FaultScore

1997 GMC Sonoma transmission problems

10 of the 160 complaints about the 1997 GMC Sonoma are about the transmission — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 54,000 miles.

A

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 5 50.0%
Manual Transmission 2 20.0%
Column Shift 2 20.0%
Power Train 1 10.0%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every GMC Sonoma year

1994 12 20.0%
1996 17 28.3%
1997 10 16.7%
1998 11 18.3%
2001 10 16.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 54,000 miles Rochester, NY

POWER TRAIN

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. WE HAVE HAD TOO MANY OTHER FAILURES TO COUNT!

NHTSA complaint #10116406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 54,000 miles Rochester, NY

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

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. WE HAVE HAD TOO MANY OTHER FAILURES TO COUNT!

NHTSA complaint #10116406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 66,000 miles Detroit Lakes, MO

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY 1997 GMC SONOMA QUIT WORKING WITH ONLY 66,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I'M TOLD THIS IS COMMON.

NHTSA complaint #10049605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Schenectady, NY

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVNG AND TRYING TO CHANGE GEARS THE RPM WILL REV UP. CONTACTED DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #8020189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hernando Beech, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

VEHICLE WILL STICK IN 4 WHEEL HIGH, CAUSING EXCESSIVE GAS USAGE AND VEHICLE WILL ALSO SHAKE.*AK CONSUMER STATED IT ALSO ALTERNATED BETWEEN 2 WHEEL AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE, REPAIRS WERE MADE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #8011766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Berwick, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

A MALFUNCTION WITHIN ELECTRICAL MOTOR FOR 4 WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE CAUSES A FUSE TO BLOW, AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE FEATURE TO MALFUNCTION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #881244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Riverside, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHEN DRIVING AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP THERE IS A DELAY IN BRAKING, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH RESULTED IN A NEAR ACCIDENT. ALSO, NOTICED A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FRONT BRAKE. RECALL NUMBER 97V146001 REGARDING A BRAKE LINE, VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 62000 MILES. CONSUMER STATES FRONT BRAKES CONTINUE TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED WITH HEAVY FOOT. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #880151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mars, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THROTTLE FAILES TO COME TO IDLE AT STOP. STAYS AT HIGH SPEED. GROWLING FROM TRANS-CLUTCH AREA - HARD SHIFT - CLUTCH FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #848212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canyon COU, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

GEAR DISENGAGES AFTER SHIFT. YH

NHTSA complaint #609929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edgewood, MD

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AIR CONDITIONING FAILED AS WELL, AFTER ARGUING WITH DEALER EACH TIME GOT A RENTAL VEHICLE AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. TRUCK IS UNDEPENDABLE! WANT A VEHICLE BUY BACK!

NHTSA complaint #706367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 GMC Sonoma problems

← Full 1997 GMC Sonoma report