IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING. THEY WILL SOMETIMES START WORKING AGAIN IF YOU JIGGLE THE CONNECTOR WIRE TO THE WIPER MOTOR. THE 1995 AND NEWER MODELS HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT DOES NOT EXTEND TO THE 94 YEAR. *NLM
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 →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: 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
Visibility complaints
53 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT THE WIPER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY OR STOPS DURING OPERATION. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDER A MANUFACTUERER RECALL. *NLM
INTERMITTENTLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMES ON AND OFF. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WINSHIELD WIPERS OFTEN DO NOT WORK, BUT WILL START WORKING IF YOU JIGGLE THE WIRE CONNECTOR TO THE WIPER MOTOR. RECALL APPLIES TO 1995 MODEL, NOT 1994, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME THEY ARE USED.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR INTERMITTENT.. SHUTS DOWN BY ITSELF. SAME AS PROBLEM WITH '1995 - '1996 RECALL FOR SAME ITEM. THIS IS SECOND AC/DELCO WIPER MOTOR TO FAIL ON ME. SAME PROBLEM. MOTOR JUST STOPS WORKING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. SEEMS LIKE MOTORS WORK WELL FOR APPROX. 3 TO 4 YEARS THEN GO INTO INTERMITTENT MODE. VERY HA…
Read full complaint
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR INTERMITTENT.. SHUTS DOWN BY ITSELF. SAME AS PROBLEM WITH '1995 - '1996 RECALL FOR SAME ITEM. THIS IS SECOND AC/DELCO WIPER MOTOR TO FAIL ON ME. SAME PROBLEM. MOTOR JUST STOPS WORKING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. SEEMS LIKE MOTORS WORK WELL FOR APPROX. 3 TO 4 YEARS THEN GO INTO INTERMITTENT MODE. VERY HAZARDOUS DURING HEAVY RAIN SITUATION.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR HAS FAILED TWICE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WHICH SERIOUSLY REDUCES DRIVER'S ABILITY TO OPERATE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
Official recalls
299V193000 · 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
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