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2002 GMC Sonoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 GMC Sonoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 57.

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

39 reports with mileage · 18 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

8 reports
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72,000 miles · Jan 30, 2015
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY DISENGAGED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN IN THE ON POSITION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, THE VEHICLE REMAINED POWERED ON. AS A RESULT, THE BATTERY BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY DISENGAGED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN IN THE ON POSITION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, THE VEHICLE REMAINED POWERED ON. AS A RESULT, THE BATTERY BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 6/22/2015*JS

NHTSA ODI #10680015

127 miles · Nov 18, 2005
Electrical SystemEquipmentExterior Lighting

PLEASE SEE MY NUMEROUS ENTRIES- TOOK VEHICLE IN AGAIN TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT. PICKED UP 11/17/05. ABS BRAKES. SUPPOSEDLY THEY HAVE FINALLY DIAGNOSED THEM.!REPLACED BAD WHEEL SENSOR. H0161.9. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T CHECK THEM PREVIOUSLY. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE NUMBER OF TIMES THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND I HAVE BROUGHT THEM IN. . T…

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PLEASE SEE MY NUMEROUS ENTRIES- TOOK VEHICLE IN AGAIN TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT. PICKED UP 11/17/05. ABS BRAKES. SUPPOSEDLY THEY HAVE FINALLY DIAGNOSED THEM.!REPLACED BAD WHEEL SENSOR. H0161.9. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T CHECK THEM PREVIOUSLY. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE NUMBER OF TIMES THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND I HAVE BROUGHT THEM IN. . THEIR RECORDS ONLY SHOW TWICE. RADIO-REPLACED 8 TIMES ALREADY DUPLICATED FREEZING, PLAYING 1 STATION AND SHOWING ANOTHER AT OTH DEALER AND DOC, THEY DIDN'T REPLACE THIS TIME HOWEVER THEY INSTALLED UPDATED SOFTWARE. "WHY WASN'T THIS DONE BEFORE" AND THEY ADVISED A CD WAS STUFF IN THE PLAYER. IT WAS NOT, MY DAU WAS PLAYING A JANIS JOPLIN CD AND TOOK IT WITH HER WHEN WE LEFT THE VEHICLE. WHEN TURN SIGNAL USED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT GOES OUT. THEY SAY THIS HAPPENS ON SOME CARS BUT NOT ALL. THEY CANNOT TELL YOU WHICH CARS IT HAPPENS TO. ONCE WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY FIXED IT. THEN IT STARTED GOING OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SHOWED ME A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAID "SOME VEHICLES" HAS THIS BUT THEY DO NOT DESIGNATE WHICH VEHICLES, I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR BOTH. EMISSIONS, I'VE DRIVEN OVER 2500 MILES AND IT FINALLY PASSED THE READINESS TEST. I TOOK THIS IN 4 TIMES BEFORE DRIVING 1000, THEY ON THE FIFTH TIME I TOOK IT IN IT PASSED WHY DID I HAVE TO DRIVE SO MANY MILES IN ORDER FOR MY VEHICLE TO PASS THE EMISSIONS. MY LEMON TAINTED 2002 SONOMA TRUCK GM REP SYS HIS RECORD SYS I WAS NEVER TOWED. AS YOU KNOW I WAS TOWED TWICE. ONCE WHEN ENGINE JUST STOPPED AND SECOND WHEN MY BATTERY JUST DIED. GENERAL MANAGER AT DEALER SYS MY COMPLAINT SHOWS ONLY TWICE. THEY STILL TELL ME I DO NOT HAVE ANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I SAY I DO. ARE MY BRAKES FIXED? I WILL NEED TO DRIVE IT AND WILL LET YOU KNOW! *NM

NHTSA ODI #10143123

49,300 miles · Oct 26, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WAS TOLD AIR INJECTOR VALVE OPER/SOLENOID REPLACE. DROVE 800 MILES, TOOK EMISSIONS TEST FAILED. SHOWED NO CODES. WAS TOLD BY TECH TO TRY DRIVING 100 MILES. OR TAKE TO DEALER, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP CHARGED DIAGNOSTIC FEE. WAS TOLD BY THEM TO DRIVE 100 MILES. DROVE 150 RETURNED NEXT DAY. STILL THE CODES ARE NOT …

