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1998 GMC Sonoma Airbags Problems

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

Data refreshed

Airbags 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.
11
Latest Apr 11, 2016
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 156 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.
8
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 air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 GMC Sonoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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 airbag

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

Airbags
Filed Apr 11, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 264,477.

NHTSA ID
10854848
Incident
Apr 10, 2016
Mileage
264,477 mi
AirbagsInterior & seatsExterior lighting
Filed Jun 2, 2013

PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. PASSENGERS SEAT SLIDE FORWARD AND BACKWARD , AND AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON , LEFT TURN SIGNAL LIGHT AND BRAKE DON'T COME ON. *TR

NHTSA ID
10514690
Incident
Jan 3, 2012
Mileage
178,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureSteering+1 more
Filed Jul 12, 2012
Crash reported

DRIVER WAS GOING APPROX. 40MPH DOWN THE RURAL HIGHWAY IN HEAVY RAIN AND THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER CAME TO A STOP. BY THE TIME THE DRIVER OF THE SONOMA SAW THE TRUCK IT WAS TOO LATE TO STOP AND NOT HIT THE STOPPED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE SONOMA HIT THE STOPPED TRUCK AND TOTALED THE SONOMA. AT NO POINT DID THE DRIVER AIRBAG DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10465485
Incident
Jul 12, 2012
Mileage
145,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 30, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL CONTINUOUSLY COME ON AND OFF CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM.*JB

NHTSA ID
8010767
Incident
May 2, 2002
Airbags
Filed Apr 5, 2000
Crash reported

WHILE SON WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH AND WHEN TRYING TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, CRASHED VEHICLE INTO A DIVIDER WALL , AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
859770
Incident
Feb 3, 2000
Airbags
Filed Jan 28, 2000
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A LEFT FRONT HEAD-ON COLLISION IN WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
855750
Incident
Jan 27, 1999
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Oct 21, 1999
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING 20MPH DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL. DRIVER HAS RIB CAGE INJURY. *AK

NHTSA ID
851367
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Oct 18, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35-45 MPH, TRYING TO SLOW DOWN AND MAKE A TURN, AND BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO TWO TREES, AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
851012
Incident
Oct 16, 1999
Airbags
Filed Sep 2, 1999
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER TRUCK AND PUSHED INTO A THIRD VEHICLE ALL AT 45MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
846404
Airbags
Filed Aug 18, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 40 MPH CUSTOMER HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. *AK

NHTSA ID
845339
Incident
Jul 2, 1999
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Mar 18, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. ALSO, SHOULDER BELT DIDN'T HOLD CONSUMER FROM HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

NHTSA ID
835962
Incident
Feb 20, 1999

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 .