IllustrationDRIVER'S SEATBELT MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO SEATBELT RUBBING AGAINST THE SEATBELT HOUSING AND FORMING A GROVE IN THE HOUSING WHICH CAUSED THE SEATBELT NOT TO RETRACT. THIS WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sonoma years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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 reportsVEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER HEARD A WHISTLING KIND OF NOISE BEFORE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, THEN, WHEN SHE PULLED OFF ROAD SHE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM AROUND THE HOOD. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND CAUSING A MINOR COLLISION. *AK
THE CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE UNDER TRUCK BED BROKE, CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY SPARE TIRE. I WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE TIRE AFTER I REALIZED IT WAS GONE AND I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVERS FOLLOWING BEHIND.
ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS; SOMETIMES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAPPENS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. STATED TO CONSUMER THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. *AK
DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER HAD TO DOWNSHIFT IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP. NOTICED THAT BRAKE LINE HAD BECOME LOOSE FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT THE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION/INJURIES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 30 MPH THE CONSUMER HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE REAR ABS. THE CONSUMER SAID: THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP LIKE IT SHOULD BE. THERE IS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. *AK
ABS NEVER WORKED. DMV FAILED THE VEHICLE DURING A VEHICLE INSPECTION EVEN AFTER BRAKE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED.
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW UP. HAS NOT SEEN DEALER. *AK
Official recalls
199V193000 · 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
1PE94046 · 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