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1996 GMC Sonoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sonoma years

Owner complaints for the 1996 GMC Sonoma are substantially higher than the model-year median of 57.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 12 of 148 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 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. 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 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

26 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

19 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

VALVE SEALS ON ORIGINAL/NEW ENGINE SEATED IMPROPERLY CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL USE AND ENGINE MISFIRE. VALVE SEALS REPLACED BY DEALER PER GMC NOTICE SOCMP96C17. TWO MONTHS LATER IN JANUARY, 1997, VALVE SEALS #4 AND #6 AGAIN FAILED WITH SAME SYMPTOMS BUT WERE REPLACED BY DEALER SINCE FAILURE TOOK PLACE WITHIN A YEAR OF ORIGINAL GMC…

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VALVE SEALS ON ORIGINAL/NEW ENGINE SEATED IMPROPERLY CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL USE AND ENGINE MISFIRE. VALVE SEALS REPLACED BY DEALER PER GMC NOTICE SOCMP96C17. TWO MONTHS LATER IN JANUARY, 1997, VALVE SEALS #4 AND #6 AGAIN FAILED WITH SAME SYMPTOMS BUT WERE REPLACED BY DEALER SINCE FAILURE TOOK PLACE WITHIN A YEAR OF ORIGINAL GMC NOTICE. IN 1999 SAME SYMPTOMS AGAIN SHOWED UP BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN JUNE, 1999, THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE SEALS BECAUSE GMC SAID THEY WERE NO LONGER COVERED. GMC DEALER HAD ASSURED ME IN JANUARY, 1997, THAT SEALS WOULD BE COVERED AS LONG AS I OWNED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #710257

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, BRAKES WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, PULLEY CAME OFF, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. VEHICLE ACCELERATED, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT THE IGINTION SWITCH OFF.*AK

NHTSA ODI #835619

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY STALLS.

NHTSA ODI #534829

Mileage unknown · Oct 3, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE STALLS, FAILS TO RESTART, REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALLS.

NHTSA ODI #523168

Mileage unknown · Sep 25, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING OR FAILS TO START AND THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME CHRONIC, CANNOT DIAGNOSE WHY THIS OCCURS.

NHTSA ODI #522465

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 1997
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

WATER PUMP FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #603867

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 1997
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsService Brakes, Hydraulic

DOOR HINGE DOES NOT KEEP DOOR OPEN.

NHTSA ODI #520067

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA ODI #602979

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE RACES VERY SLOWLY WHEN ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED AND SOMETIMES RACES BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTS.

NHTSA ODI #516069

Official recalls

6

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.

98V150001 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer

Jul 1, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.

97V146001 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Sep 11, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 4.3L ENGINES. THE FRONT BRAKE LINE CAN CONTACT THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE ENGINE OIL PAN CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO WEAR TO THE POINT OF BRAKE FLUID LOSS DURING BRAKE APPLICATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LOSS CAN REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND THE BRAKE LINE. IF THE CLEARANCE IS 6MM OR LESS, DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL BRAKE LINE CLIP AND IF THERE WAS CONTACT BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND BRAKE LINE, THE FRONT BRAKE LINE WILL BE REPLACED.

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.

97V008001 · Visibility:windshield

Jan 27, 1997

THE TOP COAT PAINT SEVERELY PEELS DUE TO OVERBAKING OF THE POWDER PRIMER PRIOR TO THE TOP COAT APPLICATION. SINCE THE WINDSHIELD PRIMER AND ADHESIVE ADHERE TO THE TOP COAT PAINT ONTHE WINDSHIELD OPENING FLANGE, THE WINDSHIELD DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WINDSHIELD MAY NOT STAY IN PLACE AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 212.

Remedy: ALL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPURCHASED. THIS CAMPAIGN IS 100%.

96V035000 · Power Train:manual Transmission

Feb 22, 1996

SOME OF THESE TRUCKS WERE BUILT WITH TRANSMISSIONS CONTAINING PARTS WHICH WERE NOT MACHINED TO GM'S SPECIFICATIONS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THESE TRANSMISSIONS COULD SEIZE AND LOCK THE REAR DRIVE WHEELS WHILE THE TRUCK IS BEING DRIVEN CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION MAIN SHAFT OUTPUT TORQUE USING A SPECIAL TOOL. IF THE OUTPUT TORQUE DOES NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS, 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.