Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 GMC Sonoma problems
Owners filed 125 complaints about the 1997 GMC Sonoma with NHTSA between Jan 1997 and Aug 2014. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (34).
Complaints
125
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic34
- Visibility29
- Power train11
- Electrical system10
- Air bags9
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Steering7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Exterior lighting5
- Structure4
- Fuel system, other4
- Equipment4
- Tires4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
11
12
26
15
13
14
11
5
8
1
0
3
0
0
1
3
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 11 |
| 1998 | 12 |
| 1999 | 26 |
| 2000 | 15 |
| 2001 | 13 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes, hydraulic
34 reports6 crashes1 related recall
“UNABLE TO STOP DUE TO BRAKE PEDAL GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR! BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE POSITIONED TOO CLOSE, AND WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS ALL THE WAY DOWN, FOOT COMES IN CONTACT WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP! THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE GMC PICKUPS, AS I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 1991 GMC SONOMA. IN THIS CASE, I COULD HAVE AVOIDED A COLLISION, BUT COULD NOT STOP, EVEN THOUGH I HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES WITH PLENTY OF FORCE. GM SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MAJOR DEFECT, WHICH WAS NOT CORRECTED FROM AT LEAST 1991 THROUGH 1997 -- AND PROBABLY BEYOND! *JS”
Visibility
29 reports
“I HAVE ENCOUNTERED TROUBLE WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THEY GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. I AM ASSUMING THE PROBLEM IS THE PULSE WIPER RELAY, AND WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PRODUCT. I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN WHEN THIS OCCURRED, AND THERE WAS NEARLY A COLLISION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PART. THANK YOU. *TR”
Power train
11 reports
“WE HAVE A 1997 GMC SONOMA WITH A VOTREC 4.3 X. OVER 2 YEARS AGO, WE STARTED GETTING MISFIRES. WE TRIED EVERYTHING WE COULD THINK OF, TO NO AVAIL. IN THE PAST MONTH I'VE PUT OVER $500 ALONE. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING IT UP ON-LINE, AND HAVE REALIZED, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE. THERE HAS EVEN BEEN A RECALL IN CALIFORNIA, BUT ONLY THERE. GM TOLD ME THEY HAVE DIFFERENT GAS OUT THERE. ANOTHER MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HAS BEEN THE WIPER MOTOR FAILURE, THAT HAD A RECALL. GM TOLD ME MY VIN # WAS NOT ON THE LIST, BUT I BATTLE MY WIPERS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. I HAVE TO YANK THE BLADES HALF WAY UP THE WINDOW BEFORE THEY GRAB AND START TO WORK. ONE MORE PROBLEM THAT I NOW KNOW I AM NOT ALONE ON IS THE ISSUE WITH DEX-COOL. WE HAVE FLUSHED AND REFILLED THE SYSTEM AT LEAST THREE TIMES, ONLY TO HAVE IT GUNK-UP AGAIN. PLEASE HELP ME AND ALL THE OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO GOT TRAPPED WITH JUNK VEHICLES. WE HAVE HAD TOO MANY OTHER FAILURES TO COUNT!*AK”
Electrical system
10 reports1 crash1 fire
“APPROX ONE MILE FROM HOME AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. AFTER A FEW SECONDS MANAGED TO RESTART ENGINE. ENGINE SHUT DOWN TWICE MORE BEFORE ARRIVING BACK HOME. AT HOME WAS UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO GMC/BUICK DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT PROBLEM WAS DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY. REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AT A COST OF $600.23, I WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS NOT ON CURRENT RECALL LIST. IF NOT, WHY NOT. THANK GOD I WAS NOT ON INTERSTATE WITH A 16 WHEELER BEHIND ME. I CONTACTED GMC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR ABOVE COST. REQUEST DENIED BECAUSE VEHICLE NOT ON RECALL LIST. I ALSO HAVE A 2004 CADILLAC WHICH IS ON RECALL LIST FOR IGNITION SWITCH NEVER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER UNTIL I COMPLAINED AT ABOVE CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY DID SEND ME RECALL LETTER CONCERNING CADILLAC. UNABLE TO HAVE SWITCH REPAIRED BECAUSE CADILLAC DEALER CANNOT GET PARTS. *TR”
Air bags
9 reports7 crashes
“I HAD A 97 GMC SONOMA THAT I WAS GOING DOWN A DIRT ROAD ABOUT 30-35 MPH AND SWERVED TO MISS A TRUCK COMING ON MY SIDE OF THE ROAD AND LOST TRACTION AND FLIPPED OVER A HILL AND ROLLED 3 TIMES AND THE AIRBAGS DIDNT DEPLOY AND THE DRIVERS SEATBELT SNAPPED . *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
7 reports
“SINCE DAY ONE OF GETTING THE TRUCK, I NOTICE THAT THE GAS TANK METER WAS BROKE. BROUGHT IT BACK IN TO THEM FOR METER PLUS THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THEY FIXED THE METER PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID NEEDED BRAKE PADS CHANGED. SO I WENT HOME CHANGED THE BRAKE PAD, ROTOR, DRUMS. WENT BACK IN EVER SINCE THEN TILL NOW FOR COOLANT, KNOCKING OF ENGINE, A/C, MAIN ENGINE SEAL GASKETS, BRACKETS, FUEL SYSTEM, MOTOR MOUNTS, BELTS, SEALS, NIPPLES, STUDS, FAN CLUTCH, PULLEYS, PLUS BRAKES ARE STILL FAILING,(WENT ON LINE FOUND OUT BRAKES ARE RECALLED THEY FAILED TO TELL ME THAT). AS FAR AS I CAN SEE THE MOTOR IS BAD. THE TRUCK HAS COST ME MONEY OUT OF POCKET, WORK TIME, AS WELL AS MY OWN ON A PERSISTENT BASIS. THE TRUCK IS JUNK.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.