Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 GMC Sonoma, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic49
- Visibility31
- Engine and engine cooling19
- Power train16
- Air bags10
- Electrical system8
- Vehicle speed control7
- Seats6
- Suspension6
- Unknown or other4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 5 1996 Sonoma vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1996 GMC Sonoma failed the safety check 0.63% of the time — 57% less often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 125,525 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 1996 GMC Sonoma.
| 1999135 26 Jul 1999 | Brakes Certain four wheel drive vehicles may experience increased stopping distances during ABS stops while in the two-wheel drive mode. A switch can erroneously sign… |
| 1998150 22 Jul 1998 | Visual System Certain vehicles may have windshield wiper motors with solder joints near the wiring harness connector that could crack. This could cause the windshield wiper t… |
| 1997154 9 Sept 1997 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the front brake pipe may contact the left-hand side of the engine oil pan. This contact could cause the brake pipe to wear through to the p… |
| 1997152 8 Sept 1997 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the driver's and/or passenger's front outboard seat-belt webbing could separate during a frontal impact having at least the same dynamics a… |
| 1996094 20 Jun 1996 | Emissions Certain vehicles may not comply with CMVSS 1105 - Evaporative Emissions. Fuel injectors may exhibit leakage of fuel vapour due to a stress of the plastic encaps… |
| 1996040 28 Feb 1996 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the transmissions may contain parts which are not machined to specification. These transmissions could seize and lock the rear wheels while… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS (ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1989 THROUGH AUGUST 1996. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS THE SWITCH WHICH SIGNALS THE ABS SYSTEM WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN 2-WHEEL OR 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAN MALFUNCTION CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING ABS STOPS WHILE IN THE TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 4.3L ENGINES. THE FRONT BRAKE LINE CAN CONTACT THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE ENGINE OIL PAN CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO WEAR TO THE POINT OF BRAKE FLUID LOSS DURING BRAKE APPLICATION.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 60/40 FRONT BENCH SEATS AND EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL LOCKING RECLINER BUCKET SEATS. THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE DRIVER'S AND/OR PASSENGER'S SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT.
THE TOP COAT PAINT SEVERELY PEELS DUE TO OVERBAKING OF THE POWDER PRIMER PRIOR TO THE TOP COAT APPLICATION. SINCE THE WINDSHIELD PRIMER AND ADHESIVE ADHERE TO THE TOP COAT PAINT ONTHE WINDSHIELD OPENING FLANGE, THE WINDSHIELD DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING."
SOME OF THESE TRUCKS WERE BUILT WITH TRANSMISSIONS CONTAINING PARTS WHICH WERE NOT MACHINED TO GM'S SPECIFICATIONS.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What GMC told its dealers about the 1996 GMC Sonoma: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636523 | INFORMATION ON OVER TORQUING OR A REVERSE BEDRAIL INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634506 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERAL WATERLEAK GUIDE. *TT |
| 634218 | SUBJECT REGARDING RUST IN COOLING SYSTEM, HEATER INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE OVERHEATS (FLUSH COOLING SYSTEM). NLM |
| 631292 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE THIRD DOOR IS HARD TO OPEN AND/OR THE DOOR HANDLE MAY BE BROKEN FOR 1996-2002 CHEVROLET AND GMC S/T EXTENDED CAB PICKUP MODELS.. *SLC |
| 629723 | CONCERNS WITH EXCESSIVE EFFORT OR BREAKING OF THE THIRD DOOR HANDLE ON EXTENDED CAB PICK UPS. *TT |
| 625141 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SEAT RECLINER HANDLE IS STRIPPED. *JG |
| 623086 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE HEATER IS INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN OVERHEAT CONDITION OR THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS RUST IN IT. *TT |
| 615106 | PRODUCT RECALL CAMPAIGN INVOLVING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 613584 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE A FAILURE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET LEADING TO EXTERNAL COOLANT LEAKS FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET TO ENGINE BLOCK JOINT. **MR |
| 611277 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE HEATER IS INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN OVERHEAT CONDITION OR THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS RUST IN IT. *TT |
| 609717 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE HEATER IS INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN OVERHEAT CONDITION OR THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS RUST IN IT. *TT |
| 608382 | SUBJECT REGARDING ABS 3-SENSOR EBC4 - SPECIAL POLICY. *TT |
| 606523 | CONDITIONS WITH HEATER INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE OVERHEATS, AND RUST IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM. *TT |
| 52935 | INFORMATION CONCERNING ENGINE KNOCK/RATTLE OR TAP NOISE BEFORE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE (REPLACE PISTON AND/OR ROD ASSEMBLIES). AK |
| 51302 | KNOCK, RATTLE OR TAP NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE THE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE KNOCK, RATTLE OR TAP NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE THE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT RATURE (REPLACE PISTON AND/OR ROD ASSEMBLIES). *TW |
| 10246631 | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
| 10232287 | This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy. |
| 10208027 | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update. |
| 10171318 | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update. |
| 10168979 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. E version update is to add administrative details. |
| 10165876 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. |
| 10157018 | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update. |
| 10141381 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. |
| 10139019 | This preliminary informational bulletin provides information on High Oil Pressure on Startup After Engine Replacement Concern. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)