51 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 GMC Sonoma cite service brakes, hydraulic, 33% of all 156 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 3 recalls on this component.
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GMC SONOMA. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AT 55 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS A MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE LINE FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED TEMPORARILY. HOWEVER, TWENTY MILES LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE BRAKE LINE FOR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WAS REPLACED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL DURING BOTH FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 97V146001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,980.”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH UNDER NORMAL BRAKING ON WET ROADS, THE ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE THREE SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT WERE NOT CERTAIN THAT THE REPLACEMENT WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. THE CONTACT ENCOUNTERED NHTSA RECALL # 99I006000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK.”
“IN SNOWEY OR RAINEY WEATHER, ANTILOCK BRAKES PULSATE IRRADICALLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS (INCLUDING 5 MPH) WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, EVEN WHEN NO SKID OR HARD BREAKING IS OCCURING. BRAKING WHEN THIS OCCURS, WHICH IS INTERMITTENTLY, IS POOR AND UNEVEN. DEALER AND GM CORP. CONTACTED, BUT ALL SAY NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN INITIATED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION, AND AN ACCIDENT (LAW SUIT) WAITING TO HAPPEN. *AK”
“THIS IS AN UPDATE TO A PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED REPORT FOR ABS FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE. THE INCIDENT DATE ON THIS REPORT IS APPROXIMATE. THE TWO WIRES TO THE RIGHT FRONT ABS SENSOR WERE SEVERED BY INTERFERENCE WITH THE UPPER CONTROL ARM AND THE DISK BRAKE BACK PLATE/SPLASH SHIELD, TO WHICH THE WIRING IS ATTACHED WITH RIVETED METAL CLIPS. IT APPEARS THAT THE WIRES BECAME TRAPPED BETWEEN THE UPPER CONTROL ARM STAMPING AND THE HUB AND/OR DISK BRAKE BACK PLATE/SPLASH SHIELD, POSSIBLY DURING TURNS THAT CYCLED THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE WIRING INSULATION IS WORN IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS OTHER THAN THE BREAK POINT, AND THE FIRST METAL CLIP HAS BEEN TORN OFF THE POP RIVET THAT HOLDS IT TO THE BACKPLATE/SPLASH SHIELD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS WIRING HAS FAILED DUE TO THIS DESIGN OR INSTALLATION DEFECT. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AT THIS TIME AS WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR RECALL INFORMATION FROM GM, WHICH ARRIVED RECENTLY, BUT IT ADDRESSED AN ABS PROGRAMMING PROBLEM THAT AFFECTED BRAKING ON SURFACES THAT TRANSITIONED FROM WET TO DRY AND BACK. *AK”
“WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE SINE ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASE INCLUDING THE IDLE STICKING/INTERIOR MOULDING CRACKING/TRANSMISSION REBUILT/COMPUTER REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT INDICATOR LIGHT DOES NOT TURN OFF, AND RIGHT SIDE BRAKE DOES NOT SEEM TO WEAR PROPERLY.. MY HUSBAND IS ABLE TO RECALL MORE. *AK”
“BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED,, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE TH CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK”
Showing 6 of 51 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
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.
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, OR MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH 3-SENSOR ABS (ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) EBC4 UNITS.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.