Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 GMC Sonoma, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure8
- Seats8
- Power train8
- Service brakes, hydraulic7
- Air bags6
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Electrical system4
- Unknown or other3
- Fuel system, gasoline3
- Seat belts3
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, 16 1999 Sonoma vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 15 people died inside them, and 4 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 1999 GMC Sonoma failed the safety check 2.58% of the time — 47% more often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 122,929 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1999 GMC Sonoma.
| 2001263 1 Nov 2001 | Electrical Certain vehicles: Light duty trucks. passenger vehicles and sport utility vehicles. Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of C.M.V.S.S. NO. 118,… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1999 GMC Sonoma.
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 1999 GMC Sonoma: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637325 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A NO START CONDITION ADTER SITTING OVER 24 HOURS AND / OR REAR TAILGATE GLASS IS INOPERATIVE. *TT |
| 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 |
| 634905 | SOME VEHICLES WILL NOT MOVE WHEN 4-WHEEL DRIVE IS REQUESTED, NOISE, SHUDDER, POOR PERFORMANCE, TRANSMISSION / TRANSFER CASE SLIPS, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT, SLIPS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *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 |
| 629824 | INFORMATION ON REPLACING CORRODED TRAILER PRE-WIRE HARNESS AT THE REAR BUMPER. *TT |
| 629723 | CONCERNS WITH EXCESSIVE EFFORT OR BREAKING OF THE THIRD DOOR HANDLE ON EXTENDED CAB PICK UPS. *TT |
| 628934 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP IS ILLUMINATED, NO 3RD AND 4TH GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, THE TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL OR A LOSS OF DRIVE OCCURS. *TT |
| 628025 | SOME THREE DOOR PICK-UPS MAY HAVE A THIRD DOOR HANDLE THAT BREAKS OR IS HARD TO OPERATE. *TT |
| 626507 | SUBJECT REGARDING NECESSARY RESURFACING OF THE PARK BRAKE DRUM. *JG |
| 625380 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND HAVING TO ADD OIL BETWEEN CHANGES. *JG |
| 623792 | INFORMATION REGARDING IMPROVED BUS SEAT DECLINER ASSEMBLIES, THE HANDLE ON THE RECLINER ASSEMBLY IS ATTACHED WITH A NUMBER 20 TORQUE WITH A SHANK LENGTH OF 20 MILLIMETERS. *SLC |
| 619740 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SECURITY LAMP ILLUMINATES WHILE DRIVING; THE SECURITY LAMP MAY BE ON OR OFF; THE SECURITY LAMP IS ILLUMINATED; THE ENGINE CRANKS BUT WILL NOT START AND THE SECURITY LAMP IS FLASHING; AND / OR THE ENGINE STARTS THEN STALLS AND THE SECURITY LAMP IS FLASHING. *TT |
| 619246 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS OR INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TT |
| 619027 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE NEW RECLINCER ASSEMBLY. *TT |
| 619017 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A HISSING OR AIR RUSH NOISE BEING PRODUCED IN THE THROTTLE BODY. *TT |
| 617622 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY HAVE PURCHASED CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE ZR2 SUSPENSION PACKAGE THAT MAY HAVE HAD AN ERROR ON THE WINDOW STICKER. THE LABEL LISTED DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS (DRL) AS A STANDARD FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE DRL FEATURE WAS DEACTIVATED. *TT |
| 616385 | SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT REGARDING THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS ACTIVATION. *TT |
| 616366 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY HAVE PURCHASED VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE ZR2 SUSPENSION PACKAGE THAT MAY HAVE HAD AN ERROR ON THE WINDOW STICKER. THE LABEL LISTED DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS (DRL) AS A STANDARD FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE DRL FEATURE WAS DEACTIVATED. THIS SPECIAL POLICY COVERS THE ACTIVATION OF THE DRL FEATURE ON THESE VEHICLES. *TT |
| 613587 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE ILLUMINATION OF THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) LIGHT AND CODE P0300 (GENERAL MISFIRE), WITH DRIVEABILITY COMPLAINTS OF ENGINE MISFIRE, ROUGH IDLE AND HESITATION. **MR |
| 6092569 | SUBJECT REGRDING SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT - DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS ACTIVATION. *TT |
| 10248444 | Vehicle Recalls |
| 10246631 | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)