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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WAS TOLD AIR INJECTOR VALVE OPER/SOLENOID REPLACE. DROVE 800 MILES, TOOK EMISSIONS TEST FAILED. SHOWED NO CODES. WAS TOLD BY TECH TO TRY DRIVING 100 MILES. OR TAKE TO DEALER, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP CHARGED DIAGNOSTIC FEE. WAS TOLD BY THEM TO DRIVE 100 MILES. DROVE 150 RETURNED NEXT DAY. STILL THE CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. WANT ME TO DRIVE ANOTHER 150 MILES. TWO CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. TOOK BACK TO EMISSIONS PROVIDER, THEY SHOWED ME IT WAS THE 02 SENSOR AND LAST TEST ON THE OBD COMPUTER. I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME. ALSO PLEASE NOTE MY RADIO FROZE AGAIN PLAYING ON 1 STATION AND SHOWING ANOTHER. SHOWED IT TO TECH TODAY. AND ALSO MY BRAKES STILL GIVING SAME PROBLEM. ABS BRAKES STILL PULLING VEHICLE. BOUGHT NEW TIRES TO HELP WITH THE TRACTION. BUT PROBLEM STILL SAME. FUEL WAS ABOUT 12 MILES PER GAL. HOW MANY MILES DO I HAVE TO DRIVE IN ORDER FOR THE COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND. I'VE DRIVEN OVER 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) SINCE FRIDAY 10-21-05. WHAT A LEMON! I WILL BE RETURNING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP (CHEV) TOMORROW AFTER DRIVING 150 MILES. MY DAYTIME LIGHT STILL GOES OUT WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10140886

35,548 miles · Oct 17, 2004
Electrical SystemParking BrakeService Brakes, Air

COMPLAINT COVERS SAT OCT 9TH THRU 10-14 2004 RADIO MALFUNCTIONING-1)TOOK VEHICLE TO JONESBORO RD GMC DEALER AND COMPLAINT ABOUT RADIO FIRST. DIGITAL DISPLAY SHOWING ONE STATION AND PLAYING ANOTHER. THE PANEL GETS VERY HOT . RADIO WAS SHOWING ISSUE AT THE TIME. MARK SERVICE ADVISOR REACHED INSIDE VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO PRESS THE …

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COMPLAINT COVERS SAT OCT 9TH THRU 10-14 2004 RADIO MALFUNCTIONING-1)TOOK VEHICLE TO JONESBORO RD GMC DEALER AND COMPLAINT ABOUT RADIO FIRST. DIGITAL DISPLAY SHOWING ONE STATION AND PLAYING ANOTHER. THE PANEL GETS VERY HOT . RADIO WAS SHOWING ISSUE AT THE TIME. MARK SERVICE ADVISOR REACHED INSIDE VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO PRESS THE BUTTONS. THEY REFUSED TO DOCUMENT MY RADIO PROBLEM AT THE JONESBORO DEALERSHIP. I CALLED BACK AND SPOKE TO MARK ABOUT DOCUMENTATION. HE SAID HE COULDN'T BECAUSE THE TECH DIDN'T SEE IT. I ADVISED HIM THAT HE DID AND I ASKED HIM WHY DID HE PUSH ANY BUTTONS. AT MARIETTA, MY TRUCK HAD RADIO REPLACED TWICE DURING THIS WEEK DUE TO MALFUNCTION. 2) ABS BRAKING FAILURE, NORMAL SOFT BRAKING, TRUCK WILL SWERVE TO SIDE AND THEN CORRECT ITSELF, ROLL FORWARD AND THEN STOP. WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL BRAKING FOR ABS. WAS DUPLICATED AT DEALERSHIP BUT THEY HAVE TRIED TO MINIMIZE PROBLEM (TEAM PONTIAC, GMC JONESBORO RD OF UNION CITY GA) THEY DID DOCUMENT ISSUE 3) EMERGENCY BRAKE ) LIGHT NOT WORKING WHEN DEPRESSING EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL. ILLUMINATED DURING START OF TRUCK HOWEVER DIDN'T WORK WHEN DEPRESSING PEDAL . MARIETTA PONTIAC GMC REPAIRED ISSUE. CAN NOW DEPRESS EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT WILL LIGHT UP . SEE PREVIOUS NOTES, TO DATE, MY TRUCK HAS HAD SINCE PURCHASE 12/29/2004 1) NEW BATTERY, HEADLIGHT BULB , DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB , TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, NEW RADIO 1,2,3,4. NEW O2 SENSOR, FUEL PUMP, (LOST POWER ON INTERSTATE) ABS ISSUES, MY TRUCK JUST ISN'T SAFE. WITH THIS CONSISTENT ABS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10095924

