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1997 GMC Sonoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 GMC Sonoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 57.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 27 of 111 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

7 reports
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156,000 miles · Jan 4, 2011
Fuel System, OtherVehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE THROTTLE STICKS AT 1500RPM AND WILL STICK ABOVE 1500RPM IF DOWNSHIFTED OR INCREASING SPEED. THE ONLY WAY TO LOWER THE RPM TO IDLE IS SHIFT TO NEUTRAL A N D COME TO A COMPLETE STOP -- FIRMLY HOLDING BRAKE TO MAXIMUM DEPRESSION AND THEN ONLY AFTER A FEW SECOND DELAY. UPON ENTERING ANY GEAR [AUTOMATIC XMSN] THE RPM WILL A…

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VEHICLE THROTTLE STICKS AT 1500RPM AND WILL STICK ABOVE 1500RPM IF DOWNSHIFTED OR INCREASING SPEED. THE ONLY WAY TO LOWER THE RPM TO IDLE IS SHIFT TO NEUTRAL A N D COME TO A COMPLETE STOP -- FIRMLY HOLDING BRAKE TO MAXIMUM DEPRESSION AND THEN ONLY AFTER A FEW SECOND DELAY. UPON ENTERING ANY GEAR [AUTOMATIC XMSN] THE RPM WILL AGAIN GO TO 1500, BUT IF BRAKE PEDAL REMAINS DEPRESSED FOR ABOUT 10SEC THE RPM WILL GO BACK TO IDLE. ANY SLICK ROADS OR MOUNTAIN/STEEP DOWNHILL DRIVING IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS! CHECK ENGINE STAYS ON AND COMPUTER READING CALLS FOR REPLACEMENT OF A SENSOR WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE DIRECTIONS SAY TO LET THE NEW SENSOR "BREAK IN" BY IDLING FOR 20 MINUTES MINIMUM PRIOR TO DRIVING. IT DOES NOT WORK! THIS IS A FAULTY DESIGN WHEREIN A SENSOR OR COMPONENT MALFUNCTION RESULTS IN THROTTLE BOOST BEYOND OPERATOR CONTROL AND IS OFTEN AT RPM'S ABOVE 2500 !!! THE MALFUNCTION IS PERMANENT AND THE INCIDENT OCCURS EVERY DAY THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN !!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10374650

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2002
Vehicle Speed Control

DANGEROUS! THROTTLE STUCK OPEN WHEN A COMPONENET RIVETED TO BUTTERFLY "BLADE" BROKE OFF AND LODGED CAUSING ALMOST WIDE OPEN THROTTLE - ENGINE HAD TO BE SHUTOFF TO AVOID ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #763277

Mileage unknown · May 25, 2002
Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE STARTS W/ A JERK WHEN ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED FROM A STOP. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, WITH MANY NEEDING AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT AT LOW VEHICLE MILAGES. CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THIS UPDATE BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW.*AK

NHTSA ODI #762265

Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 2001
Vehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN TO ACCELLERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELLERATE WITH MY FOOT COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE ACCELLERATOR. AT THE TIME THIS WAS HAPPENING I WAS IN SOME TRAFFIC AND BY BRAKING HEAVILY TO SLOW THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT ENOUGH TO PREVENT BEING INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF INCIDENT. …

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I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN TO ACCELLERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELLERATE WITH MY FOOT COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE ACCELLERATOR. AT THE TIME THIS WAS HAPPENING I WAS IN SOME TRAFFIC AND BY BRAKING HEAVILY TO SLOW THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT ENOUGH TO PREVENT BEING INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF INCIDENT. I THEN PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD AND DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH. WITH THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED THE TRUCKS ACCELLERATOR CONTINUED TO ACCELLERATE UNCONTROLLABLY TOWARDS THE REDLINE SO I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF.I THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE BECOME UNSTUCK. I WAS ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM A MECHANIC'S SHOP THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH AND TRIED TO GET THERE. AS I ACCELLERATED THROUGH THE GEARS THE THROTTLE AGAIN BECAME STUCK AND BEGAN TO ACCELLERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. I SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND COASTED TO THE SHOP. THE MECHANIC THERE FIRST CHECKED THE CABLES THE BE SURE THEY WERE NOT BINDING. HE THEN REMOVED THE BREATHER ASSEMBLY TO CHECK THE THROTTLE BODY TO SEE IF IT WAS BECOMING STUCK. WHEN HE OPENED IT HE SAW THAT A PIECE THAT WAS ATTACHED BY RIVETS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FRONT PORTION OF THE BUTTERFLY VALE HAD PARTIALLY BROKEN LOOSE. IT WAS THEN OBVIOUS THAT THIS WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE(RELATIONS) DEPARTMENT . I WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER (C04730917)AND TOLD THAT A DEALER WOULD HAVE TO DO THE WORK IF I WERE TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF BEING REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK. I TOLD THE PERSON I THE PHONE THAT I FELT THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN. SHE TOLD ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND THEY WOULD DETERMINE IF THIS WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. I TRUELY BELEAVE THAT IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS THIS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY PLACE AT ANY TIME AND SOMEONE ELSE MAY NOT BE AS LUCK AS I WAS TO BE IN A GOOD PLACE TO GET OFF OF THE ROAD BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENED AND CAUSED ME TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MOUNTIANS SATURDAY WITH MY NEPHEW. *AK

NHTSA ODI #747557

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2001
Air BagsElectrical SystemVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH HIT AN ENBANKMENT HEAD-ON, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER STATES ACCELERATOR STICKS AT TIMES. KEYS CAN NOT BE REMOVED, PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #891161

