Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 GMC Sonoma owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On our 1998 GMC Sonoma we have replaced the windshield wiper motor and board. The wipers still have a ghost in them and delay does not work most of the time and high speed when on low speed, erratic behavior on wipers. Won't turn on or off on occasion. Was there a recall on also on the passenger seat? The lever broke right off the first time we used it. Cheaply built handles. Please send me a list of recalls on this vehicle please for our own safety as this vehicle is driven daily on open highways.
The handles that recline both the driver and passenger seats broke off with very little force. My passenger seat is always slightly reclined now and my driver's seat is straight up and down. The dealership refuses to replace them because there is not a recall and according to them its normal wear and tear. My warranty is up but I feel this goes beyond warranty and is a defect from the manufacturer.
The driver's seat recliner handle broke off inside the joint; had to drive in a very uncomfortable position until it was replaced! Very expensive to replace; $300.00 at the dealership. The metal seemed to be soft and fairly easy to break; I do not change the seat position often. 8jb
Passenger seat does not lock into place. Passengers slide forward and backward with almost every press of the gas and brake. Along with the broken recliner lever(both sides) which has left the seat in a semi-reclined position, my passengers are in for a not so pleasant ride.
1998 GMC Sonoma highrider 4x4. The handle on the bucket seats that lets the seats decline are broke off they are made out of cheap metal. My mom owns a 1998 Chevy blazer same thing,also on the third door the handle that opens it breaks easily.
The recliner seatback handle is attached to a sub-standard metal part which has broken on this truck twice since November 1999. In both instances it appears the metal portion that the handle is screwed into is not a high grade metal and thus can be broken in two pieces from regular use. Per our service advisors at the Pontiac/GMC dealership, they've indicated this was the part that used the lowest grade material thus they have seen more of this part break on this truck than anything else. Also, the service representative indicated this was the second truck with this problem this week. I definately need to know if this could be a problem in the long run with these trucks in question. I May not be the first, but I am certainly not the last to report this problem.
Driver side seat dosen't lock properly and slides back when you accelerate. I have tacken this truck the the dealer several times barnett auto group on the gulf freeway in houston texas with unsatisfactory results. I have called and written twice the GMC consumer relations dept at GMC consumer relations 31 e, judson street 1607-04 Pontiac mi 48342-2230. Some one thier stated that they were not going to tack any action because they were on the side of the daler and no action was going to be tacken at thispoint & time.
Aluminum handle for reclining mechanism of driver's seat broke, and has been repaired by dealership. However, handle for reclining mechanism of front passenger's seat broke, and was no longer covered under warranty. Consumer states that the shafts that are used are made out of cast aluminum and are soft material.
1998 GMC Sonoma experiencing problems with the brake lights and the windshield wipers. The brake lights would not go off, the windshield wipers failed in rainy weather, the power windows failed, the recliner handle had broken off, and the handle to the side door had broken as well.
Driver and passenger seat reclining levers broken. Third door handle broken. Third door handle has been replaced twice. Seat levers have been replaced but didn't last. Can't something be done to correct these problems permanently?
Seat complaints in other Sonoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 1998 GMC Sonoma?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the seats of the 1998 GMC Sonoma, 19% of the model year's 156 complaints. The component named most often is front assembly › recliner (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 GMC Sonoma seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats recall for the 1998 GMC Sonoma, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 GMC Sonoma seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.