Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 GMC Sonoma owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Passenger and driver seats in my 2000 GMC Sonoma have seat positioning controls and locking mechanisims that do not always lock properly and/or get jammed up and have broken. A friend was sitting in the passenger seat and it failed to lock into place to keep it from sliding forward. I adjusted the bolts that fasten the seat to the floor of the vehicle to help 'realign' the seat frame so that the mechanism that keeps the seat from siding front and back would keep the seat locked into position once the seating distance is set. Also, the reclining handle on the passenger side broke off, not allowing for seat back support angle adjustment on the passenger side. The driver's side seat back support adjustment lever often 'sticks' or 'locks' into position....not allowing for seat back rest adjustment. …
While resting a power washer on the tailgate of my 2000 Sonoma pickup to get a better grip both tailgate cables snapped causing the power washer to roll backwards, before we could react we only had time to soften the blow of the power washer hitting the ground causing minor damage to the handle. No visible damage to the tailgate and thank god no one was hurt, it's not easy trying to catch a 175 lb piece of machinery unexpectedly. It's quite evident that both of the tailgate cables failed due to corrosion as they both broke apart just about in the middle of the rubber coated cable.
While driving about 35mph, the spare tire fell from below my 2000 GMC Sonoma. After stopping and safely getting out of the truck, I discovered that the cable holding the tire in place had broken allowing the spare tire to fall from the truck. Luckily, there was no one behind me at the time as the tire and wheel assembly bounced around and ended up in another lane. I returned the truck to a GM dealer and was told it was not a known safety issue. The repair was to replace the hoist at a cost of $287. It needs to be investigated.
Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked with tools lying on top of the tailgate, the tailgate cables broke without warning. Upon further inspection, the cables were rusted although the cables were covered by a plastic housing. The contact replaced the broken cables with new cables. There is a NHTSA recall, # 06V066000, regarding the structure. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN. Updated 04/06/06.
While climbing up into the bed of my 2000 GMC Sonoma both of the tailgate cables on my truck failed sending me tumbling to the ground. I was not injured but there was damage to my tailgate. There is now a dent that runs the length of my tailgate where it came to rest on my rear bumper. Nothing has been done to correct the problem yet as I am trying to find out if the tailgate cable is covered by the 2004 recall of the same cables that are used in other GMC truck models.
My 7 year old son was opening the tailgate on my Sonoma when he dropped it. Both tailgate cables broke at the same time. Luckily he was not injured, but could have easily been. These cables appear to be in perfect condition except for the point at which they bend when the tailgate is shut. The coating had flaked off and the exposed steel cables had rusted through. The use of a better coating or stainless steel cables would have prevented this from happening.
Dt: cables that are attached the tailgate become rusted and corroded. They broke. Consumer's husband bought new cables. Consumer feels this incident should not have happened with only 68,000 miles on the vehicle. The same cables on the tailgates of the larger full sized trucks have resulted in a nationwide recall and this should be the same recall for the smaller trucks.
While cleaning the bed of my 2000 Sonoma out the left side tailgate strap failed midway on the cable. Upon inspection of the right hand side I found apparent corrosion in the same location and the potential for failure. If both had failed it could have caused injury, or damage or loss of the tailgate. Appears this is similar to failures and recalls of larger GM pickups recently.
Tl contact owns a 2000 GMC Sonoma. While driving 25 MPH, the cable that holds the spare tire failed and detached from the vehicle. The contact noticed that the cable was frayed. The dealer stated that there were no existing recalls and that the cable needed to be replaced. The failure and current mileages were 48,000. Updated 03-19-08 updated 03/19/08
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 GMC Sonoma. The contact stated that the driver side door was loose and failed to close completely. An independent mechanic placed a pin on the bushing and noticed that the frame was completely rusted underneath the cab. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.
Body complaints in other Sonoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2000 GMC Sonoma?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the body & structure of the 2000 GMC Sonoma, 30% of the model year's 136 complaints. The component named most often is body › tailgate › hinge and attachments (33 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 GMC Sonoma body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2000 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 2000 GMC Sonoma body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.