IllustrationINTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTION WHILE IN USE, WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFICULTY. A RECALL FOR 1995 SONOMA 98V015000 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE 1994S ARE NOT INCLUDED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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
What owners actually said
224 reportsCOSIDERING MY LONG EXPERIENCE WITH THE GM PRODUCT LINE I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH THE EARLY FAILURES OF THESE COMPONENTS. I SPECIFICLY CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE RECEIVED VERY LITTLE SUPPORT OR SATISFACTION FROM THEM. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WIPERS TO GET STUCK WHILE IN USE, WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL PROBLEMS. NEED TO MOVE THE WIPER BLADE PHYSICALLY IN ORDER TO BE OPERATING AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE PROBLEM SEEING WHEN DRIVING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD ABS SYSTEM FAILS. DEALER HAS BEEN TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *ML
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES THE WIPERS MIGHT COME ON WHEN RAINING. CIRCUIT BOARD MAY BE DEFECTIVE STATES CHEVROLET AND GMC 800 RECORDING. DEALER CONTACTED, AND ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
SUMMARY NOT PROVIDED BY CONSUMER.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AROUND AND KEPT SMELLING GAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW FUEL COMING FROM THE TANK. SAW GAS ON THE GROUND, AND DISCOVERED THERE IS A HOLE ON THE UPPER SIDE ON THE GAS TANK, AND THE GAS TANK STARTED TO GET RUSTY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND GOT THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK
EGR VALVE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, WHEN THIS HAPPENS COMPLETE BRAKE LOSS AND LOSS OF CONTROL ARE EXPERIENCED.
BEGAN APPLYING THE BRAKES AS I PULLED UP TO THE STATION BUILDING, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD ( I THINK THE ENGINE ALSO BEGAN TO RACE, BUT IT WAS HARD TO TELL). LUCKLY THE TRUCK CAME TO A STOP ABOUT TWO FEET BEFORE HITTING THE PLATE GLASS WINDOW IN THE FRONT…
Read full complaint
BEGAN APPLYING THE BRAKES AS I PULLED UP TO THE STATION BUILDING, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD ( I THINK THE ENGINE ALSO BEGAN TO RACE, BUT IT WAS HARD TO TELL). LUCKLY THE TRUCK CAME TO A STOP ABOUT TWO FEET BEFORE HITTING THE PLATE GLASS WINDOW IN THE FRONT OF THE STATION ( THE BRAKE WAS STILL TO THE FLOOR). PUT TRUCK IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. RETURN AND CAUTIOUSLY BACKED THE TRUCK UP AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE TRUCK STOPPED FINE.
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