32,700 miles · Jul 14, 2004
Electrical System

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START 7AM. HAD DRIVEN NIGHT BEFORE. ORIGINAL BATTERY SEEM DEAD HOWEVER THE ORIGINAL BATTERY IN VEHICLE DISPLAYED GREEN LIGHT TO DETERMINE IF CHARGE HELD OR NOT. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED TO JUMPSTART VEHICLE. UNABLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED DEALER REPLACED WITH 6YR BATTERY. HE NEVER MENTION A ELECTRICAL SHORT OR ANYOTH…

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VEHICLE WOULD NOT START 7AM. HAD DRIVEN NIGHT BEFORE. ORIGINAL BATTERY SEEM DEAD HOWEVER THE ORIGINAL BATTERY IN VEHICLE DISPLAYED GREEN LIGHT TO DETERMINE IF CHARGE HELD OR NOT. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED TO JUMPSTART VEHICLE. UNABLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED DEALER REPLACED WITH 6YR BATTERY. HE NEVER MENTION A ELECTRICAL SHORT OR ANYOTHER ISSUES.HE ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE BATTERY TO GO OUT WITH 32500 MILES, HAD THE TRUCK SINCE 12-29-2002. THIS DOESNT SEEM NORMAL TO ME, HAD PREVIOUS ISSUE WITH VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN, HEADLIGHTS, DAYTIME RUNNING LITES, CD/RADIO(I'M ON MY 3D RADIO) ABS PROBLEM NOT SOLVED ALSO MY VEHICLE SEEMS TO RUN HOT, ONCE IT REACHES THE CENTER MARK. BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE TECH DURING THE TEST DRIVE HE TOLD ME IT A FAN COMES ON. . FEEL A GREAT CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE DRIVING EXPERIENCE UNTIL IT COOLS DOWN. IT SEEMS IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR MY VEHICLE TO COOL OFF PER GAUGES IN PANEL . IF THIS IS THE NORM I DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK. TRUST THE DEALER,OR CHANGE SERVICE CENTER. I LIKE MY TRUCK. IT IS THE REASON I BOUGHT IT.BUT IT HAS BECOME A MONSTER, SEE MY OTHER COMPLAINTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10081082

Mileage unknown · May 25, 2004
Electrical System

PROBLEM-ELECTRICAL- RADIO REPLACEMENT, THIRD RADIO PLACE I AM ON MY THIRD RADIO. THE FIRST RADIO BEGAN TO FREQUENTLY CHANGE STATIONS ON IT'S OWN. I THOUGHT IT WAS SATELLITES, TOWERS, AND DIDNT THINK MUCH OF IT IN THE BEGINNING. IT WAS NOTICED BY MY DAUGHTER AS HAVING A LIFE OF IT'S OWN. THEN IT STARTED TO CHANGE OFTEN, WHI…

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PROBLEM-ELECTRICAL- RADIO REPLACEMENT, THIRD RADIO PLACE I AM ON MY THIRD RADIO. THE FIRST RADIO BEGAN TO FREQUENTLY CHANGE STATIONS ON IT'S OWN. I THOUGHT IT WAS SATELLITES, TOWERS, AND DIDNT THINK MUCH OF IT IN THE BEGINNING. IT WAS NOTICED BY MY DAUGHTER AS HAVING A LIFE OF IT'S OWN. THEN IT STARTED TO CHANGE OFTEN, WHILE DISPLAYING ANOTHER CHANNEL. IT WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. SECOND RADIO- DISPLAY WINDOW BEGAN TO BLINK, FLASHING THE CHANNEL NUMBERS. IT WAS CHANGED BY DEALER THIRD RADIO-CHANGED STATIONS ONCE SO FAR. NOT A NOTICEABLE INCIDENT YET. HAVE NOT COMPLAINED YET. IN ALL RADIOS, THE PANEL GETS VERY WARM INCIDENT DATE IS LAST REPAIR DATE

NHTSA ODI #10073091

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2003
Electrical System

MY 2002 GMC SONOMA'S RUNNING LIGHTS GO OFF WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE USED. MY DEALER & GM TELLS ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF RUNNING LIGHTS IS TO BEEN SEEN. THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT WHEN CHANGING LANES OR TURNING. GM SHOULD RECALL THESE PICKUP TRUCKS AN CORRECT THIS SITUATION.

NHTSA ODI #10039585

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2002
Electrical SystemFire

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING ALTERNATOR OVERHEATED, CAUSING ENGINE TO CATCH ON FIRE. CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8017881

Official recalls

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No recalls in this snapshot.

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

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No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.