IllustrationWHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL ASSEMBLEY FELL OFF FALLING TO THE FLOOR BOARD, ALSO THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO PROCEEED. VEHICLE AWAITING SERVICE AT THE DEALER. *AK
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
What owners actually said
224 reportsAPPLIED BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL DISCONNECTED, CAME APART, NO BRAKES, DRIVER COASTED ON CURB & GRASS TO AVOID CRASH, NOT INSPECTED BY DEALER/MECHANIC. *AK
AFTER DRIVING SHORT DISTANCE WEATHER CONDITIONS CHANGED, REQUIRING USE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT INTO USE, WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN ON. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND, LIKE FAN HITTING FAN SHROUD; STOPPED & TURNED VEHICLE OFF; HAD IT TOWED HOME; TOOK TO DEALER, DEALER REPLACED OLD MOTOR MOUNTS WITH NEW ONES. *AK
EXPERIENCING EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE, LOW BRAKE PEDAL AND GRINDING. *AK
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, HE STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF HIS FAULTY BRAKES; HE ALSO NOTES THAT HE HAS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES AT LOWER SPEEDS. *AK
#PE94-046, AT LOW SPEED 10 MPH THE ABS BRAKES LOCK UP . *AK
POOR ABS BRAKE PERFORMANCE DURING NORMAL BRAKING IN WET AND DRY PAVEMENT, A SLOW REACTION/ OR EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE IS EXPERIENCED WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED *AK
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED 4 TIMES, ONCE CAUSING ACCIDENT.
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING THEM NOT TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED.
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