2000 GMC Sonoma

THE GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. IT IA PART OF A FUEL PUMP-GAS GAUGE ASSEMBLY LOCATED IN THE GAS TANK OF MY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR, AT ONE OF THEIR SHOPS IN WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA TOLD ME, IN THE FALL OF 2002, THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ITEM SO I NEED TO GET IT REPLACED FOR TWO REASONS. 1) IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AND 2) THE FINDINGS ON PREVIOUSLY VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IS THAT THE WIRES CONNECTED TO THE GAUGES IN THE GAS TANK SHOW EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL SCORCHING. BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPAIR IT AS 'COVERED UNDER WARRANTY'(TRUCK HAD 39000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF MY FIRST COMPLAINT) AND BECAUSE THEY WANTED SO MUCH MONEY($800) TO FIX IT, I DECIDED TO TAKE IT ELSEWHERE TO SEE IF THE REPAIR CAN BE DONE AT A MORE REASONABLE COST(TO ME). I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK TO OTHER REPAIR SHOPS SINCE, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THE SAME STORY...THE ELECTRIC WIRES ARE OVERHEATING , BURNING EXCESSIVELY AT THE SWITCH LOCATED IN THE GAS TANK. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTACT NHTSA AND FINALLY I HAVE. MY SERVICE ADVISOR AT FIRESTONE HAS TOLD M THAT THIS FUEL PUMP-GAS GAUGE ASSEMBLY FAILS ON ALL GMC TRUCKS THAT THEY SERVICE FOR THE STATED REASONS AND THAT I SHOULD COMPLAIN TO YOU FOLK OR CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT USING MY 'TRIP METER' AS M GAS GAUGE. SO HERE I AM....THANKS FOR HELPING ME AND /OR TRYING TO HELP ME. A RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHER. TOM. *NM

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL GAUGE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING IN 2002. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE FUEL GAUGE AND FUEL PUMP NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE COMPONENTS, BASED ON OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM; THE WIRES COULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A FIRE IN THE GAS TANK. *JB UPDATED 02/07/06.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. AS AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT PUMPED THE BRAKES., RESULTING CONTACT IN A REAR END COLLISION. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOWING SERVICE. *AK

I SELDOM USE THE BED OF MY TRUCK BUT WHILE CLIMBING UP ONTO THE TAILGATE OF THE PICKUP, BOTH SUPPORT CABLES BROKE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE TAILGATE. I FORTUNATELY WAS NOT INJURED. BOTH CABLES APPEAR TO HAVE RUSTED THROUGH AT THE CENTER OF THE CABLE WHERE THE BEND IS. I REMOVED THE ENDS THAT CLIP ONTO THE GATE, BUT THE OTHER ENDS ARE STILL ATTACHED TO IT. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE CABLES. *JB

2000 GMC SONOMA WAS BEING USED TO MOVE INTO AN APARTMENT. THE TAILGATE LATCH DID NOT ENGAGE AND THE TAILGATE CAME OPEN. THE TAILGATE CABLE FAILED ON ONE SIDE. THE TAILGATE DROPPED TO THE ROAD AND WAS DRAGGED BY THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON NOTICING THE SPARKS FROM METAL ON THE CONCRETE ROAD SURFACE AND HEARING THE NOISE. THE TAILGATE WAS DAMAGED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WITH METAL AND PAINT WORN AWAY. THE TAILGATE WAS TOUCH UP PAINTED TO PREVENT RUST. A GMC DEALER WAS CONTACTED BUT DUE THE COST(OVER $100) THE CABLE WAS NOT REPLACED AND THE TRUCK HAS SEEN LIMITED USE FOR CARGO. THE CABLE IS STILL INSTALLED ON THE TRUCK AND IT IS COMPLETED CORRODED AT THE POINT OF FAILURE AND I DO NOT TRUST THE CONDITION OF THE REMAINING CABLE. *JB

THE ACCELERATOR CABLE POPPED OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC,THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO IDLE AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO FIVE MILES AN HOUR. PEOPLE STARTED BLOWING THEIR HORN AT ME AS I ATTEMPTED TO FIND A SPOT TO PULL OUT OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW. THIS DID OCCUR AT A RELATIVELY SLOW 20-25 MILES PER HOUR, IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON AN ACCESS RAMP THE RESULTING SLOWDOWN WOULD MOST LIKELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED AND I WILL NOT PAY THE DEALER OR GENERAL MOTORS TO FIX WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW. *NM

WHILE CLEANING THE BED OF MY 2000 SONOMA OUT THE LEFT SIDE TAILGATE STRAP FAILED MIDWAY ON THE CABLE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT HAND SIDE I FOUND APPARENT CORROSION IN THE SAME LOCATION AND THE POTENTIAL FOR FAILURE. IF BOTH HAD FAILED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY, OR DAMAGE OR LOSS OF THE TAILGATE. APPEARS THIS IS SIMILAR TO FAILURES AND RECALLS OF LARGER GM PICKUPS RECENTLY. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL SENDING IN THE GAS TANK DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, IT DOES NOT SHOW THE PROPER LEVEL OF GASOLINE IN THE GAS TANK. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY SAID THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO ANYTHING FOR THE CONSUMER SINCE THE MILEAGE WAS OUT ON THE WARRANTY AND THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE COST. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2003. *AK (11/17/05) THE VEHICLE HAD RUN OUT OF GAS WITH THE FUEL GAUGE ON 1/4 TANK AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHEN THE TANK READ 1/2 FULL. *SC

WHILE RESTING A POWER WASHER ON THE TAILGATE OF MY 2000 SONOMA PICKUP TO GET A BETTER GRIP BOTH TAILGATE CABLES SNAPPED CAUSING THE POWER WASHER TO ROLL BACKWARDS, BEFORE WE COULD REACT WE ONLY HAD TIME TO SOFTEN THE BLOW OF THE POWER WASHER HITTING THE GROUND CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HANDLE. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TAILGATE AND THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT, IT'S NOT EASY TRYING TO CATCH A 175 LB PIECE OF MACHINERY UNEXPECTEDLY. IT'S QUITE EVIDENT THAT BOTH OF THE TAILGATE CABLES FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AS THEY BOTH BROKE APART JUST ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUBBER COATED CABLE. *NM

SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2000 GMC SONOMA [XXX] I HAD A "LOW SPEED ACTIVATION" OF THE ABS. SOME TIME LATER THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ACTIVATED. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A GMC DEALER AND WAS TOLD I HAD NO PROBLEMS, BUT THEY DID REPLACE THE BRAKE SHOES. EVER SINCE THEN THE LOW SPEED ACTIVATION WOULD HAPPEN PERIODICALLY. RECENTLY, THE PROBLEM HAS EVOLVED TO EVERY DAY. AND I BELIEVE THIS ROOT PROBLEM IS BEHIND A LOT OF OTHER BRAKE PROBLEMS I'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE. *NM UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)