1998 GMC Sonoma Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ..UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS PERIODICALLY STOPPED WORKING IN THE RAIN. UPDATED 09/28/11*JB

NHTSA ID

10416282

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE ONLY WORKED INTERMITTENTLY WHENEVER THEY ARE RUN. IN THE HEAVIEST RAIN YOU CANNOT COUNT ON THEM AND SOMETIMES THEY WON'T COME ON AT ALL. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WHEN THEY QUIT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAIN. THEY HAVE NOT MADE IT A WHOLE TRIP IN THE RAIN AND STAYED WORKING- ALWAYS ONLY INTERMITTENT. SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO PULL OVER UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO COME ON AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10317852

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. IN MARCH OF 1998, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. IN NOVEMBER OF 2008, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE WIPER MODULE AND WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ID

10253213

Incident

Nov 16, 2008

Mileage

10,000 mi

MY TRUCK HAS 70,000 MILES AND IT HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. YOU CAN HIT ON THE INSIDE OF THE MOTOR AND IT WILL START WORKING. I CAN BE DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WILL QUIT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10251888

Incident

Oct 6, 2006

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALER INITIALLY STATED THAT THEY WOULD APPROVE THE REPAIR; HOWEVER, THEY ARE CURRENTLY REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD, WIPER/WASHER) WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. UPDATED 09/13/08. *LJ THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TWICE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR BOARD. UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10236372

Incident

Apr 16, 2008

Mileage

42,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP WORKING WITHOUT NOTICE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228116

Incident

Dec 1, 2007

WINDSHIELD WIPER INTERMITTENT. CAN CAUSE SEVERE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS DURING BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS, ALMOST RESULTING INTO A CRASH WHEN TRYING TO EXIT ROADWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207812

Incident

May 15, 2006

Mileage

50,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE ON OCCASION DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. RECALL ISSUED FOR OTHER GM VEHICLES CITING PROBLEM CIRCUIT CONTROL BOARDS TO WIPER MOTORS. VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS AND WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199988

Incident

Jun 15, 2007

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE ON OCCASION DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. RECALL ISSUED FOR OTHER GM VEHICLES CITING PROBLEM CIRCUIT CONTROL BOARDS TO WIPER MOTORS. VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS AND WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199292

Incident

Aug 8, 2007

Mileage

40,000 mi

HAD A PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING OR WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. I FOUND PROBLEM TO BE THE ELECTRICAL PLUG ON WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD TO HAVE FRACTURED SOLDIER CONNECTIONS. RESOLDIER CONNECTIONS CURE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10188337

Incident

Feb 16, 2005

Mileage

90,000 mi

AT FIRST INSTANCE OF FAILURE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD INTERMITENTLY STOP WORKING. IT HAS NOW PROGRESSED TO TOTAL FAILURE. GOT UNDER HOOD AND TRACED TO WIRING PLUG IN AT WIPER MOTOR. IF PLUG IS JIGGLED THE WIPERS WILL WORK FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN DURING POSSIBLE RAIN CONDITIONS DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS FROM A DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10186144

Incident

Oct 1, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON A RAIN DAY, THE WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AT HIGH SPEED. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, AND SOMETIMES DID NOT WORK AT ALL. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN SEEN BY A DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

10171288

Incident

Aug 14, 2006

Mileage

78,000 mi

ON OUR 1998 GMC SONOMA WE HAVE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND BOARD. THE WIPERS STILL HAVE A GHOST IN THEM AND DELAY DOES NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME AND HIGH SPEED WHEN ON LOW SPEED, ERRATIC BEHAVIOR ON WIPERS. WON'T TURN ON OR OFF ON OCCASION. WAS THERE A RECALL ON ALSO ON THE PASSENGER SEAT? THE LEVER BROKE RIGHT OFF THE FIRST TIME WE USED IT. CHEAPLY BUILT HANDLES. PLEASE SEND ME A LIST OF RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE PLEASE FOR OUR OWN SAFETY AS THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN DAILY ON OPEN HIGHWAYS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10163903

Incident

Jun 6, 2006

Mileage

116,000 mi

INTERIOR COMPONENTS BREAK EASILY: DRIVER'S RECLINER HANDLE SHEARED OFF, DRIVER'S VISOR HINGE SNAPPED, WINDSHIELD DEFROST GRILLE FRACTURED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10159524

Incident

Feb 10, 2006

Mileage

50,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM IS FAULTY. USUALLY THE WIPERS CONTINUE RUNNING AFTER BEING TURNED OFF, SOMETIMES THEY STOP WHILE RUNNING, FREQUENTLY THEY RUN CONTINUOUSLY WHEN IN THE "INTERVAL" SETTINGS, A FEW TIMES THEY HAVE FAILED TO OPERATE AT ALL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10159523