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

BRAKES ARE INADEQUATE FOR TRUCK. YH

NHTSA ODI #609929

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 1998
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING THE GAS PEDAL WILL TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY MANUAL OPERATION AND THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE TO EXCEED 2000 RPM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828040

Official recalls

2

97V146001 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Sep 11, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 4.3L ENGINES. THE FRONT BRAKE LINE CAN CONTACT THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE ENGINE OIL PAN CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO WEAR TO THE POINT OF BRAKE FLUID LOSS DURING BRAKE APPLICATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LOSS CAN REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND THE BRAKE LINE. IF THE CLEARANCE IS 6MM OR LESS, DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL BRAKE LINE CLIP AND IF THERE WAS CONTACT BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND BRAKE LINE, THE FRONT BRAKE LINE WILL BE REPLACED.

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

2

RQ04002 · Driver's Seat Belt Buckle Assembly

Opened Feb 18, 2004 · Closed May 27, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front; Seat Belts:front:webbing

ON FEBRUARY 18, 2004, ODI OPENED THIS RECALL QUERY (RQ) BASED ON TWO FATALITY REPORTS INVOLVING MY 1997 GM S-10 PICKUP TRUCKS.EACH REPORT ALLEGED THAT THE BELTED DRIVER OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED IN A MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER CRASH.THE MY 1997 S/T SERIES PICKUPS USE AN ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP IN THE DRIVER SEAT BELT THAT ALLOWS THE WEBBING TO ELONGATE UP TO 10 INCHES (TO MITIGATE DRIVER INJURY IN FRONTAL CRASHES).GM ALSO USED THIS ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP SEAT BELT DESIGN IN MY1997 S/T SERIES UTILITY VEHICLES (CHEVROLET BLAZER, GMC JIMMY AND OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA).GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN (03V-117) TO REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IN THESE UTILITY VEHILCES BASED ON A HIGHER FATALITY RATE OF EJECTED BELTED DRIVERS IN ROLLOVER CRASHES.BOTH FATAL CRASHES ARE SEVERE ROLLOVER CRASHES (MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER) AND BOTH VEHICLES SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE ROOF STRUCTURE.ODI REVIEWED THE FIELD DATA PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND COMPARED THEM TO PEER VEHICLES USING NHTSA'S FATALITY ANALYSIS REPORTING SYSTEM (FARS) DATABASE.THE FARS DATA DID NOT INDICATE A FIELD PERFORMANCE TREND FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLE.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Seat Belts:front

ON FEBRUARY 18, 2004, ODI OPENED THIS RECALL QUERY (RQ) BASED ON TWO FATALITY REPORTS INVOLVING MY 1997 GM S-10 PICKUP TRUCKS.EACH REPORT ALLEGED THAT THE BELTED DRIVER OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED IN A MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER CRASH.THE MY 1997 S/T SERIES PICKUPS USE AN ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP IN THE DRIVER SEAT BELT THAT ALLOWS THE WEBBING TO ELONGATE UP TO 10 INCHES (TO MITIGATE DRIVER INJURY IN FRONTAL CRASHES).GM ALSO USED THIS ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP SEAT BELT DESIGN IN MY1997 S/T SERIES UTILITY VEHICLES (CHEVROLET BLAZER, GMC JIMMY AND OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA).GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN (03V-117) TO REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IN THESE UTILITY VEHILCES BASED ON A HIGHER FATALITY RATE OF EJECTED BELTED DRIVERS IN ROLLOVER CRASHES.BOTH FATAL CRASHES ARE SEVERE ROLLOVER CRASHES (MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER) AND BOTH VEHICLES SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE ROOF STRUCTURE.ODI REVIEWED THE FIELD DATA PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND COMPARED THEM TO PEER VEHICLES USING NHTSA'S FATALITY ANALYSIS REPORTING SYSTEM (FARS) DATABASE.THE FARS DATA DID NOT INDICATE A FIELD PERFORMANCE TREND FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLE.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Seat Belts:front:webbing

ON FEBRUARY 18, 2004, ODI OPENED THIS RECALL QUERY (RQ) BASED ON TWO FATALITY REPORTS INVOLVING MY 1997 GM S-10 PICKUP TRUCKS.EACH REPORT ALLEGED THAT THE BELTED DRIVER OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED IN A MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER CRASH.THE MY 1997 S/T SERIES PICKUPS USE AN ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP IN THE DRIVER SEAT BELT THAT ALLOWS THE WEBBING TO ELONGATE UP TO 10 INCHES (TO MITIGATE DRIVER INJURY IN FRONTAL CRASHES).GM ALSO USED THIS ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP SEAT BELT DESIGN IN MY1997 S/T SERIES UTILITY VEHICLES (CHEVROLET BLAZER, GMC JIMMY AND OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA).GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN (03V-117) TO REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IN THESE UTILITY VEHILCES BASED ON A HIGHER FATALITY RATE OF EJECTED BELTED DRIVERS IN ROLLOVER CRASHES.BOTH FATAL CRASHES ARE SEVERE ROLLOVER CRASHES (MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER) AND BOTH VEHICLES SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE ROOF STRUCTURE.ODI REVIEWED THE FIELD DATA PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND COMPARED THEM TO PEER VEHICLES USING NHTSA'S FATALITY ANALYSIS REPORTING SYSTEM (FARS) DATABASE.THE FARS DATA DID NOT INDICATE A FIELD PERFORMANCE TREND FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLE.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

EA94038 · Abs Braking System

Opened Oct 31, 1994 · Closed Feb 28, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.