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1994 GMC Sonoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sonoma years

Owner complaints for the 1994 GMC Sonoma are substantially higher than the model-year median of 57.

About this comparison →
224Owner 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
29
199125
199258
1993224
1994213
1995148
1996111
1997
Compare all Sonoma years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
131Visibility
53Engine And Engine Cooling
12Vehicle Speed Control
12Power Train
10
All reported categories
Electrical System
8Fuel System, Gasoline
7Suspension
7Service Brakes, Air
5Exterior Lighting
4Equipment
3Seat Belts
2Steering
2Tires
2Parking Brake
1Seats
1Structure
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: 14 of 224 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 131 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Seats complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 1998
Seats

FEEL THAT THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE CRACK BEING WHERE THAT SEAT BOLTS DOWN AND SO NEAR WHERE THE SEATBELT BOLTS DOWN. GMC TOLD ME THAT IF IT WERE A HOLE RUSTING THROUGH THE OUTSIDE OF A FENDER THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE. SINCE IT IS THE SEAT FALLING THROUGH THE FLOOR, THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. ANY HELP YOU…

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FEEL THAT THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE CRACK BEING WHERE THAT SEAT BOLTS DOWN AND SO NEAR WHERE THE SEATBELT BOLTS DOWN. GMC TOLD ME THAT IF IT WERE A HOLE RUSTING THROUGH THE OUTSIDE OF A FENDER THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE. SINCE IT IS THE SEAT FALLING THROUGH THE FLOOR, THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE ME WOULD E MUCH APPRECIATED. THE LADY I SPOKE WITH WAS LOURI EMRICH WITH THE GMC CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER.

NHTSA ODI #533213

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.

97V096001 · Seat Belts

Jun 12, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 60/40 FRONT BENCH SEATS AND EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL LOCKING RECLINER BUCKET SEATS. THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE DRIVER'S AND/OR PASSENGER'S SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THERE WERE SECONDARY CRASH EVENTS OR VEHICLE ROLLOVER, THERE WOULD BE NO BELT RESTRAINT OF THE OCCUPANT AND INCREASED INJURIES COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.

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