Complaints about the 1998 GMC Sonoma peaked in 2003, with 27 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Pickup, 4x2, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Jan 2, 1998 to Apr 11, 2017.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07E-021 | Mar 12, 2007 | Certain delphi fuel pressure regulators, p/nos. fp10020-11b1, fp10026-11b1, and fp10027-11b1, sold after january 9, 2007, as aftermarket equipment… | Fuel system | 742 | Part replacement |
| 00V-220 | Aug 11, 2000 | Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles | Lighting | 14,279 | Repair or modification |
| 97V-208-001 | Nov 25, 1997 | Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose vehicles | Electrical system | 33,973 | Repair or modification |
| 97V-218 | Nov 24, 1997 | Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles | Brakes | 19,716 | Part replacement |
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
156 complaints on file, page 1 of 8.
WHILE DRIVING ALL ELECTRICAL SHUTS DOWN ENGINE , EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!
NHTSA complaint 10971849TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 264,477.
NHTSA complaint 10854848PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. PASSENGERS SEAT SLIDE FORWARD AND BACKWARD , AND AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON , LEFT TURN SIGNAL LIGHT AND BRAKE DON'T COME ON. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10514690I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HWY, DRIVING BETWEEN 35-60 MPH BECAUSE OF ICY, SNOWY, SLUSHY, 35 MPH WINDY CONDITIONS. MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING CRAZILY AND MY TRUCK KEPT WANTING TO PULL ITSELF TO THE LEFT. I FELT BUMPING EVERY TIME THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL MADE A REVOLUTION. WITH 1 1/2 HOURS OF DRIVING TIME LEFT I KEPT HOPING I WOULD MAKE IT HOME SAFELY, WHICH I DID. I TOOK MY TRUCK IN THE NEXT DAY ONLY FOR THEM TO TELL ME ALL FOUR TIRES OF MINE WERE SHOT - CORDS IN TWO TIRES SNAPPED, AND BUBBLING AND THREAD/TREADWEAR IN THE OTHER TWO. GRANTED, I HAD THE TIRES FOR 7 YEARS. HOWEVER, THEY WERE 70,000 MILES TIRES THAT LASTED 31,000 MILES. PREMATURE TREADWEAR WAS EVIDENT AFTER DRIVING THE FIRST 10,000 MILES AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I MAINTAINED REGULAR TIRE ROTATION SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT. NOT ONE TIME DID MY MECHANIC MENTION ANY PROBLEMS, EVEN WHEN ASKED. KUMHO 205/75 TIRES ARE CRAP, THEY ARE GOING TO KILL SOMEBODY AND THE COMPANY KNOWS IT. DO MINIMAL RESEARCH AND YOU'LL DISCOVER THIS YOURSELF. TIRE PLACES WHO DON'T KNOW THIS HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH OR DON'T CARE. IS THAT WHO YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM? NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT ALL FOUR TIRES OF MINE NEEDED REPLACING AT THE SAME TIME. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO THE ONES WHO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THESE TIRES, THEY BLAMED ME - 7 YEARS IS TOO LONG, DIDN'T ROTATE TIRES ENOUGH, DIDN'T INSPECT THEM MYSELF EVERY TIME I HOPPED IN MY TRUCK, MY TRUCK SAT TOO LONG WITHOUT BE DRIVEN, ALIGNMENTS NOT DONE EVERY YEAR, NOBODY HAS EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT KUMHO TIRES (BIG FAT LIE!), THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALLS (BIGGER, FATTEST LIE), BLAH BLAH BLAH! SOUNDS LIKE A CONSPIRACY TO ME. GET KUMHO TIRES OFF THE SHELVES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED! *TR
NHTSA complaint 10499393DRIVER WAS GOING APPROX. 40MPH DOWN THE RURAL HIGHWAY IN HEAVY RAIN AND THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER CAME TO A STOP. BY THE TIME THE DRIVER OF THE SONOMA SAW THE TRUCK IT WAS TOO LATE TO STOP AND NOT HIT THE STOPPED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE SONOMA HIT THE STOPPED TRUCK AND TOTALED THE SONOMA. AT NO POINT DID THE DRIVER AIRBAG DEPLOY. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10465485TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ..UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS PERIODICALLY STOPPED WORKING IN THE RAIN. UPDATED 09/28/11*JB
NHTSA complaint 10416282TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS RUSTING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE FRAME TO SEPARATE INTO TWO PIECES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000...UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF UPDATED 10/05/11
