Most common 2001 GMC Sonoma problems
Share of the 89 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Sonoma complaints by model year
Best Sonoma years: 2003, 1999, 2002. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996, 1998. Compare all years →
2001 GMC Sonoma recalls (1)
Seat belts
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and Mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 GMC Sonoma:
Engine stall due to fuel starvation
Odi opened pe02-066 to evaluate the scope and consequence of engine power-loss due to fuel starvation induced by in-tank modular fuel pump strainer restriction.the subject pumps use an external ?sock? Strainer to filter fuel flowing to the pump inlet.this filter can sometimes become clogged, resulting in a reduced flow of fuel to the engine.GM has subsequently modified the strainers to reduce this…
What 2001 GMC Sonoma owners say
Body & structure all 26 →
To whom it May concern: I own a 2001 GMC Sonoma pickup truck. After very limited use of my tailgate I experienced a breakage of the cable that supports the tailgate on my truck. It appears to be that the steel cable has rusted inside its protective plastic coating causing the cable to weaken. The ends of these cables have a shrink-wrap material to seal out moisture but it look to have been improperly installed at the factory allowing moisture to enter and rust the cable. I have contacted GMC to no avail and they refuse to recall or fix this problem. Seeing as GM's larger trucks have a recall for the exact same problem I cannot figure out why the s10 / Sonoma pickup trucks are not covered under this recall. …
Have 2001 GMC Sonoma truck, both tailgate straps broke at the same time I was sitting on the tailgate-weigh 200 lbs. GM evidently recalled full size trucks but the GMC Sonoma/chev. S-10 are not included and are having the same failure with the same consequences certainly will cause serious injury/fatalitys as well. Many are having this problem and I'm sure the number will grow. GM doesn't want to do anything about this safety issue that is present. I was willing to pay for the parts myself but they wanted an enormouse $147.00 apiece-need two, and that isn't counting labor. They must be profitting big time on as they know this part will fail over the concern of safety. There is a definite defect and the defect threatens safety as well. GM May downplay this to save money but it is their engineers,buyers,etc. …
Brakes
I bough 2001-GMC-truck-Sonoma. As a left over. On January 11, 2002,is the date I received it ,that is when I bough it. On April 10, 2002 @\at 1160 miles,they replaced both of the front brake rotors. On August 14, 2003 at 7745 miles they replaced both of the rear brake rotors, and turned front rotors. Now as of jan212006,there is only 17,868 miles on the truck, it's always be garage keeped.and well cared for.it's still has the new small inside, now all 4 of the rotors and brakes haves to be replacd. I cannot under stand why its shouldbe up to me to replace with only then miles-per above.
Dt*: the contact stated while the brakes were applied at speeds of less than 10 MPH, the ABS engaged resulting in an increased stopping distance. The ABS light illuminated when the activation occurred. The brakes made a grinding noise and the vehicle pulled to the left. The vehicle was taken to a service dealer who replaced the passenger side wheel speed sensor. There is a NHTSA recall, #05V379000, regarding the anti-lock brakes. The VIN was not included in the recall. Updated 6/16/2006 -
Transmission & drivetrain
There had been a whining(like the old radial tires used to make) noise for about a week and I just figured it was the tires. It got loud on 8/24 and I stopped and put it in park, as I got out to look under the truck, it started rolling and rolled down into the woods, we have filed a police report and reported to the insurance company. We are trying to make arrangements to get the truck out. The drive shaft was lying where the truck was put in park.,,although the park did not hold. The drive shaft twisted and split,,,exploded by the looks of it. I have pictures of the drive shaft.
I have a 2001 GMC Sonoma which was bought new in 2002. The vehicle has 78K miles on it. At first the vehicle would have trouble starting. Then the transmission would slip when driven cold. After the service engine light came on, a code indicated that there were two shift solenoid malfunctions. Both shift solenoids were replaced. That two days ago. Today the truck started up, so the vehicle was assumed safe to drive. I was traveling down a busy road at about 40 MPH, with an 18 wheeler tractor trailer behind me, when the vehicle, without any indication of malfunction, shifted from overdrive to first gear (it is an automatic) thus resulting in an "engine braking" effect wihich slowed the vehicle down to about 25 MPH. This was very scary and luckily the vehicles behind me realized that there was a problem and had enough room to slow down. …
2001 GMC Sonoma engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 19 / 25 / 22 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 GMC Sonoma a good car?
Based on 89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Sonoma rates average: 27% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Sonoma at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 GMC Sonoma?
The body & structure — 26 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body › tailgate › hinge and attachments. Next are the brakes (17) and transmission & drivetrain (10).
How many recalls does the 2001 GMC Sonoma have?
There is 1 recall for the 2001 GMC Sonoma, the most recent from August 7, 2000 (seat belts). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Sonoma?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 1999 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1996 and 1998. See the full GMC Sonoma years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 GMC Sonoma problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 52,000 miles; 44% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.