IllustrationWHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT THE BRAKES BECOME VERY SENSITIVE AND LOCK UP, THE PEDAL NEARLY TRAVELS TO THE FLOOR , CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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 reportsBRAKE ROTORS FAILED.
ED,EA94-038, IN SUDDEN STOPS THE DEFECTIVE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC
THE DEFECTIVE ABS SYSTEMS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY INCLEMENT RAIN WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER GETS STUCK IN MIDDLE , HAS TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE TO MOVE IT ,THEN IT WILL BEGIN TO WORK FOR ONLY 30 MINUTES. THEN WILL HAVE TO DO IT OVER AGAIN. THIS CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK *SLC
ABS BRAKES ARE SUBJECT TO INTERMITTENT FAILURE, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BRAKES MAKE GRINDING SOUND WHILE MAKING A TURN AND APPLYING THE BRAKES. DEALER HAS CHANGED THE PADS 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE ABS KICKS IN AND THERE IS NO BRAKES AND THE ENGINE STOPS. HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER. *AK
IGNITION SPARK CONTROL COMPUTER IS CAUSING BACKFIRE UPON ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WHILE USING AIR CONDITIONING.
ABS 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
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