1997 GMC Sonoma Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sonoma years
- About as many complaints as other years 5th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 GMC Sonoma. That ranks 5th out of 11 Sonoma model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (35 complaints, 32%), typically at around 49,002 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 10 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 111owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 GMC Sonoma problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 35 | 32% | 49,002 | — | — |
| Visibility | 30 | 27% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 8% | 100,150 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 8% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 8% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 7% | 49,002 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 6% | 156,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 5% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 5% | 94,875 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 4% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | 42,501 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 3% | 60,844 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 3% | 25,613 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 100,150 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 60,985 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 31,815 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 49,002 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 GMC Sonoma recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty passenger pickup trucks equipped with 4.3l engines. The front brake line can contact the left-hand side of the engine oil pan causing the brake line to wear to the point of brake fluid loss during brake application.
Risk: Brake fluid loss can reduce braking effectiveness and increase stopping distances resulting in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the clearance between the oil pan and the brake line. If the clearance is 6mm or less, dealers will install an additional brake line clip and if there was contact between the oil pan and brake line, the front brake line will be replaced.
Seat belts
Problem: Vehicle description: extended cab pickup trucks equipped with 60/40 front bench seats and extended cab pickup trucks and 2-door utility vehicles equipped with manual locking recliner bucket seats. The outboard safety belt webbing on the driver's and/or passenger's seat can separate during a frontal impact.
Risk: If a separation occurred and there were secondary crash events or vehicle rollover, there would be no belt restraint of the occupant and increased injuries could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a protective cover over the recliner mechanism.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Driver's seat belt buckle assembly (RQ04002) — opened Feb 18, 2004, closed May 27, 2004.
- Abs braking system (EA94038) — opened Oct 31, 1994, closed Feb 28, 2000, led to recall 99I006000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Approx one mile from home as i was approaching a stop sign engine suddenly shut off. After a few seconds managed to restart engine. Engine shut down twice more before arriving back home. At home was unable to restart engine had vehicle towed to gmc/buick dealership. Dealership found that problem…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 gmc sonoma. While driving 25 mph on a steep hill, the vehicle stalled. The dealer replaced the ignition switch. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000. Updated 10/02/14*lj updated 3/6/2015*js
I had a 97 gmc sonoma that i was going down a dirt road about 30-35 mph and swerved to miss a truck coming on my side of the road and lost traction and flipped over a hill and rolled 3 times and the airbags didnt deploy and the drivers seatbelt snapped . *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 gmc sonoma. While driving approximately 35 mph, the driver heard a loud popping sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The driver inspected the vehicle and noticed that the front and rear frame was cracked. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic…
Unable to stop due to brake pedal going all the way to the floor! Brake pedal and accelerator pedal are positioned too close, and when brake pedal is all the way down, foot comes in contact with accelerator pedal, making it impossible to stop! This is apparently a common problem with these gmc…
Other GMC Sonoma years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Sonoma | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 Sonoma | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 Sonoma | 39 | 1 |
| 2002 Sonoma | 57 | 0 |
| 2001 Sonoma | 89 | 1 |
| 2000 Sonoma | 136 | 3 |
| 1999 Sonoma | 57 | 0 |
| 1998 Sonoma | 156 | 3 |
| 1997 | 111 | 2 |
| 1996 Sonoma | 148 | 6 |
| 1995 Sonoma | 213 | 3 |
See all GMC Sonoma problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
Similar GMC models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC Sonoma?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, visibility, air bags problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 35 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 GMC Sonoma?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 GMC Sonoma a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sonoma model years, the 1997 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.