Problems · by component

1996 GMC Sonoma visibility problems

32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 GMC Sonoma cite visibility, 21% of all 156 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
32
21% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED CONCERNING A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER MOTOR. THE BULLETIN HAS A PRODUCT RECALL. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN TOLD BY GMC THAT THE CAR WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL\ DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL EITHER STAY UP IN THE AIR, WON'T WORK AT ALL, OR SHUT OFF BY THEMSELVES. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS ON DECEMBER 26, 2006. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN IN JULY 2006. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER, AND THEY GAVE HER A SERVICE REQUEST NO. 71-463971283, AND THEN THE DEALER DENIED IT. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 29, 2006VisibilityODI 10177343
“CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSED WIPERS TO FAIL MOSTLY DURING RAINY WEATHER. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2002VisibilityCrash reportedODI 8021948
“CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AS INDICATED IN RECALL 98-V-15-001; BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *YH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2002VisibilityODI 8009201
“WIPERS WILL JUST STOP WORKING GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESRCIBED IN A GMC RECALL ON SAME MODELS. MY TRUCK WAS MADE THE NEXT MONTH AFTER THE RECALL WAS STOPPED. I THINK THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE GONE ON FURTHER THAN IT DID COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS THE RECALLED TRUCKS. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2001VisibilityODI 753323
“I CALLED GMC AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE WIPER MOTOR PROBLEM, THEY SAID THAT MY TRUCKS' VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL THAT HAD BEEN DONE ON OTHER 1996 GMC SONOMAS OF THE SAME YEAR. MY TRUCK HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS THE OTHER 1.2 MILLION RECALLED S10 & S15 TRUCKS BUT GMC CORP. SAYS THAT IT IS NOT RELATED. ( NHTSA RECALL #98V150001) I FEEL THAT THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO COVER TRUCKS OF THE SAME YEAR THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE GMC RECALL IS FOR TRUCKS BUILD FROM 8-94 TO 5-96. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED BECAUSE SEVERAL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2001VisibilityODI 751618
“WHILE EXITING FROM HIGHWAY CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO DOWN SHIFT FROM FORTH GEAR TO THIRD GEAR, BUT IT WOULD ONLY GO TO SECOND GEAR. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 14, 2001Power train, VisibilityODI 883038

Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Visibility: windshield wiper

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.

VisibilityReported Jul 1, 1998NHTSA 98V150001

Visibility: windshield

Free remedy

THE TOP COAT PAINT SEVERELY PEELS DUE TO OVERBAKING OF THE POWDER PRIMER PRIOR TO THE TOP COAT APPLICATION. SINCE THE WINDSHIELD PRIMER AND ADHESIVE ADHERE TO THE TOP COAT PAINT ONTHE WINDSHIELD OPENING FLANGE, THE WINDSHIELD DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING."

VisibilityReported Jan 27, 1997NHTSA 97V008001
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 1996 Sonoma problem areas