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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

Visibility complaints

31 reports
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85,000 miles · Dec 29, 2006
Visibility

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED CONCERNING A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER MOTOR. THE BULLETIN HAS A PRODUCT RECALL. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN TOLD BY GMC THAT THE CAR WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL\ DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDS…

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TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED CONCERNING A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER MOTOR. THE BULLETIN HAS A PRODUCT RECALL. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN TOLD BY GMC THAT THE CAR WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL\ DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL EITHER STAY UP IN THE AIR, WON'T WORK AT ALL, OR SHUT OFF BY THEMSELVES. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS ON DECEMBER 26, 2006. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN IN JULY 2006. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER, AND THEY GAVE HER A SERVICE REQUEST NO. 71-463971283, AND THEN THE DEALER DENIED IT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10177343

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2003
Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPER COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10038124

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2002
Visibility

WIPERS HAVE BEEN INTERMIDENTLY FAILING OVER A SEVERAL YEAR PERIOD BUT NOW HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT AND LAST LONGER. DT

NHTSA ODI #770435

50,000 miles · Oct 30, 2002
VisibilityCrash

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSED WIPERS TO FAIL MOSTLY DURING RAINY WEATHER. *TT

NHTSA ODI #8021948

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2002
Visibility

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AS INDICATED IN RECALL 98-V-15-001; BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *YH

NHTSA ODI #8009201

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2001
Visibility

WIPERS WILL JUST STOP WORKING GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESRCIBED IN A GMC RECALL ON SAME MODELS. MY TRUCK WAS MADE THE NEXT MONTH AFTER THE RECALL WAS STOPPED. I THINK THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE GONE ON FURTHER THAN IT DID COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS THE RECALLED TRUCKS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #753323

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2001
Visibility

I CALLED GMC AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE WIPER MOTOR PROBLEM, THEY SAID THAT MY TRUCKS' VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL THAT HAD BEEN DONE ON OTHER 1996 GMC SONOMAS OF THE SAME YEAR. MY TRUCK HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS THE OTHER 1.2 MILLION RECALLED S10 & S15 TRUCKS BUT GMC CORP. SAYS THAT IT IS NOT RELATED. ( NHTSA RECALL…

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I CALLED GMC AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE WIPER MOTOR PROBLEM, THEY SAID THAT MY TRUCKS' VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL THAT HAD BEEN DONE ON OTHER 1996 GMC SONOMAS OF THE SAME YEAR. MY TRUCK HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS THE OTHER 1.2 MILLION RECALLED S10 & S15 TRUCKS BUT GMC CORP. SAYS THAT IT IS NOT RELATED. ( NHTSA RECALL #98V150001) I FEEL THAT THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO COVER TRUCKS OF THE SAME YEAR THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE GMC RECALL IS FOR TRUCKS BUILD FROM 8-94 TO 5-96. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED BECAUSE SEVERAL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #751618

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2001
Visibility

WHEN CONSUME RIS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WINDSHIELD ISN'T PROPERLY IN PLACE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #884622

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2001
Power TrainVisibility

WHILE EXITING FROM HIGHWAY CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO DOWN SHIFT FROM FORTH GEAR TO THIRD GEAR, BUT IT WOULD ONLY GO TO SECOND GEAR. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #883038

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2001
Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR SOMETIMES FAILS TO OPERATE OR CONTINUE TO OPERATE WHEN SWITCH IS ENGAGED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #741703

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.