IllustrationWHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE ABS KICKS IN AND THERE IS NO BRAKES AND THE ENGINE STOPS. HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER. *AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sonoma years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
131 reportsABS BRAKE PROBLEMS; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, ABOUT 20-25 MPH IN A MALL PARKING LOT, THE PEDAL RELEASED AND WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT A MOVING CAR. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. DEALER STATED THAT BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ALRIGHT. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP, THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *AK
ABS BRAKES FAILED INTERMITTENTLY.
BRAKES FAILED.
VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED 2 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, THE WHEEL SENSOR WAS REPLACED , AND THE SECOND TIME, THE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE OWNER HAS DISCONNECTED THE ABS BRAKES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE ABS HAS BEEN SERVICED AND IS NOW OPERATING UP TO SPECIFICATIONS. VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ERRATIC AN…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED 2 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, THE WHEEL SENSOR WAS REPLACED , AND THE SECOND TIME, THE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE OWNER HAS DISCONNECTED THE ABS BRAKES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE ABS HAS BEEN SERVICED AND IS NOW OPERATING UP TO SPECIFICATIONS. VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ERRATIC AND UNPREDICTABLE WHEEL LOCK UP WHILE APPLYING LIGHT PEDAL PRESSURE, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY WITHIN A FEW MILES OF DRIVING. *SLC
CONSUMER WENT TO STOP, PUSHED BRAKES, DID NOT RESPOND ON TIME , DRY PAVEMENT. FEELS BRAKES ARE DRAGGING,ALMOST TO THE FLOOR THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IF CONSUMER HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. *AK
WHILE MAKING A SUDDEN STOP AT A LIGHT. CONSUMER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE. CONSUMER PRESSED THE BRAKES AGAIN THE VEHICAL STOPPED. *AK
ABS BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WHEN VEHICLE IS MOVING AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 1-2 MPH. ALSO REPLACED WORN OUT FRONT BRAKE PADS. *AK
WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE ABS BRAKES RESIST. THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
Official recalls
299V193000 · 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
1PE94046 · 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