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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2005

GMC Sonoma recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns and 1,007 owner complaints for the GMC Sonoma, covering model years 1995 to 2005. The 1995 model year drew the most complaints (213), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your GMC Sonoma VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 14 recall campaigns on file
  • 1,007 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 11 model years with data (1995–2005)
  • most complaints: 1995 (213 for that model year)
  • top component: Service Brakes, Hydraulic (247 complaints)
  • latest recall 04V132000 (reported Mar 18, 2004)
  • 108 complaints reporting a crash (10.7%)
  • 7 complaints reporting a fire (0.7%)
  • 47 complaints reporting an injury (4.7%)
  • 1 complaint reporting a death (0.1%)

GMC Sonoma complaints by model year

10 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1995 model year has the most complaints: 213 of 1,007, or 21.2%. Next come 1998 (156) and 1996 (148). The fewest are for 2005, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
GMC Sonoma owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 1995–2005Column chart of 1,007 complaints across 11 model years. The highest is 1995 with 213. The full figures are in the table below the chart.1995: 213 complaints21319951996: 148 complaints14819961997: 111 complaints11119971998: 156 complaints15619981999: 57 complaints5719992000: 136 complaints13620002001: 89 complaints8920012002: 57 complaints5720022003: 39 complaints3920032004: 0 complaints20042005: 1 complaint12005
GMC Sonoma complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
GMC Sonoma complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
1995213270120
199614826140
199711114090
19981569210
1999576150
200013615071
2001897150
2002572120
2003392120
200510000
All model years1,0071087471

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported GMC Sonoma components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often, in 247 complaints (24.5% of all 1,007), followed by Visibility (178) and Structure (117).

Components named most often in GMC Sonoma complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in GMC Sonoma complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic24724.5%
Visibility17817.7%
Structure11711.6%
Engine and Engine Cooling868.5%
Power Train787.7%
Seats707.0%
Air Bags656.5%
Electrical System535.3%
Fuel System, Gasoline424.2%
Vehicle Speed Control353.5%
Latches/Locks/Linkages323.2%
Suspension292.9%
Tires252.5%
Exterior Lighting242.4%
Unknown or Other242.4%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

GMC Sonoma recalls

14 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Sonoma, newest first. The 14 campaigns cover model years 1995 to 2004. The 1996 model year appears in the most campaigns (6).

  • 14 recall campaigns
GMC Sonoma recall campaigns covering each model year
DecadeYears ending in 0Years ending in 1Years ending in 2Years ending in 3Years ending in 4Years ending in 5Years ending in 6Years ending in 7Years ending in 8Years ending in 9
1995: 3 campaigns1996: 6 campaigns1997: 2 campaigns1998: 3 campaigns1999: no campaigns
2000: 3 campaigns2001: 1 campaign2002: no campaigns2003: 1 campaign2004: 1 campaign
Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

  1. NHTSA campaign 04V132000

    Reported

    Equipment › Other › Labels

    Model years 2003–2004

    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:
    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.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 00V258001

    Reported

    Equipment › Other › Labels

    Model year 2000

    Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles were built with incorrect payload information on the vehicle certification label. The payload shown on the label is greater than the maximum validated payload. If the vehicle were loaded to the incorrectly labeled payload, it may not ride and handle in the manner that the driver expects.

    Consequence:
    This could result in a loss of control of the vehicle or an inability to stop the vehicle within expected stopping distances.
    Remedy:
    Owners will be sent a new label for installation on the driver's door of the vehicle.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  3. NHTSA campaign 00V220000

    Reported

    Exterior Lighting

    Model year 1998

    Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." The daytime running lights built with a candela value greater than 3,000 cannot be mounted higher than 864MM above the road surface.

    Consequence:
    These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS No. 108.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a revised wiring harness that changes the DRL's from high beam to low beam DRL's, and install new long-life low beam bulbs.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  4. NHTSA campaign 00V228003

    Reported

    Seat Belts

    Model year 2001

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with TRW seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, "seat belt assemblies."

    Consequence:
    In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  5. NHTSA campaign 00V055000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

    Model year 2000

    Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with 4-wheel disc brakes. Some of these vehicles have an antilock brake system (ABS) motor containing an out-of-specification spring clip. This clip could allow the motor bearing to become misaligned. If misalignment occurs, eventually the ABS would be non-functional.

    Consequence:
    The base brakes would remain fully functional, but the dynamic rear proportioning (DRP) system, which optimizes front to rear brake balance, would become inoperative.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the brake pressure module valve assembly.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  6. NHTSA campaign 99V220000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

    Model year 2000

    Vehicle description: s -trucks equipped with 2 wheel drive. These vehicles may have had the right-hand antilock brake system (ABS) module feed pipe and/or brake crossover pipe tube nuts tightened without seating the pipe-flared-ends enough to withstand normal assembly and vehicle inputs without partially unseating. This does not comply with requirements of FMVSS No. 105, "hydraulic service brake normal, emergency, and park braking performance."

