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 2001 GMC Sonoma owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
Tl contact owns a 2001 GMC Sonoma. The steel cables that held the tail gate snapped while the contact was seated on the tail gate. The contact suffered scratches on his arms and elbows. The dealer did not offer an explanation for the failure. The contact felt that his vehicle should be included in NHTSA campaign id number 06V066000 (structure: body: tailgate: hinge and attachments) for the 2000 GMC sierra. The failure mileage was 53,000 and current mileage was 54,000.
Dt*: the contact stated while sitting on the tailgate, the cable attachment fractured without warning. There were no injuries. The cable, although encased in plastic, retained moisture and resulted in a rusting of the cable material. The dealer replaced the cable. 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.
Dt*: the contact stated the tailgate cables corroded and fractured. The dealer was spoken to verbally and determined the vehicle was not under recall for the tailgate corrosion. There is a NHTSA recall, # 06V066000, concerning the tailgate cables. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however, it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.
Tailgate support cable corroded and broke causing tailgate to drop onto bumper. Normal non-commercial use of my 2001 GMC Sonoma pickup. (I notice the GM has a recall if just this thing for 1999 and 2000 silverado and sierra but the same has happened on my Sonoma...not recall has been established.
Owner sat on open pickup truck tailgate and both support cables failed simultaneously causing gate to fall downward until stopped by contact with the rear bumper. Replacement cables were supplied by the manufacturer, but installation labor was not funded. Failed parts are available for inspection.
The tailgate cables both broke while a friend was sitting on the tailgate causing her to fall. She only weighs approximately 140 lbs. I had noticed that 1 of the cables looked weak prior to the accident, but the other seemed to be stable. Apparently neither of them were any good.
The cable on the left side of the tailgate broke, and the right side of the cable started breaking. This occurred because of the problem described in the tailgate support cable recall 04V129000. However, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to VIN.
The cables that holds the tailgate gave way while consumer was on it. The consumer was not hurt when the failure occurred. The consumer contacted the manufacturer and was informed that his was a problem that they were aware of. The consumer then contacted the dealer who stated that GMC was issuing a recall an as soon as the replacement cable arrived he could have his replaced. The consumer made an appointment on June 24, 2004. On that date the vehicle was taken to the dealer but was then informed that the replacement was only for the full size trucks not the compact. The consumer contacted the manufacturer again but they refused to provide any assistance. The consumer finally complained to the gentleman who sold him the truck and he bought the consumer one of the two cables with his own money. The consumer currently has one new cable and one homemade cable.
Body complaints in other Sonoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 GMC Sonoma?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 GMC Sonoma, 29% of the model year's 89 complaints. The component named most often is body › tailgate › hinge and attachments (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 GMC Sonoma body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2001 GMC Sonoma, though it has 1 recall 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 2001 GMC Sonoma body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 53,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 3 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.