Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Electrical 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.
8
Latest Aug 20, 2014
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.
7%
of 111 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.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 GMC Sonoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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 electrical
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 20, 2014
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 WAS DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY. REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AT A COST OF $600.23, I WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS NOT ON CURRENT RECALL LIST. IF NOT, WHY NOT. THANK GOD I WAS NOT ON INTERSTATE WITH A 16 WHEELER BEHIND ME. I CONTACTED GMC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR ABOVE COST. REQUEST DENIED BECAUSE VEHICLE NOT ON RECALL LIST. I ALSO HAVE A 2004 CADILLAC WHICH IS ON RECALL LIST FOR IGNITION SWITCH NEVER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER UNTIL I COMPLAINED AT ABOVE CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY DID SEND ME RECALL LETTER CONCERNING CADILLAC. UNABLE TO HAVE SWITCH REPAIRED BECAUSE CADILLAC DEALER CANNOT GET PARTS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10626728
Incident
Jul 28, 2014
Mileage
60,985 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 11, 2014
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
NHTSA ID
10621500
Incident
Jul 31, 2014
Mileage
73,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 9, 2008
THE KEY USED TO STICK IN THE IGNITION AND RELEASE ITSELF AFTER A SHORT TIME. THEN THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE, AND WHEN THE KEY CAME OUT THE VEHICLE COULD STILL BE STARTED, THEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE KEY CAME OUT, BUT WHEN PLACED BACK IN, WOULD NOT UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL NOR WOULD IT TURN THE IGNITION CYLINDER. *TR
NHTSA ID
10248043
Incident
Nov 7, 2008
Mileage
101,256 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Jun 17, 2006
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, MY AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD , GOES ON AND THE ENGINE QUITS. IF THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG IS TAPPED, THE LIGHT GOES OFF AND THE ENGINE CAN BE RESTARTED. VERY SCARY. *NM
NHTSA ID
10160065
Incident
Jun 16, 2006
Mileage
181,603 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system+4 more
Filed Apr 5, 2005
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!*AK
NHTSA ID
10116406
Incident
May 5, 2002
Mileage
54,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 25, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH HIT AN ENBANKMENT HEAD-ON, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER STATES ACCELERATOR STICKS AT TIMES. KEYS CAN NOT BE REMOVED, PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. *SLC
NHTSA ID
891161
Incident
Dec 9, 1999
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Feb 23, 2001
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. *AK
NHTSA ID
881244
Electrical
Filed Mar 8, 2000
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCED REPEATED BLOWN OUT BRAKE LIGHT FUSE, DUE TO A SHORT AT FIREWALL. *MJS
NHTSA ID
551247
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