GMC Sonoma
Owners filed 1,344 complaints across 16 model years of the GMC Sonoma. The 1994 drew the most (224).
Model years16
Complaints1,344
Recalls46
Fires15
Deaths2
Which GMC Sonoma years should you avoid?
Going by 1,344 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the GMC Sonoma years to avoid are 1994 and 1995.
- 1994224 complaints, 2.5× a typical Sonoma year, most often about the brakes.
- 1995213 complaints, 2.4× a typical Sonoma year, most often about the brakes.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
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 | |
| 1995Avoid | 213 | 7 | — | 27 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Above average | |
| 1994Avoid | 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 |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.