FaultScore

1999 GMC Sonoma brake problems

10 of the 78 complaints about the 1999 GMC Sonoma are about the braking system — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 100,000 miles.

F

10

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 4 40.0%
Pads 2 20.0%
Service Brakes 2 20.0%
Master Cylinder 1 10.0%
Disc 1 10.0%

Brakes across every GMC Sonoma year

1991 14 2.7%
1992 18 3.4%
1993 34 6.5%
1994 154 29.5%
1995 94 18.0%
1996 59 11.3%
1997 44 8.4%
1998 18 3.4%
1999 10 1.9%
2000 40 7.7%
2001 18 3.4%
2002 19 3.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 100,000 miles Newark, OH

SERVICE BRAKES

DURING A PANIC STOP THE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES FELT SOFT BUT STILL WORKED. DURING THE DRIVE THE BRAKES BECAME VERY WEAK. WHEN I CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID IT WAS EMPTY. I REFILLED IT AND STARTED CHECKING FOR LEAKS. I FOUND THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE LINES WE FRACTURED BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE DURING THE PANIC STOP CAUSING THE RUSTED LINES TO BURST. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ( BUT NOT REPORTED) PROBLEM FOR THIS TRUCK IN THE NORTHERN AREA..

NHTSA complaint #11054621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 165,000 miles Fredericksburg, VA

SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE LINE HYDRAULIC FAILURE OF HARD STEEL LINE. THE LINE THAT BROKE GOES TO THE BACK WHEELS ALONG THE FRAME.

NHTSA complaint #10494706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,900 miles Medina, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

REAR BRAKE ROTORS DISINTEGRATED AFTER 22,000 MILES. HAD TO BE TURNED AND PADS REPLACED. FRONT ROTORS REPLACED AT 32,000 MILES SAME CONDITION. MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 32,800 MILES. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND NEARLY WENT IN FRONT OF A SEMI. PEDAL CAN BE PUMPED UP BUT GRADUALLY GOES TO FLOOR.

NHTSA complaint #10016939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cleveland, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER FAILED CLOSED AND CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF CALIPERS AND ROTORS ON BOTH SIDES AS ABS SYSTEM COMPENSATED FOR FAILURE THIS DISGUISING THE PROBLEM. DT

NHTSA complaint #769846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brandon, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

THE PADS ARE WORN UNEVENLY CAUSING THE CALIPER GUIDE SLEEVES TO BIND. NLM

NHTSA complaint #561360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brandon, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

THE PADS ARE WORN UNEVENLY CAUSING THE CALIPER GUIDE SLEEVES TO BIND. NLM

NHTSA complaint #561360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE TRAVELING LESS THAN 30 MPH AND APPLYING 'GENTLE' BRAKE PRESSURE. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE. AFTER LEAVING DEALERSHIP AND DRIVING ONLY A FEW MILES, PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. CONSUMER'S WIFE MENTIONED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED TO HER THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE RECENT INCIDENT IN SAME VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.

NHTSA complaint #894496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fairbanks, AK Fire

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

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. REPLACED BY DEALER. TRICK TO OPENING IS HAVING TO PUSH IN ON DOOR BEFORE SQUEEZING HANDLE. FORGOT TO TELL TRICK TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO GET INTO VEHICLE, BROKE HANDLE AGAIN. DEALER REPLACED AGAIN. STILL HAVE TO USE TRICK TO OPEN. COULD EASILY BRAKE AGAIN!

NHTSA complaint #718952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clarksville, TN Crash 1 injured

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED IN OCTOBER WASN'T REPORTED BECAUSE IT WAS A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT AND THE PAVEMENT WAS WET. I FIGURED IT WAS MY FAULT AND NOT THE BRAKES. AT THE SECOND ACCIDENT, THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY AND THE COLLISION WAS WAS A RESULT OF THE BRAKES FAILING. I CAN ONLY CONCLUDE THAT BRAKES DURING THE FIRST TIME WERE A COMPELLING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO COMPLAIN ABOUT PROBLEMS I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCEING WITH THE BRAKES BEFORE BOTH ACCIDENTS. THEY ONLY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235 )

NHTSA complaint #715677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntsville, AL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS LOCKS UP ON WET SURFACES OR FOGGY WEATHER. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #843136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

← Full 1999 GMC Sonoma report