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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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
57Owner complaints

Model-year median: 57

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2002 GMC Sonoma

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 57 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 14 reports
  • Structure: 13 reports
  • Electrical System: 8 reports
  • Latches/locks/linkages: 5 reports
  • Unknown Or Other: 5 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    57
    1999    136
    2000    89
    2001    57
    2002    39
    2003    0
    2004    1
    2005
    Compare all Sonoma years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    14    Structure
    13    Electrical System
    8    Latches/locks/linkages
    5    Unknown Or Other
    5
    All reported categories
    Engine And Engine Cooling
    4    Exterior Lighting
    4    Power Train
    4    Fuel System, Gasoline
    3    Parking Brake
    2    Service Brakes, Air
    2    Steering
    2    Tires
    2    Equipment
    1    Seats
    1    Visibility
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    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

    Power Train complaints

    4 reports
    Clear category filter
    30,000 miles · Jan 5, 2007
    Power Train

    TL* - THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN HIS CLUTCH FAILED ON HIS 2002 GMC SONOMA. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET. THE CLUTCH STOPPED ENGAGING, THE ENGINE WAS REVVING BUT NONE OF THE GEARS WOULD ENGAGE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE TOW DRIVER SAID HE COULD SMELL THE CLUTC…

    Read full complaint

    TL* - THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN HIS CLUTCH FAILED ON HIS 2002 GMC SONOMA. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET. THE CLUTCH STOPPED ENGAGING, THE ENGINE WAS REVVING BUT NONE OF THE GEARS WOULD ENGAGE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE TOW DRIVER SAID HE COULD SMELL THE CLUTCH BURNING. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE CLUTCH FLUID THE NEXT MORNING AND 3/4 OF IT WAS MISSING. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A CLUTCH REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS SHOWN THE FLYHEEL THAT MELTED. THE FORD DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THE CLUTCH BURNED OUT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #10177862

    12,000 miles · May 22, 2003
    Power Train

    I CURRENTLY OWN A 2002 GMC SONOMA ZR5 4WD PICKUP. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE THE VENT CONTROLS FOR THE A/C UNIT STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. THIS DID NOT SEEM TO BE A BIG DEAL UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN TRACED TO A VACUUM MODULE ON THE TRANSFER CASE THAT CONTROLS SWITCHING IN AND OUT OF 4WD. THE DEALER REPLACED …

    Read full complaint

    I CURRENTLY OWN A 2002 GMC SONOMA ZR5 4WD PICKUP. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE THE VENT CONTROLS FOR THE A/C UNIT STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. THIS DID NOT SEEM TO BE A BIG DEAL UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN TRACED TO A VACUUM MODULE ON THE TRANSFER CASE THAT CONTROLS SWITCHING IN AND OUT OF 4WD. THE DEALER REPLACED TO DEFECTIVE PART AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME. ON MONDAY, I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE, TOOK MY FOOT OF THE GAS AND STARTED BRAKING FOR THE OFF RAMP. AS I WAS COMING AROUND THE SHARP CURVE ON RAMP, THE TRANSFER CASE TRIED TO SWITCH FROM 2WD TO 4WD. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, TRUCKS DO NOT HANDLE THE SAME IN 4WD. MY CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT HAD THE ROADS BEEN WET, IT VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE JERK OF SWITCHING TO 4WD ON A SHARP CURVE WOULD CAUSE THE TRUCK TO LOSE TRACTION AND SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT IT MAY TAKE UP TO THREE WEEKS TO OBTAIN THE PARTS AND REPAIR DAMAGE TO MY TRANSFER CASE AND A/C CONTROLS CAUSED BY THIS DEFECT BUT THE FACTORY HAS MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE CONTROL MODULE AND THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME. I HAVE INFORMED THE DEALER THAT I WILL NOT ACCEPT THE TRUCK BACK UNTIL GMC CAN ASSURE ME THAT THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN CORRECTED AND WARRANTY ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE. THE TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 24,000 MILES BUT ONLY HAD ABOUT 12,000 WHEN THE FIRST MODULE STARTED MALFUNCTIONING. *NLM

    NHTSA ODI #10019089

    24,000 miles · May 13, 2003
    Power Train

    THE CLUTCH FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN ENGAGED. *NLM

    NHTSA ODI #10019755

    Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2003
    Power Train

    THE TRANSFER CASE LEAKED, WHICH CAUSED THE ACTUATOR TO SHORT AND LEAKED OIL INTERNALLY. OIL WAS SEEN IN THE LIGHTER, ASH TRAY AND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10015648

    Recall campaigns

    0

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.