RoadVitals

1996 GMC Sonoma Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
19
Latest May 11, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
13%
of 148 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 GMC Sonoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed May 11, 2004

MY ENGINE HAS BEEN SURGING, SLOW START, RATTLING, ROUGH IDLE, HARD SHIFTING, AND I HAVE HAD THE TRASMISSION REPLACED 3 TIMES. MY DEALER TOLD ME AFTER AN INSPECTION THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, BUT IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME. GO FIGURE! I HAVE PROOF OF THE NEW TRASMISSIONS. NOW THE COMPRESSOR IS CRACKED, AND IT WILL NOT HOLD COOLANT, AND I CAN HARDLY GET THE TRUCK GOING AFTER SITTING ALL NIGHT. THESE REPAIRS ARE COSTING ALOT OF MONEY, AND I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS TRUCK. IT IS NOT WORTH THE COST OF REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID
10072453
Incident
Dec 7, 2003
Engine
Filed Jan 24, 2004

MY TIMING TENSIONER KEEPS WEARING OUT AFTER ABOUT 15,000 MILES, IT STARTED WHEN I BOUGHT MY TRUCK IN 96 AROUND 25,000 MILES I NOTICE A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE,I TOOK THE TRUCK IS TO THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY TOLD ME I WAS USING THE WRONG OIL FILTER,HA HA. THEY DID SOMETHING TO THE TRUCK BUT THE TICKING STOP UNTIL 36,000 MILES AND THEN MY WARRANTY WAS GONE. I HAVE REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER 7 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK EVER SINCE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED,THE TENSIONER BROKE ONE TIME WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY,BENT TWO VALVES,AND A HEAD JOB LATER STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE I MAY HAVE BOUGHT A LEMON. THIS MAY NOT BE ON ALL TRUCKS BUT IT SURE HAS HAPPEN TO MINE. ITS LIKE THE TIMING SYSTEM DOES NOT LINE UP. TO WEAR THE TENSIONER IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. I HAVE REPLACED WITH GM PARTS. *LA

NHTSA ID
10054782
Incident
Jun 18, 2000
Mileage
89,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 8, 2002
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM VEHICLE., AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLED CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM CYLINDER ONTO HEAD GASKET.*AK

NHTSA ID
8015898
Incident
Jul 7, 2002
Engine
Filed Jul 10, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
748258
Incident
Jan 17, 2001
Engine
Filed Jan 30, 2001

TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT ONLY 42,000 MILES, AND WHILE DRIVING, IT CAUSES VALVE TO PUSH THROUGH HEAD.*AK

NHTSA ID
879286
Engine
Filed Nov 16, 2000

VEHICLE WILL STOP WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. AT TIMES, VEHICLE WILL NOT START. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE VEHICLE STALL SIX TIMES. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE VEHICLE CAN BE DECLARED LEMON. *YH

NHTSA ID
875108
Engine
Filed Jul 7, 2000

TIMING CHAIN IS MAKING CLANKING NOISE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIMING CHAIN WAS NOT COVER UNDER A MFR'S RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
865032
Incident
Jun 19, 2000
Engine
Filed Jun 9, 2000

NOTICED SMELL FOR LONG TIME. STARTED TO TRY AND FIX 7 MONTHS AGO, 11/17. FILLING LEAKING COOLANT, NOTICING FLUXUATIONS IN ENGINE TEMP. CHANGED THERMOSTAT. RECEIVED NOTIFICATION LETTER(SPECIFICALLY STATING NOT RECALL CAMPAIGN) FROM GMC POSTMARKED 5/30/00 OF THIS PROBLEM. DEALER CONFLICT ON FIXING THIS FOR ME. CONCERNED ABOUT COMBUSTION AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. *AK

NHTSA ID
723803
EngineSuspension
Filed Mar 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FLASHES. THEN VEHICLE CUTS OFF, AND VEHICLE DRIFTS TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ID
858841
Incident
Mar 20, 2000
Engine
Filed Sep 15, 1999

THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. ITS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND IT HAPPENS ONLY IN COLD WEATHER. SPEED DOES NOT COME INTO IT. THE MECHANIC, AT DEALERSHIP, COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF STALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID
847830
Engine
Filed Aug 20, 1999

VALVE SEALS ON ORIGINAL/NEW ENGINE SEATED IMPROPERLY CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL USE AND ENGINE MISFIRE. VALVE SEALS REPLACED BY DEALER PER GMC NOTICE SOCMP96C17. TWO MONTHS LATER IN JANUARY, 1997, VALVE SEALS #4 AND #6 AGAIN FAILED WITH SAME SYMPTOMS BUT WERE REPLACED BY DEALER SINCE FAILURE TOOK PLACE WITHIN A YEAR OF ORIGINAL GMC NOTICE. IN 1999 SAME SYMPTOMS AGAIN SHOWED UP BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN JUNE, 1999, THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE SEALS BECAUSE GMC SAID THEY WERE NO LONGER COVERED. GMC DEALER HAD ASSURED ME IN JANUARY, 1997, THAT SEALS WOULD BE COVERED AS LONG AS I OWNED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
710257
Incident
Dec 1, 1995
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Mar 10, 1999

WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, BRAKES WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, PULLEY CAME OFF, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. VEHICLE ACCELERATED, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT THE IGINTION SWITCH OFF.*AK

NHTSA ID
835619
Incident
Nov 15, 1997
Engine
Filed Apr 28, 1998

VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY STALLS.

NHTSA ID
534829
Engine
Filed Oct 3, 1997

ENGINE STALLS, FAILS TO RESTART, REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALLS.

NHTSA ID
523168
Incident
Jan 9, 1997
Engine
Filed Sep 25, 1997

VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING OR FAILS TO START AND THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME CHRONIC, CANNOT DIAGNOSE WHY THIS OCCURS.

NHTSA ID
522465
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 8, 1997

WATER PUMP FAILED.

NHTSA ID
603867
Incident
Apr 26, 1996
Body & structureBrakesEngine+1 more
Filed Jul 22, 1997

DOOR HINGE DOES NOT KEEP DOOR OPEN.

NHTSA ID
520067
Incident
Aug 20, 1996
Engine
Filed Apr 10, 1997

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA ID
602979
Incident
May 20, 1996
Engine
Filed Apr 1, 1997

ENGINE RACES VERY SLOWLY WHEN ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED AND SOMETIMES RACES BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTS.

NHTSA ID
516069

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .