GMC Sonoma
Owners filed 1,344 complaints across 16 model years of the GMC Sonoma. The 1994 drew the most (224); the 2005 the fewest (1).
Model years16
Complaints1,344
Recalls46
Fires15
Deaths2
Every GMC Sonoma model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Seat Belts | Routine | |
| 2004 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2003 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2002 | 57 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments | Routine | |
| 2001 | 89 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments | Routine | |
| 2000 | 136 | 4 | — | 15 | Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments | Fatalities reported | |
| 1999 | 57 | 1 | 1 | 6 | Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner | Routine | |
| 1998 | 156 | 4 | 2 | 9 | Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer | Routine | |
| 1997 | 111 | 3 | — | 14 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1996 | 148 | 9 | 1 | 26 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1995 | 213 | 7 | — | 27 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Above average | |
| 1994 | 224 | 6 | 2 | 18 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Fatalities reported | |
| 1993 | 58 | 4 | 3 | 8 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1992 | 25 | 3 | — | 3 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1991 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage | Routine |
Which GMC Sonoma years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 1994 is the weakest year on record, with 224 complaints concentrated in the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It carries 6 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.