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1991 GMC Sonoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1991 GMC Sonoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 57.

About this comparison →
29Owner complaints

Model-year median: 57

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
199029
199125
199258
1993224
1994
Compare all Sonoma years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
14Engine And Engine Cooling
4Electrical System
3Power Train
2Steering
2
All reported categories
Structure
2Equipment
1Exterior Lighting
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Seat Belts
1Suspension
1Tires
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 29 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

29 reports
85,000 miles · Jan 2, 2013
Tires

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, AN UNUSUAL NOISE EMITTED FROM OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED HAT THE SPARE TIRE HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF A FRACTURED SUPPORT CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, AN UNUSUAL NOISE EMITTED FROM OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED HAT THE SPARE TIRE HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF A FRACTURED SUPPORT CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. .... UPDATED 02-20-13 *BF UPDATED 02/25/2013 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10490789

80,000 miles · Jun 18, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GM SONOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 20 MPH, THE DRIVERS DOOR WOULD OPEN WITHOUT WARNING. THE DOOR LATCH PIN WAS FOUND TO BE SEVERELY RUSTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND WERE NOT WILLING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

NHTSA ODI #10336953

Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2008
Steering

1991 GMC SONOMA. TILT STEERING HAS BECOME VERY LOOSE HAS NOT CAUSED ANY WRECKS OR DAMAGE AFRAID TO DRIVE. HAVE NOT TAKEN FOR REPAIRS. MILEAGE COUNTER BROKE SOME YEARS AGO THIS TRUCK HAS APROX. 200,000 MILES ON WITH NO OTHER COMPLAINTS, DID HAVE MANUAL TRANS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY MANY YEARS AGO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10231232

104,000 miles · Dec 6, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE WOULD CONSTANTLY OVERHEAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE THERMOSTAT, AND PROBLEM RECURRED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER, AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE THERMOSTAT WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10103158

95,486 miles · Oct 16, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

PROBLEM WITH EXHAUST PIPE ON MUFFLER.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS REFERRED TO A MUFFLER SHOP TO HAVE A PATCH PUT ON THE FRONT HEADER PIPE AND WAS NOT GIVEN ANY OPTION TO HAVE IT FIXED CORRECTLY *TS *JB

NHTSA ODI #10044094

Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE SHOES AND TAIL PIPE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR EXHAUST REPAIR. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT EH CONSUMER TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE MUFFLER SHOP FOR A HEADER PIPE PATCH. THE CONSUMER IS INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF A HEADER PIPE PATCH IS ILLEGAL WITH THE PRESENT VEHICLE EMISSI…

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CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE SHOES AND TAIL PIPE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR EXHAUST REPAIR. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT EH CONSUMER TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE MUFFLER SHOP FOR A HEADER PIPE PATCH. THE CONSUMER IS INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF A HEADER PIPE PATCH IS ILLEGAL WITH THE PRESENT VEHICLE EMISSIONS STANDARD. *MR *CB *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10026731

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2002
Electrical SystemPower Train

WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER HOOD, AND NOTICE CLUTCH FAN WAS SEATING ON FRAME, AND A HOLE WAS IN RADIATOR. TOOK VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN, AND WAS INFORMED CLUTCH FAN NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8003201

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2001
Electrical SystemFire

WHILE DRIVING THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER, THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NLM

NHTSA ODI #559954

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 99V193, HOWEVER THE DEALER IS STATING THAT THE CONSUMER IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL BECAUSE THE SERIAL NUMBER DID NOT COME UP ON HIS COMPUTER. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #558447

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2000
Steering

STEERING WHEEL AND TILT ASSEMBLY CAME LOOSE, MAKING VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. TOLD BY VARIOUS GM MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY GM TILT COLUMNS ON ALL MODELS.

NHTSA ODI #730041

Official recalls

1

99V193000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Jul 19, 1999

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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE94046 · Abs Braking System Fails

Opened Jun 17, 1994 · Closed Oct 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

There is no summary currently available