Illustration1995 GMC SONOMA DIES WHILE DRIVING, ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FAIL. HAVE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL TO RESTART WHILE MOVING. *TR
1995 GMC Sonoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sonoma years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 7 of 213 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 80 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports0 fire reports12 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
9 reportsVEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE LOSES ALL ELECTRICITY IN THE IGINTION WHICH PUTS CONSUMER IN DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK
BATTERY FAILED AND LEAKED ACID CAUSING DAMAGE/CONTAMINATION TO COMPONENTS. MJS
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO COOLER UNIT FAILURE AND OVERHEATING. *MJS
TRANSMISSION(AUTO) FAILURE : FLYWHEEL "SHATTERED" DUE TO BAD TORQUE CONVERTER AND FLEXPLATE(JULY 23,1996) STARTER BOLT BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH. STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED.(MAY 24, 1997). STARTING DIFFICULTY. STARTER BAD AND REPLACED AGAIN, PLUS REPLACED BAD FLEXPLATE/FLYWHEEL AGAIN FOR 2ND TIME(AUG 26, 1997). STA…
Read full complaint
TRANSMISSION(AUTO) FAILURE : FLYWHEEL "SHATTERED" DUE TO BAD TORQUE CONVERTER AND FLEXPLATE(JULY 23,1996) STARTER BOLT BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH. STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED.(MAY 24, 1997). STARTING DIFFICULTY. STARTER BAD AND REPLACED AGAIN, PLUS REPLACED BAD FLEXPLATE/FLYWHEEL AGAIN FOR 2ND TIME(AUG 26, 1997). STARTER SHORTING OUT. REPLACED STARTER FOR 3RD TIME(SEPT 9,1999). CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTION AND REPLACEMENT, MUFFLER ALSO REPLACED(DEC. 13, 1997). WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE, PULSE MODULE BAD(AUG 16,1996) AND WIPER FAILURE AGAIN INTERMITTANTLY, REPLACED UNDER RECALL(SEP. 1, 1999). SEATBELT DRIVER'S SIDE RETRACTOR BROKEN, REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY(AUG 26,1997) SEATBELT PASSENGER REPLACED UNDER RECALL (SEP 1, 1999). WINDOW CRANK HANDLE SNAPPED IN TWO WHILE CRANKING WINDOW DOWN. SHARP JAGGED EDGES CUT HAND AND FINGERS.(SEP 1 ,1999). HORN INOPERABLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, TWICE WHEN I NEEDED IT TO ALERT AN ENCROACHING VEHICLE WHICH ALMOST HIT ME. THIS PROBLEM WAS UNABLE TO BE REPRODUCED AT THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER. STILL A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM/LIABILITY(MAY 15, 1997-ONGOING INTERMITTANTLY, AND DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE UNIT). THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AT HIGH SPEED (45-50MPH) ON AT LEAST FIVE OCCASIONS, CAUSING ME GREAT FEAR, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENT(MAY 1996 TO PRESENT).
VEHICLE STALLED WHEN PUT IN REVERSE DUE TO A SHORT IN WIRING HARNESS CAUSED BY A BOLT PROJECTING FROM FIRE WALL.
THE HORN ONLY WORKS, WHEN EXCESSIVE FORCE IS APPLIED, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER REPAIRS WILL BE OVER 700 DOLLARS. *AK
THE TRUCK IS MAKING A LOT OF ENGINE NOISE WHEN TRYING TO START TRUCK. TT
VEHICLE STALLS AT HIGH SPEED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. TT
Official recalls
399V193000 · 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.
98V150001 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Jul 1, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.
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
2EA97022 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened Oct 23, 1997 · Closed Jul 2, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility
There is no summary currently available
Visibility
There is no summary currently available
PE97028 · Windshield Wiper
Opened Jun 17, 1997 · Closed Oct 23, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, OVER 400 ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS WERE FURNISHED BY GM.IN ADDITION GM REPORTED OVER 3000 WIPER SYSTEM WARRANTY REPAIRS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.