Page 2 of 2 · complaints 51–57 of 57

2002 GMC Sonoma complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2002 record →

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 6, 200315,900 milesMO

I NOTICED IN A REFLECTION OFF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THAT WHEN I TURNED MY TURN SIGNAL (DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE, RIGHT OR LEFT), THAT MY DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS GO OFF. THIS STARTED OUT AS ONLY HAPPENING ON OCCASION AND THEN PROCEED TO GET WORSE. BY FEBRUARY 17, 2003, THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF EVERY TIME I USED MY TURN SIGNAL. I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER ON THAT DATE AND WAS INFORMED AFTER THEY HAD CONTACTED GM, THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR IT TO DO THAT. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN JULY OF 2002 AND IT HAD NOT DONE IT UP UNTIL THAT POINT, I KNOW BECAUSE I HAVE FOLLOWED MY HUSBAND'S VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND HE WOULD HAVE NOTICED IT. ANYWAY, THE DEALER SHOWED ME IN THE OWNERS MANUAL WHERE IT SAYS SOME VEHICLES MAY DO THIS AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT ALTHOUGH IT HAD NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. I FIND THIS UNSAFE AS IT WOULD BE VERY DISTRACTING TO ONCOMING DRIVERS PLUS THE FACT THAT I WORRY SOMETHING IS WRONG IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *JB

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Linkages
Filed Mar 6, 20037,400 milesMO

WHILE DRIVING IN A SLOW RAIN, THE DRIVERS SIDE WIPER ARM CAME LOOSE AND FLEW ALL THE WAY PAST THE WINDSHIELD TO THE LEFT OF THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL ATTACHED, IT WOULD NOT MOVE. FORTUNATELY I WAS LESS THAT A MILE FROM HOME AND DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. MY HUSBAND GOT A WRENCH, REPOSITIONED THE WIPER ARM AND TIGHTENED IT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO THEN GO TO WORK. I CONTACTED MY DEALER ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE THAT HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN WITH THIS MODEL AND THAT I SHOULD CARRY A 13 MM WRENCH WITH ME SO IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN I COULD FIX IT LIKE MY HUSBAND HAD. HE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE VEHICLE IN HIS SHOP OR WRITE A TICKET FOR IT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE VEHICLES DID THIS. MY CONCERN IS FOR SAFETY, IF THIS HAD BEEN A HARD RAIN STORM AND I HAD BEEN GOING 60 OR 65 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AS THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS PROBLEM IF VERY COMMON FOR THIS MODEL. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Fan
Filed Jan 30, 2003PA

AIR FILTER IS DIRTY AND PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Steering › Column
Filed Oct 28, 2002NV

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH TILT STEERING. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CANNOT BE USED IN THE FULL TILT POSITION BECAUSE IT OBSTRUCTS FULL EXTENSION OF THE RIGHT FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, MAKING BRAKING DIFFICULT. CONSUEMR FEELS THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE ONLY REPLY FROM THE DEALER AND GMC IS DON'T USE THE STEERING WHEEL IN ITS FULL TILT. *JG

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/RegulatorFire
Filed Sep 4, 2002IL

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

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery
Filed Aug 19, 2002MA

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Jul 20, 2002TX

I RAN OVER A PICE OF A TIRE IN THE ROAD. THE STEEL BELT APPARENTLY PENETRATED THE UPPER SIDE TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, OF THIN PLASTIC FUEL TANK. THERE IS A SHROUD BETWEEN THE DRIVE SHAFT AND THE TANK, BUT IT DOES NOT EXTEND TO THE FRONT END OF THE TANK "ITS 2 INCHES TOO SHORT" AND THERE IS NO PROTECTION FOR THE FRONT OR BOTTEM. THE TANK WAS BARELY SCRATCHED BUT WAS LEAKING THROUGH A PIN HOLE. THESE TANKS SHOULD BE PROTECTED BETTER OR MADE IF THICKER PLACTIC. A SINGLE STRAND OF WIRE SHOULD NOT CAUSE A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND SUGESTED I SHOULD PATCH THE HOLE WITH "JB WELD" EPOXY AS THE NEW TANK WAS $800.00.*AK

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2002 GMC Sonoma → · Every Sonoma year → · How the figures are calculated →