IllustrationCONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THAT THE BRAKE IS TO CLOSE TO THE ACCELERATION PEDAL CAUSING ACCIDENT. TS
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 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
ANTI-LOCK LIGHT GOES ON & BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG, TOOK IT HOME LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN & NO BRAKES, TWICE I ALMOST KILLED MYSELF. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER THEY THEN FOUND THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD IT WAS HUB BEARING WORN & RUBBING ON THE ANTI-LOCK SENSOR. I DO NOT THINK THAT SHOULD MAKE…
Read full complaint
ANTI-LOCK LIGHT GOES ON & BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG, TOOK IT HOME LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN & NO BRAKES, TWICE I ALMOST KILLED MYSELF. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER THEY THEN FOUND THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD IT WAS HUB BEARING WORN & RUBBING ON THE ANTI-LOCK SENSOR. I DO NOT THINK THAT SHOULD MAKE MY BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR. MY BRAKES WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF NOISE OR WEAR ON THE HUB BEARINGS.*AK
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
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNINGS IT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME THEY ARE USED.*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