Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
1325–50K
2050–75K
1275–100K
7100–150K
4150K+
59 reports with mileage · 97 unknown
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.
Visibility. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seats. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
156 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 20, 2004
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED, THEN DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER DROVE IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. …
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WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED, THEN DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER DROVE IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10097310
97,000 miles · Oct 20, 2004
Latches/locks/linkages
I OWN A 1998 GMC SONOMA PICKUP. BOTH TAILGATE CABLES FAILED BY BREAKING IN HALF BECAUSE OF RUST. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THEM AND AM CURRENTLY NOT USING MY TAILGATE BECAUSE EACH ONE COSTS $42.00 (THEY ARE PART OF THE LATCH ASSEMBLY). GM HAS RECALLED TAILGATE CABLES ON FULL SIZE TRUCKS - DOES ANYBODY BELEIVE THE CABLES ON THEIR SM…
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I OWN A 1998 GMC SONOMA PICKUP. BOTH TAILGATE CABLES FAILED BY BREAKING IN HALF BECAUSE OF RUST. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THEM AND AM CURRENTLY NOT USING MY TAILGATE BECAUSE EACH ONE COSTS $42.00 (THEY ARE PART OF THE LATCH ASSEMBLY). GM HAS RECALLED TAILGATE CABLES ON FULL SIZE TRUCKS - DOES ANYBODY BELEIVE THE CABLES ON THEIR SMALLER TRUCKS WERE ANY BETTER? I AM A BELEIVER THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS BUT THEY SELL LESS SMALL TRUCKS SO THERE ARE FEWER COMPLAINTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MINE CORRECTED LIKE MANY OTHER GM TRUCK OWNERS HAVE.
NHTSA ODI #10096081
67,880 miles · Oct 19, 2004
Electrical SystemVisibility
MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY TRUCK WILL WORK FOR A WHILE AND THEN LOCK UP, TODAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT WAS RAINING AND THE WIPERS WERE WORKING FINE AND THEN IT BEGAN POURING SUDDENLY THE WIPERS STOPPED ABOUT HALFWAY ALMOST CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10096063
80,000 miles · Sep 24, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHEN PARKING BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10094287
90,000 miles · Sep 23, 2004
Seats
THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT RECLINER LEVERS BROKE COMPLETELY OFF WITHOUT ANY EXCESSIVE FORCE BEING APPLIED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10094172
75,000 miles · Sep 5, 2004
Visibility
A FEW MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT MY 1998 GMC SONOMA THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. SOMETIME THEY COME ON AND WORK FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN STOP BUT MANY TIMES THEY NEVER WORK. MY DEALER SAYS THE 97 SONOMAS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT CONTINUES ON TO THE 98 MODEL. THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN T…
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A FEW MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT MY 1998 GMC SONOMA THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. SOMETIME THEY COME ON AND WORK FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN STOP BUT MANY TIMES THEY NEVER WORK. MY DEALER SAYS THE 97 SONOMAS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT CONTINUES ON TO THE 98 MODEL. THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10090470
83,000 miles · Aug 29, 2004
EquipmentVisibility
WINDSHIELD WIPER ELECTRICAL CONNECTION OR CIRCUIT BOARD FAILS DURING WET WEATHER CAUSING WIPER FAILURE AND LOSS OF VISIBILITY. I PERSONALLY REPLACED FAULTY WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10088750
Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2004
Visibility
WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10083779
35,000 miles · May 17, 2004
Visibility
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL WHEN IT RAINS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10072762
Mileage unknown · May 11, 2004
Latches/locks/linkages
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TO OPEN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE MECHANIC S…
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WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TO OPEN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE FACTORY'S FAULT. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS KNOWN FOR A KNOCKING NOISE AROUND THE TIRES IN WHICH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED. *SC *JB
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BUILT WITH A CANDELA VALUE GREATER THAN 3,000 CANNOT BE MOUNTED HIGHER THAN 864MM ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED WIRING HARNESS THAT CHANGES THE DRL'S FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM DRL'S, AND INSTALL NEW LONG-LIFE LOW BEAM BULBS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES. AN ENGINE ELECTRICAL WIRING-HARNESS CLIP CAN MELT AND DRIP ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CLIP MATERIAL ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAN IGNITE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IGNITE OTHER COMBUSTIBLE COMPONENTS RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS ARE CONTACTING OWNERS BY TELEPHONE TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLES TOWED TO THE DEALER AND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED TO THEM UNTIL THE DEALER CAN REROUTE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING-HARNESS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE PIPE CAN OCCUR CAUSING A SLOW BRAKE FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. IF THE BRAKE PIPE BREAKS, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE.
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.
1998 GMC Sonoma Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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