    Consequence:
    If this occurred, the seating seal could be broken during vehicle assembly, or from early road inputs or brake fluid cycling, and a leak could occur increasing the brake stopping distance.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the brake pipe union for signs of brake fluid, and if necessary, install a new brake pipe union.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  7. NHTSA campaign 99V193000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

    Model years 1995–1996

    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.

    Consequence:
    If this occurred at a time when minimum stopping distance was required, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace or repair the 4-WHEEL/2-wheel drive switch.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  8. NHTSA campaign 98V150001

    Reported

    Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer

    Model years 1995–1996

    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.

    Consequence:
    This condition can result in inoperative wipers, reducing a driver's visibility, and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  9. NHTSA campaign 97V208001

    Reported

    Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood

    Model year 1998

    Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose vehicles. An engine electrical wiring-harness clip can melt and drip onto the exhaust manifold.

    Consequence:
    The clip material on the exhaust manifold can ignite and subsequently ignite other combustible components resulting in a vehicle fire.
    Remedy:
    Dealers are contacting owners by telephone to have their vehicles towed to the dealer and alternate transportation provided to them until the dealer can reroute the electrical wiring-harness.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  10. NHTSA campaign 97V218000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

    Model year 1998

    Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. A fatigue fracture of the rear axle right-hand brake pipe can occur causing a slow brake fluid leak resulting in a soft brake pedal. If the brake pipe breaks, the driver would experience a sudden drop in the brake pedal, the instrument panel brake light would illuminate, and there would be a loss of rear brake performance.

    Consequence:
    Partial loss of braking at a time when minimum stopping distance was required could result in a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pipe.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

Show 4 more recalls

  1. NHTSA campaign 97V146001

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

    Model years 1996–1997

    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.

    Consequence:
    Brake fluid loss can reduce braking effectiveness and increase stopping distances resulting in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the clearance between the oil pan and the brake line. If the clearance is 6MM or less, dealers will install an additional brake line clip and if there was contact between the oil pan and brake line, the front brake line will be replaced.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 97V096001

    Reported

    Seat Belts

    Model years 1995–1997

    Vehicle description: extended cab pickup trucks equipped with 60/40 front bench seats and extended cab pickup trucks and 2-door utility vehicles equipped with manual locking recliner bucket seats. The outboard safety belt webbing on the driver's and/or passenger's seat can separate during a frontal impact.

    Consequence:
    If a separation occurred and there were secondary crash events or vehicle rollover, there would be no belt restraint of the occupant and increased injuries could occur.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a protective cover over the recliner mechanism.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  3. NHTSA campaign 97V008001

    Reported

    Visibility › Windshield

    Model year 1996

    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."

    Consequence:
    In the event of a vehicle crash, the windshield may not stay in place as required by FMVSS No. 212.
    Remedy:
    All vehicles have been repurchased. This campaign is 100%.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  4. NHTSA campaign 96V035000

    Reported

    Power Train › Manual Transmission

    Model year 1996

    Some of these trucks were built with transmissions containing parts which were not machined to GM's specifications.

    Consequence:
    These transmissions could seize and lock the rear drive wheels while the truck is being driven causing a loss of vehicle control increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the transmission main shaft output torque using a special tool. If the output torque does not meet specifications, the transmission will be replaced.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

GMC Sonoma questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the GMC Sonoma have?

NHTSA lists 14 vehicle recall campaigns for the GMC Sonoma, covering model years 1995 to 2005. The most recent, 04V132000, was reported on March 18, 2004 and is filed under “Equipment”. The 1996 model year is covered by the most campaigns (6).

Which GMC Sonoma model year has the most complaints?

The 1995 model year, with 213 of the 1,007 complaints in NHTSA’s file (21.2%). The next are 1998 (156) and 1996 (148). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common GMC Sonoma complaint?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often: 247 complaints, or 24.5% of all 1,007. Visibility (178) and Structure (117) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my GMC Sonoma?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a GMC dealer.

How many GMC Sonoma complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 1,007 complaints, 108 report a crash, 7 a fire, 47 at least one injury and 1 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other GMC models

8 models · most complaints first

The GMC models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the GMC VIN decoder with every GMC model page, WMI code and VIN note.

  • GMC Sierra 1500 1995–2026 · 60 recalls · 8,852 complaints
  • GMC Acadia 2007–2026 · 38 recalls · 5,557 complaints
  • GMC Yukon 1995–2026 · 74 recalls · 4,874 complaints
  • GMC Sierra 1995–2017 · 52 recalls · 3,585 complaints
  • GMC Terrain 2010–2026 · 22 recalls · 3,110 complaints
  • GMC Envoy 1995–2009 · 27 recalls · 2,459 complaints
  • GMC Yukon XL 1999–2026 · 54 recalls · 2,403 complaints
  • GMC Jimmy 1995–2004 · 18 recalls · 1,869 complaints

All GMC models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.