express and Savana, which included some updates for the body-on-frame platform, a higher hood line, and the addition of dual-stage airbags. GM is expected to replace both of them with all-electric vans for the 2026 model year, most likely based on the Ultium-based BrightDrop Zevo 600. There is also talk of yet another update for the existing combustion-engined variants, although it seems unlikely due to the EPA's push for electric vehicles at the expense of ICE vehicles.
For the 2023 model year, the Chevrolet Express Cutaway is $35,000 sans destination charge. Available in four exterior colors, including the Red Hot finish of the pictured vehicle, the Express Cutaway comes with either a 4.3-liter V6 or a 6.6-liter V8. Connected to an eight-speed automatic, the lesser engine makes 276 horsepower and 298 pound-feet (404 Nm) of torque.
The 6.6er is more like it because it's the only Gen V small block with an iron block. Codenamed L8T, this lump also makes do without cylinder deactivation and a stop-start system. Launched for the 2020 model year in the Silverado HD and Sierra HD pickup trucks, the V8 produces 401 ponies and 464 pound-feet (629 Nm). Rather than an eight-speed transmission or the newer ten-speed automatic developed by Ford, a six-speed automatic of the HD variety will have to make do.
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