IllustrationMY WINSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING AND THEN START WORKING AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE NHTSA HAD FOUND AND ISSUED A RECALL FOR FOR A TRUCK THAT IS 1 YR YOUNGER THAN MINE. GMC SAYS ITS NOT THEIR PROBLEM.
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 reportsVEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH ITS WINDSHIELD WIPERS AS STATED IN RECALL 03 V 159 000; BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
WIPERS WILL STOP WORKING AND THEN BEGIN WORKING AGAIN. PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON AND OFF FOR SOME TIME. *NLM
PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. ALSO THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SAME MAKE MODEL AND YEAR BUT CONSUMER'S VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. *TT
EVERY TIME THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY. *TT
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING AT RANDOM. I HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED (CIRCUIT BOARD SOLDER/CONNECTION FAILURE) AT MY OWN EXPENSE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM COVERED BY TWO (1998 AND APR 03) RECALLS, BUT THIS TRUCK IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR SOME REASON, DESPITE BEING THE SAME DESIGN AS THE 95-ON MODEL THAT IS COVERED. …
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING AT RANDOM. I HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED (CIRCUIT BOARD SOLDER/CONNECTION FAILURE) AT MY OWN EXPENSE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM COVERED BY TWO (1998 AND APR 03) RECALLS, BUT THIS TRUCK IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR SOME REASON, DESPITE BEING THE SAME DESIGN AS THE 95-ON MODEL THAT IS COVERED. *JB
OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPING OR LOCKING UP INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN USE. I'VE HAD MY MECHANIC CHECK THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES, BUT HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AS IT IS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I HEARD ABOUT A GM RECALL CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. I NOTIFIED GM AND THEY SAID T…
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OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPING OR LOCKING UP INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN USE. I'VE HAD MY MECHANIC CHECK THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES, BUT HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AS IT IS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I HEARD ABOUT A GM RECALL CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. I NOTIFIED GM AND THEY SAID THAT MY VEHICLE 1994 GMC SONOMA VIN [XXX] WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ONE COVERED BY THE RECALL. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WINDSHIELD 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
THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *JB FORD RECALLED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ALUMINUM HEAD/STEEL BLOCK AND COULD THE CAUSE OF THE GASKET GOING OUT. SCC
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THEH VEHICLE TO SLIDE INTO A FENCE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE.*JB
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