Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl contact owns a 2002 GMC Sonoma. The contact stated that the ignition key disengaged from the ignition switch when in the on position. In addition, the contact stated that when the key was in the off position, the vehicle remained powered on. As a result, the battery became inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,000. Updated 03/30/15 updated 6/22/2015
Complaint covers sat oct 9th thru 10-14 2004 radio malfunctioning-1)took vehicle to jonesboro rd GMC dealer and complaint about radio first. Digital display showing one station and playing another. The panel gets very hot . Radio was showing issue at the time. Mark service advisor reached inside vehicle and began to press the buttons. They refused to document my radio problem at the jonesboro dealership. I called back and spoke to mark about documentation. He said he couldn't because the tech didn't see it. I advised him that he did and I asked him why did he push any buttons. At marietta, my truck had radio replaced twice during this week due to malfunction. 2) ABS braking failure, normal soft braking, truck will swerve to side and then correct itself, roll forward and then stop. Was told this is normal braking for ABS. …
To date, there have been only near incidents & near crashes, with no injuries. The problem on these vehicles, as well as the Chevrolet copycats, is that when the turn signal is applied during the day, the headlights shut off until the turn signal is shut off itself. This creates a grave safety hazard that inadvertently signals other drivers around you when you are making a turn. I have brought this to the attention of the service dept. Of the dealership the vehicle was purchased from, on several occasions, only to be told each time that it is "normal" for the vehicle make. I would like the manufacturer themselves to be aware of this situation, as if I am ever in an accident as a result of the above mentioned situation, I will not only sue the manufacturer & dealer, but the NHTSA also, for failing to issue a recall. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 GMC Sonoma. While driving 72 MPH on the highway, the vehicle lost all power and the power steering failed. After the vehicle stalled, all the lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 156,000.
1) boyfriend driving, pulled up to intersection, truck stalled, restarted, died, noticed smoke, opened hood, fire near battery and antifreeze container, put out with snow, vehicle towed to dealership, contacted GM, told a rep would contact me within 24-48 hours, that was a week ago, no call, vehicle just sits!! 2) ABS light on, told by dealership to make appointment, not a big deal. When light was on that was true, but light didn't always come on and it was like a brick was behind the brake. Had to slam on it! Not good on these winter roads. Dealership did replace left wheel speed sensor harness. 3) noticed oil leaking slightly, dealer replaced engine oil cooler lines 4) stuck in 4x4. Dealer replaced trasnfer case encoder. Said common problem in cold weather. However, only had one cold snap, vehicle is brand new, thought this was unusual. 5) third door handle broke when opening. …
My windshield wipers on my truck will work for a while and then lock up, today I was driving on the interstate and it was raining and the wipers were working fine and then it began pouring suddenly the wipers stopped about halfway almost causing me to lose control.
Positive battery terminal on ac delco side post 72month battery popped out of battery, resulting in an acid spill. I returned to the dealership that last performed warranty work on the truck to inform them of my concerns. I feel the technician that worked on the vehicle over-tightened the bolt, causing the lead terminal to come loose. Because the GM warranty was expired, ac delco informed me that the 5 year warranty on the battery had also expired(at 3 years), so this wasn't their problem. I feel this is more than just a problem for me, this should be looked at as a problem for everyone. First as a potential fire and safety issue, and secondly as an enviromental issue, sulfuric acid and it's fumes can cause fire and death. Ac delco didn't seem to care about any of this, I was only told that they would sue me for slander if I was to talk about this problem.
We have a 1997 GMC Sonoma with a votrec 4.3 x. Over 2 years ago, we started getting misfires. We tried everything we could think of, to no avail. In the past month I've put over $500 alone. I have been looking it up on-line, and have realized, I'm not the only one with this issue. There has even been a recall in california, but only there. GM told me they have different gas out there. Another major safety issue has been the wiper motor failure, that had a recall. GM told me my VIN # was not on the list, but I battle my wipers at least once a month. I have to yank the blades half way up the window before they grab and start to work. One more problem that I now know I am not alone on is the issue with dex-cool. We have flushed and refilled the system at least three times, only to have it gunk-up again. Please help me and all the other customers who got trapped with junk vehicles. …
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose vehicles. An engine electrical wiring-harness clip can melt and drip onto the exhaust manifold.
Remedy: Dealers are contacting owners by telephone to have their vehicles towed to the dealer and alternate transportation provided to them until the dealer can reroute the electrical wiring-harness.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Sonoma years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (9), 1997 (9), 1998 (9), 1996 (8) and 2002 (8) model years. Electrical complaints make up 4% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for GMC Sonoma electrical problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 97V208001 (front underhood, Nov 25, 1997). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Sonoma electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles; 25% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the ignition (10 mentions), followed by the wiring › front underhood (5).
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.