GM’s Latest Recall Shows It Still Sells A Lot Of Old-School American Vans

The classic American style of full-size vans may be on their way out, largely replaced by European models like the Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit. But US automakers have still sold a lot of them in recent years, as this latest recall goes to show.

According to a notice released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, General Motors is recalling 207,483 of its big vans in the US for a problem with water leaking into electrical components.

The recall affects the 2014-17 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana – two of the last such models of this type still on the market. It only affects those fitted with power windows, moisture leaking into which could cause “high electrical resistance” and potentially lead to a fire.

Fortunately the fix will be as simple as replacing the driver’s side window switch. The manufacturer has yet to define a schedule for the recall. But once it does, owners can expect to receive notification on when they can bring their vans into their local dealers for service.

Last year, Chevy sold nearly 70,000 Express vans in the US, and GMC another 30,000 Savanas. That makes the Express the second best-selling full-size van in the US, behind only the Ford Transit and well ahead of the older Ford E-Series (Econoline) and the Euro-style Ram ProMaster. Even the Savana outsold the Mercedes Sprinter and Nissan NV last year. Not bad, considering that GM has been making these models, virtually unchanged, since 1995. That’s over two decades now.

GM doesn’t offer a European-style model to compete with its big vans in the US. But it does sell the smaller City Express, based on the same underpinnings as the Nissan NV200.