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1993 GMC Sonoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1993 GMC Sonoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 57.

About this comparison →
58Owner complaints

Model-year median: 57

2Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
199029
199125
199258
1993224
1994213
1995148
1996
Compare all Sonoma years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
31Engine And Engine Cooling
7Power Train
7Electrical System
5Vehicle Speed Control
4
All reported categories
Seats
3Steering
2Suspension
2Visibility
2Latches/locks/linkages
1Seat Belts
1Service Brakes, Air
1Tires
1Unknown Or Other
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 58 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

58 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 1998
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkagesPower TrainFireInjury

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE, VEHICLE LOST POWER AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER BARELY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO TROUBLE WITH THE LOCKS. CONSUMER PUT THE FIRE OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. …

Read full complaint

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE, VEHICLE LOST POWER AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER BARELY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO TROUBLE WITH THE LOCKS. CONSUMER PUT THE FIRE OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. THE CONSUEMR SUFFERED MINOR BURNS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #830138

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE FLUID IS RUNNING OUT OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WILL NOT REPAIR UNLESS COST IS PAID BY THE CONSUMER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826406

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP. THE FLUID WAS GONE, BUT NO BRAKE FLUID LIGHT CAME ON, FLUID WAS LEAKING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.

NHTSA ODI #826154

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOCK UP IN WET WEATHER.

NHTSA ODI #537994

Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 1998
Seats

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, THE DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO BREAK AT THE SEAT BACK PIVOT POINT, CONSUMER STATES THAT GMC REPLACED THE SEAT BACK PARTS ON THREE OCCASIONS, HOWEVER THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK, CONSUMER FEELS THE DESIGN IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT HIS WEIGHT, WHICH IS 300 POUNDS. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #537170

Mileage unknown · May 15, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT THE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #823378

Mileage unknown · May 14, 1998
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL RESULTING IN A COLLISION.

NHTSA ODI #535533

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

REAR ABS BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #822767

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPYLING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #821182

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPYLING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT THE FRONT OR REAR WHEELS LOCK UP, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALERS CANNOT IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #822612

Official recalls

2

99V193000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Jul 19, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS (ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1989 THROUGH AUGUST 1996. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS THE SWITCH WHICH SIGNALS THE ABS SYSTEM WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN 2-WHEEL OR 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAN MALFUNCTION CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING ABS STOPS WHILE IN THE TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE OR REPAIR THE 4-WHEEL/2-WHEEL DRIVE SWITCH.

94V093000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

May 16, 1994

SIGNIFICANT WEAR CAN DEVELOP ON THE LOW AND REVERSE CLUTCH PREVENTING THE PARK PAWL FROM ENGAGING. THIS CAN PREVENT A "NO PARK" CONDITION TO OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, CAUSING UNINTENTIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT OPERATOR ACTION. (THE "NO PARK" CONDITION WILL NOT OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS OFF.)

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNINTENTIONAL VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FOR CONTAMINATION WHICH WILL INDICATE IF THE LOW OR REVERSE CLUTCH IS WORN. IF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SHOWS CONTAMINATION, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE94046 · Abs Braking System Fails

Opened Jun 17, 1994 · Closed Oct 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

There is no summary currently available