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

Mileage

50,000 mi

THIS STARTED AS AN OCCASIONAL FAILURE IN 2002 WHEN THE INTERMITTENT WIPERS WOULD SUDDENLY START WIPING AT FULL SPEED "ON THEIR OWN" AND WOULD ONLY GO BACK TO INTERMITTENT SPEED AFTER I WOULD TURN OFF THE WIPERS AND RE-TURN THEM ON. IN AUGUST 2005 THIS CHANGED TO WHERE THE INTERMITTENT WIPERS WOULD GO TO FULL SPEED AND THEN JUST STOP. THEY WOULD NOT RESUME WIPING WHEN I WOULD TURN THE SWITCH ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES (THUS I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN WITH NO WIPERS). HOWEVER - THEY WOULD JUST AS SUDDENLY BEGIN WIPING. IN OCTOBER 2005 I HAD THE LOCAL GM DEALER REPLACE THE WIPER MODULE CIRCUIT BOARD WHICH IT TURNED OUT WAS CRACKED. THIS IS THE SAME PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT GMC DID A RECALL FOR VEHICLES BETWEEN 1994 AND 1997. I HAVE REGISTERED THIS ISSUE WITH THE GM CLAIMS DEPARTMENT - BUT THEY WILL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION FOR A RECALL NOR REIMBURSE THE COST OF THE PART. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147858

Incident

Oct 20, 2005

Mileage

107,081 mi

1998 GMC SONOMA PICK UP. THE WIPERS DON'T WORK OVER HALF THE TIME. AND WHEN YOU SHUT THEM OFF THEY KEEP GOING . IF THEY HAPPEN TO WORK AT THAT TIME. THE HANDLE TO THE DRIVERS DOOR KEEPS BREAKING OFF. *NM

NHTSA ID

10141531

Incident

Oct 14, 2005

Mileage

10,752 mi

MY 98 GMC SONOMA'S WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE FAILED CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY DURING RAIN. INITIALLY, I WAS ABLE TO TAP THE MODULE TO REGAIN WIPER USE, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME UNMANAGEABLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED AT NEIL TWINTER MOTORS COSTING $95.81.*JB

NHTSA ID

10136625

Incident

Sep 15, 2005

Mileage

25 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY. IF THEY WORK, THEY WILL STOP MID-WIPE BLOCKING THE DRIVERS VIEW. HALF OF THE TIME, HOWEVER, THE WIPERS FAIL TO EVEN COME ON. THIS IS A VERY WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM FOR MANY GM TRUCKS AND SUVS BUILT THROUGHOUT THE 1990'S. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134452

Incident

Aug 28, 2004

Mileage

33,000 mi

DT: THE ELECTRIC WIRING FROM THE MAIN TRUNK THAT COMES FROM THE FIREWALL AND THE MOTOR SYSTEM. BRANCHED OFF FROM THE MAIN BRANCH TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHO ONLY WORKED 67% OF THE TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID

10122125

Incident

Sep 11, 2001

Mileage

68,480 mi

1998 GMC SONOMA EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *MR THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO OFF, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED IN RAINY WEATHER, THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED, THE RECLINER HANDLE HAD BROKEN OFF, AND THE HANDLE TO THE SIDE DOOR HAD BROKEN AS WELL. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10119252

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUN FOR A WHILE (5 TO 15 MIN) THEN JUST STOP. AFTER A VARIABLE PERIOD OF TIME (1MIN-10 MIN) THEY WILL COME BACK ON ONLY TO QUIT AGAIN AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. LAST NIGHT IT WAS RAINING HARD AND THE FAILURE CAUSED A SERIOUS LOSS OF VISIBILTY, LUCKLY NO ACCIDENT ENSUED.THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AND I SAW TWO OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEB SITE.

NHTSA ID

10116041

Incident

Mar 28, 2005

Mileage

44,475 mi

INTERMITTENTLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGED BY THEMSELVES TO THE FASTEST SPEED SETTING WHEN IN THE SLOW SPEED SETTING. ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING, BUT ENGAGED AGAIN WITHIN SECONDS ON TWO OCCASIONS. THEN, FAILED TO COME BACK ON THE THIRD OCCASION. THIS FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEFECT DESCRIBED IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER RECALL 03V159000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10105302

Incident

Oct 27, 2004

Mileage

73,000 mi

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY TRUCK WILL WORK FOR A WHILE AND THEN LOCK UP, TODAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT WAS RAINING AND THE WIPERS WERE WORKING FINE AND THEN IT BEGAN POURING SUDDENLY THE WIPERS STOPPED ABOUT HALFWAY ALMOST CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10096063

Incident

Sep 25, 2004

Mileage

67,880 mi

A FEW MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT MY 1998 GMC SONOMA THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. SOMETIME THEY COME ON AND WORK FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN STOP BUT MANY TIMES THEY NEVER WORK. MY DEALER SAYS THE 97 SONOMAS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT CONTINUES ON TO THE 98 MODEL. THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10090470

Incident

Jan 8, 2004

Mileage

75,000 mi