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1994 GMC Sonoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sonoma years

Owner complaints for the 1994 GMC Sonoma are substantially higher than the model-year median of 57.

About this comparison →
224Owner complaints

Model-year median: 57

2Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
29
199125
199258
1993224
1994213
1995148
1996111
1997
Compare all Sonoma years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
131Visibility
53Engine And Engine Cooling
12Vehicle Speed Control
12Power Train
10
All reported categories
Electrical System
8Fuel System, Gasoline
7Suspension
7Service Brakes, Air
5Exterior Lighting
4Equipment
3Seat Belts
2Steering
2Tires
2Parking Brake
1Seats
1Structure
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: 14 of 224 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 131 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Tires complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2000
Tires

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL FIRESTONE TIRES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SEPERATION.THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER GAVE SEVERAL EXCUSES AS TO WHY THEY FAILED INCLUDING SOMEONE KNIFED THE TIRES.THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.I HAVE HAD 4 TIRES BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS.I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WILL WEAR TH…

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I HAVE HAD SEVERAL FIRESTONE TIRES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SEPERATION.THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER GAVE SEVERAL EXCUSES AS TO WHY THEY FAILED INCLUDING SOMEONE KNIFED THE TIRES.THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.I HAVE HAD 4 TIRES BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS.I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WILL WEAR THIN IN THE MIDDLE VERY QUICKLY AND SEPERATE A SHORT TIME LATER. THE ONE TIME I REPLACED 2 TIRES IN A 60 DAY PERIOD, BOTH FROM SEPERATION.THE FIRE HAWK TIRE LINE NEEDS TO BE CHECKED INTO QUICKLY AS ITS WHITE LETTER STYLE IS POPULAR WITH YOUNG DRIVERS WHO DRIVE FAST AND ARE INEXPERIENCED. I AM CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR DOCUMENTION ON MY TIRES,THEY ARE 14' .PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS I BELEIVE THERE ARE SOME VERY BAD TIRES ON THE ROAD TODAY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA ODI #732949

Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 1995
Service Brakes, HydraulicTires

POOR PERFORMANCE OF UNIROYAL TIRES.

NHTSA ODI #487232

Official recalls

2

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.

97V096001 · Seat Belts

Jun 12, 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 & remedy

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.

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