IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ALL ELECTRICAL SHUTS DOWN ENGINE , EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!
1998 GMC Sonoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sonoma years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
30–25K
1325–50K
2050–75K
1275–100K
7100–150K
4150K+
59 reports with mileage · 97 unknown
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.
- Visibility. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
9 reportsDT: THE ELECTRIC WIRING FROM THE MAIN TRUNK THAT COMES FROM THE FIREWALL AND THE MOTOR SYSTEM. BRANCHED OFF FROM THE MAIN BRANCH TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHO ONLY WORKED 67% OF THE TIME.*AK
MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY TRUCK WILL WORK FOR A WHILE AND THEN LOCK UP, TODAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT WAS RAINING AND THE WIPERS WERE WORKING FINE AND THEN IT BEGAN POURING SUDDENLY THE WIPERS STOPPED ABOUT HALFWAY ALMOST CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK
POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL ON AC DELCO SIDE POST 72MONTH BATTERY POPPED OUT OF BATTERY, RESULTING IN AN ACID SPILL. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT LAST PERFORMED WARRANTY WORK ON THE TRUCK TO INFORM THEM OF MY CONCERNS. I FEEL THE TECHNICIAN THAT WORKED ON THE VEHICLE OVER-TIGHTENED THE BOLT, CAUSING THE LEAD TERMINAL TO COME …
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POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL ON AC DELCO SIDE POST 72MONTH BATTERY POPPED OUT OF BATTERY, RESULTING IN AN ACID SPILL. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT LAST PERFORMED WARRANTY WORK ON THE TRUCK TO INFORM THEM OF MY CONCERNS. I FEEL THE TECHNICIAN THAT WORKED ON THE VEHICLE OVER-TIGHTENED THE BOLT, CAUSING THE LEAD TERMINAL TO COME LOOSE. BECAUSE THE GM WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, AC DELCO INFORMED ME THAT THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE BATTERY HAD ALSO EXPIRED(AT 3 YEARS), SO THIS WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A PROBLEM FOR ME, THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS A PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE. FIRST AS A POTENTIAL FIRE AND SAFETY ISSUE, AND SECONDLY AS AN ENVIROMENTAL ISSUE, SULFURIC ACID AND IT'S FUMES CAN CAUSE FIRE AND DEATH. AC DELCO DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT ANY OF THIS, I WAS ONLY TOLD THAT THEY WOULD SUE ME FOR SLANDER IF I WAS TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.
IGNITION COIL HAS A PRONOUNCED "WHITE STRIP" BY THE COIL CORE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY INSULATION THAT IS DECAYED AND OPENING UP TO EXPOSE THE WINDINGS. FACTORY TELLS THE DEALER IT IS NORMAL. IT IS OBVIOUS TO THE UNTRAINED EYE THAT THE WINDINGS ARE JUST UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE INSULATION. IT IS A SUSPECTED PROBLEM THAT HAS CAUSED ERR…
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IGNITION COIL HAS A PRONOUNCED "WHITE STRIP" BY THE COIL CORE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY INSULATION THAT IS DECAYED AND OPENING UP TO EXPOSE THE WINDINGS. FACTORY TELLS THE DEALER IT IS NORMAL. IT IS OBVIOUS TO THE UNTRAINED EYE THAT THE WINDINGS ARE JUST UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE INSULATION. IT IS A SUSPECTED PROBLEM THAT HAS CAUSED ERRATIC ENGINE RUNNING CHARACTERISTICS.
IGNITION FAILED, LEFT CONSUMER STRANDED
BATTERY.
UNCCCEPTABLE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED., UNSATISFACTORY DEALER REPAIRS, SERVICE, AND SATISFACTION. NO SAFETY EFECTS LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
RECALLS # 97V20800 & 97V208001 GM/WIRING-HARNESS CLIP. OWNER DID NOT RECEIVE RECALL LETTER UNTIL MAY 26, 1998. OWNER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE VEHCLE WAS PURCHASED ON JAN 13, 1998, AND THE RECALL WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED AT THAT TIME. *AK
Official recalls
300V220000 · Exterior Lighting
Aug 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BUILT WITH A CANDELA VALUE GREATER THAN 3,000 CANNOT BE MOUNTED HIGHER THAN 864MM ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED WIRING HARNESS THAT CHANGES THE DRL'S FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM DRL'S, AND INSTALL NEW LONG-LIFE LOW BEAM BULBS.
97V208001 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Nov 25, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES. AN ENGINE ELECTRICAL WIRING-HARNESS CLIP CAN MELT AND DRIP ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CLIP MATERIAL ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAN IGNITE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IGNITE OTHER COMBUSTIBLE COMPONENTS RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS ARE CONTACTING OWNERS BY TELEPHONE TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLES TOWED TO THE DEALER AND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED TO THEM UNTIL THE DEALER CAN REROUTE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING-HARNESS.
97V218000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Nov 24, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE PIPE CAN OCCUR CAUSING A SLOW BRAKE FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. IF THE BRAKE PIPE BREAKS, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.