IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD BEFORE BRAKING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER EIGHT TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *AK
2003 GMC Sonoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 GMC Sonoma do not stand out strongly from 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
80–25K
925–50K
550–75K
475–100K
2100–150K
0150K+
28 reports with mileage · 11 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.
- Structure. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
39 reportsTHE DRIVER DOOR SEEMED TO BE OFF THE HINGES WHICH ALLOWED AIR AND WATER TO ENTER THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THE CONSUMER CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *NM *JB
WHEN BRAKING LEFT REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO PULL TO THE LEFT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK *MR
WHILE DRIVING OR ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE GEAR SHIFTER POPS OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE RUBBER BOOT AROUND THE GEAR SHIFTER HANDLE SLIDES UP. THE DEALERSHIP SLID THE BOOT BACK INTO PLACE BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW BOOT BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. *NM
I HAVE A GMC"03"SONOMA 4X4 X2.....THE FRONT TIRES HIT FRONT SWAY BAR EACH TIME I TURN INTO PARKING SPOT,OR JUST TURN AROUND.TOOK TO DEALER THEY SAY IT WAS A HARMLESSS SIDE AFFECT OF THE TYPE OF TRUCK PACKAGE I HAVE!!BOTH SIDES OF SWAY BARS SHOW THE RUBBING...I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANY CAR THAT ALLOWS THE TIRES TO HIT ANY UNDERCAR…
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I HAVE A GMC"03"SONOMA 4X4 X2.....THE FRONT TIRES HIT FRONT SWAY BAR EACH TIME I TURN INTO PARKING SPOT,OR JUST TURN AROUND.TOOK TO DEALER THEY SAY IT WAS A HARMLESSS SIDE AFFECT OF THE TYPE OF TRUCK PACKAGE I HAVE!!BOTH SIDES OF SWAY BARS SHOW THE RUBBING...I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANY CAR THAT ALLOWS THE TIRES TO HIT ANY UNDERCARRIAGE PART.WHAT CAN I DO? *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN CENTER OF WINDSHIELD WHEN ON, USUALLY AT EARLY MORNING STARTUP. WINDSHIELD WIPERS PARK IN CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. RENTAL VEHICLE.*AK
FUEL FILLER NECK REGULARLY ALLOWS GASOLINE TO OVERFLOW WHILE FILLING THE GAS TANK. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. GENERAL MOTORS AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. THE FUEL FILLER NECK HAS BEEN NARROWED TO COMPLY WITH EMISSION STANDARDS. I OWNED A SIMILAR VEH…
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FUEL FILLER NECK REGULARLY ALLOWS GASOLINE TO OVERFLOW WHILE FILLING THE GAS TANK. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. GENERAL MOTORS AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. THE FUEL FILLER NECK HAS BEEN NARROWED TO COMPLY WITH EMISSION STANDARDS. I OWNED A SIMILAR VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. PRESENT VEHICLE IS 2003 SONOMA CREW CAB PICKUP, PRIOR VEHICLE 2000 GMC JIMMY. I WAS TOLD TO STOP THE FLOW OF GAS, REMOVE HOSE FROM FILLER NECK, WAIT AND THEN RESUME FILLING GAS TANK. I WAS TOLD THIS WILL ALLOW PRESSURE TO BE REDUCED AND ALLOW GAS TO ENTER TANK. UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN THOUGH I GO THROUGH THIS PROCEDURE AT LEAST THREE TIMES WITH EACH FILL UP, THE GAS TANK STILL OVERFLOWS SOMETIMES. I THINK THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION-GASOLINE ERUPTING OUT OF THE FILLER NECK. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND SHOULD BE FIXED. *AK
CONSUMER WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THIS STRUCTURE COMPLAINT.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THREE OCCASIONS AND WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS POSSIBLY THE WIRING HARNESS *TS *JB
Official recalls
104V132000 · Equipment:other:labels
Mar 18, 2004
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SOME OF THESE VEHICLES INCLUDE INCORRECT STATEMENTS ON ONE OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 4, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.