NHTSA complaint 10413294I LOST THE TREAD ON ONE OF MY TOYO TIRES AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. IT COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE! IT WAS THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO STEER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CALL FOR HELP. I'VE ALREADY HAD IT REPLACED BUT THE DEALER I WENT TO (DISCOUNT TIRES) WHERE I PURCHASED THE DEFECTIVE ONE TOLD ME THEY ARE GOOD TIRES AND CONVINCED ME TO BUY ANOTHER TOYO. NOW I'M WORRIED. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10383358THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE ONLY WORKED INTERMITTENTLY WHENEVER THEY ARE RUN. IN THE HEAVIEST RAIN YOU CANNOT COUNT ON THEM AND SOMETIMES THEY WON'T COME ON AT ALL. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WHEN THEY QUIT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAIN. THEY HAVE NOT MADE IT A WHOLE TRIP IN THE RAIN AND STAYED WORKING- ALWAYS ONLY INTERMITTENT. SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO PULL OVER UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO COME ON AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10317852I HAVE NOT HAD ANY WRECKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YET. MY TURN SIGNALS DON'T WORK PROPERLY ONE OF MY LOW BEEN HEADLIGHTS KEEPS BLOWING AND MY TAILLIGHTS DON'T WORK. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS JUST FOR THEM TO BLOW WHEN I TEST THEM. AND NO I DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS ON THE HEADLIGHTS. I SEEN THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE LIGHTING SYSTEM AND ON THE WIRING SYSTEM, COULD THIS BE MY PROBLEM? *TR
NHTSA complaint 10283041TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. IN MARCH OF 1998, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. IN NOVEMBER OF 2008, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE WIPER MODULE AND WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
NHTSA complaint 10253213MY TRUCK HAS 70,000 MILES AND IT HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. YOU CAN HIT ON THE INSIDE OF THE MOTOR AND IT WILL START WORKING. I CAN BE DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WILL QUIT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10251888TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALER INITIALLY STATED THAT THEY WOULD APPROVE THE REPAIR; HOWEVER, THEY ARE CURRENTLY REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD, WIPER/WASHER) WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. UPDATED 09/13/08. *LJ THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TWICE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR BOARD. UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB
NHTSA complaint 10236372WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP WORKING WITHOUT NOTICE. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10228116TAILGATE CABLES RUSTED, AND BROKE. SEVERAL OTHER GMC PICK UPS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AND WAS UNDER RECALL. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY NOT A RECALL ITEM. THIS IS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WHEN HAULING ITEMS WITH TAILGATE DOWN. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10207813WINDSHIELD WIPER INTERMITTENT. CAN CAUSE SEVERE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS DURING BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS, ALMOST RESULTING INTO A CRASH WHEN TRYING TO EXIT ROADWAY. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10207812WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE ON OCCASION DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. RECALL ISSUED FOR OTHER GM VEHICLES CITING PROBLEM CIRCUIT CONTROL BOARDS TO WIPER MOTORS. VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS AND WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE. *JB
NHTSA complaint 10199988WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE ON OCCASION DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. RECALL ISSUED FOR OTHER GM VEHICLES CITING PROBLEM CIRCUIT CONTROL BOARDS TO WIPER MOTORS. VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS AND WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE. *JB
NHTSA complaint 10199292DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT RECLINING LEVERS BROKEN. THIRD DOOR HANDLE BROKEN. THIRD DOOR HANDLE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. SEAT LEVERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT DIDN'T LAST. CAN'T SOMETHING BE DONE TO CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS PERMANENTLY? *TR
NHTSA complaint 10197141HAD A PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING OR WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. I FOUND PROBLEM TO BE THE ELECTRICAL PLUG ON WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD TO HAVE FRACTURED SOLDIER CONNECTIONS. RESOLDIER CONNECTIONS CURE PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10188337Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall; the 60 most recent are listed.