1998 GMC Sonoma Visibility Problems
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about visibility problems on the 1998 GMC Sonoma, 35% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 52,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “windshield wipers” (69% of reports).
- 55visibility complaints
- 52,500median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 59%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Windshield wipers: mentioned in 38 of 55 complaints (69%)
- Wiper motor: mentioned in 10 of 55 complaints (18%)
- Circuit board: mentioned in 7 of 55 complaints (13%)
At what mileage do visibility problems happen?
Based on 32 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 55 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
GMC Sonoma visibility complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Sonoma | 3 | 8% | 50,000 |
| 2002 Sonoma | 1 | 2% | 7,400 |
| 2000 Sonoma | 5 | 4% | 70,000 |
| 1999 Sonoma | 1 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Sonoma | 55 | 35% | 52,500 |
| 1997 Sonoma | 30 | 27% | 63,000 |
| 1996 Sonoma | 31 | 21% | 67,500 |
| 1995 Sonoma | 52 | 24% | 79,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists visibility for the 1998 GMC Sonoma. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 gmc sonoma. The contact stated that the windshield wipers would stop working sporadically. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was…
The windshield wipers have only worked intermittently whenever they are run. In the heaviest rain you cannot count on them and sometimes they won't come on at all. This is very dangerous problem when they quit working in the middle of the road in the middle of a rain. They have not made it a whole…
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 gmc sonoma. In march of 1998, the windshield wipers began working intermittently. In november of 2008, while driving approximately 60 mph in the rain, the windshield wipers stopped working completely. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and they stated that the wiper…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 GMC Sonomas have visibility problems?
No. NHTSA has 55 owner complaints about visibility for the 1998 GMC Sonoma (35% of the 156 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 GMC Sonoma visibility?
No recall currently lists visibility for this vehicle.
At what mileage do visibility problems start?
The median reported mileage is 52,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about visibility problems on the 1998 GMC Sonoma?
The most frequent phrase is “windshield wipers”, in 38 of 55 complaints, followed by “wiper motor” (10).
See all 1998 GMC Sonoma problems or visibility problems across all Sonoma years.