One nut, one federal campaign: GM recalls Express and Savana

© chevrolet.com

General Motors is recalling Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans from the 2025–2026 model years in the United States. According to NHTSA, campaign 26V399 covers 26,541 vans: on some vehicles the steering gear may have been fitted with an improperly tightened nut.

The problem sounds dry, but the risk is serious. If the nut loosens and separates from the steering gear while the vehicle is moving, the driver may lose control. For commercial vans this is especially critical: these vehicles often run loaded, working in delivery, service fleets and passenger transport, where a steering failure leaves almost no margin for error.

GM has instructed dealers to inspect the steering gear and replace it free of charge where needed. Owner notifications are scheduled to go out on 10 August 2026, while VINs of affected vehicles became available for checking on the NHTSA website on 23 June. At the dealer level, some vehicles have been placed under stop delivery — meaning they cannot be handed over to buyers, used as demos or shipped further until the repair is completed.

One interesting detail — the actual scope of replacements is smaller than the total number of vehicles in the campaign. In one bulletin GM states that it expects to replace only 51 steering gears, while the remaining vehicles will be cleared by checking the part serial number. At the same time, a separate internal group N262563571 requires steering gear replacement on every affected vehicle in that batch.

For buyers of used American vans, this is a reason not to settle for a general inspection. Express and Savana are valued for their simple design, body-on-frame durability and longevity, but it is precisely commercial use that often hides missed service campaigns. A VIN check in such cases matters more than a clean-looking body.

The van may be old school, but the recall is thoroughly modern: one undertightened nut turns into a federal campaign.