2002 GMC Sonoma Problems

WHILE BRAKING FOR A YIELD INTERSECTION ON 3/30/2012, APPROX. 10AM, IN DRY AND CLEAR CONDITIONS, BRAKES ON 2002 GMC SONOMA FAILED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP DESPITE HARD PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RAN THROUGH INTERSECTION ALMOST COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE STOPPED AND PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, BOTH THE ABS AND BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. UPON TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTING, BOTH THE ABS AND BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHTS CLEARED AND WERE NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO BOTH INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND GM DEALERSHIP MECHANIC AND BOTH CONFIRMED AN ODB II TROUBLE CODE OF C0265 HAD BEEN GENERATED. THIS CODE, I WAS TOLD, INDICATES FAILURE OF THE EBCM (ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE) OF THE ABS SYSTEM. APPARENTLY, THIS PROBLEM IS WELL-KNOWN TO GM AND IT HAS ISSUED SEVERAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALLS. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC COULD NOT REPLACE THE EBCM AS LACKED THE PROPRIETARY GM SOFTWARE NEEDED TO PROGRAM IT. GM DEALERSHIP MECHANIC--WHILE CONFIRMING GENERATION OF THE C0265 TROUBLE CODE--REFUSED TO REPLACE THE EBCM INSTEAD SAYING I SHOULD "JUST DRIVE IT AROUND AND SEE IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN." THIS SEEMED A VERY DISMISSIVE APPROACH BY GM TO A KNOWN PROBLEM ON CERTAIN OF THEIR ABS VEHICLES AS THE FIRST BRAKE FAILURE ON 3/20/2012 ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. NOT ANXIOUS TO FIND OUT WHAT THE SECOND FAILURE THE GM DEALER WANTS ME TO "WAIT FOR" WOULD RESULT IN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE, BUT WAS CONCERNED IT COULD SUDDENLY OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

THE 3RD DOOR ON EXT CAB. THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THIS IS MAJOR COMPLAINTS FOR THESE 3RD MODELS. HAVE TO REPLACE PINS OR SOMETHING, BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING. THIS A A LIFE & DEATH HAZARD & DEFECT. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED? IN AN ACCIDENT, (REAR ENDED) THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SONOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE SPARE TIRE WIRE CABLE HOIST ASSEMBLY FRAY SNAPPED AND THE SPARE TIRE FELL ONTO THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

2002 GMC SONOMA ZR-2 EXTENDED CAB DOOR ENTRY HANDLE HAS FAILED 5 TIMES OVER PAST 6 YEARS. PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *TR

DOOR LATCH FOR MY EXTENDED CAB DOOR HAS BROKEN FOR THE 2ND TIME SINCE I'VE OWNED IT, WHICH IS 2004 AND THE LASY ONE LASTED ONLY 2 YEARS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY DISENGAGED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN IN THE ON POSITION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, THE VEHICLE REMAINED POWERED ON. AS A RESULT, THE BATTERY BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 6/22/2015*JS

PLEASE SEE MY NUMEROUS ENTRIES- TOOK VEHICLE IN AGAIN TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT. PICKED UP 11/17/05. ABS BRAKES. SUPPOSEDLY THEY HAVE FINALLY DIAGNOSED THEM.!REPLACED BAD WHEEL SENSOR. H0161.9. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T CHECK THEM PREVIOUSLY. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE NUMBER OF TIMES THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND I HAVE BROUGHT THEM IN. . THEIR RECORDS ONLY SHOW TWICE. RADIO-REPLACED 8 TIMES ALREADY DUPLICATED FREEZING, PLAYING 1 STATION AND SHOWING ANOTHER AT OTH DEALER AND DOC, THEY DIDN'T REPLACE THIS TIME HOWEVER THEY INSTALLED UPDATED SOFTWARE. "WHY WASN'T THIS DONE BEFORE" AND THEY ADVISED A CD WAS STUFF IN THE PLAYER. IT WAS NOT, MY DAU WAS PLAYING A JANIS JOPLIN CD AND TOOK IT WITH HER WHEN WE LEFT THE VEHICLE. WHEN TURN SIGNAL USED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT GOES OUT. THEY SAY THIS HAPPENS ON SOME CARS BUT NOT ALL. THEY CANNOT TELL YOU WHICH CARS IT HAPPENS TO. ONCE WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY FIXED IT. THEN IT STARTED GOING OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SHOWED ME A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAID "SOME VEHICLES" HAS THIS BUT THEY DO NOT DESIGNATE WHICH VEHICLES, I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR BOTH. EMISSIONS, I'VE DRIVEN OVER 2500 MILES AND IT FINALLY PASSED THE READINESS TEST. I TOOK THIS IN 4 TIMES BEFORE DRIVING 1000, THEY ON THE FIFTH TIME I TOOK IT IN IT PASSED WHY DID I HAVE TO DRIVE SO MANY MILES IN ORDER FOR MY VEHICLE TO PASS THE EMISSIONS. MY LEMON TAINTED 2002 SONOMA TRUCK GM REP SYS HIS RECORD SYS I WAS NEVER TOWED. AS YOU KNOW I WAS TOWED TWICE. ONCE WHEN ENGINE JUST STOPPED AND SECOND WHEN MY BATTERY JUST DIED. GENERAL MANAGER AT DEALER SYS MY COMPLAINT SHOWS ONLY TWICE. THEY STILL TELL ME I DO NOT HAVE ANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I SAY I DO. ARE MY BRAKES FIXED? I WILL NEED TO DRIVE IT AND WILL LET YOU KNOW! *NM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SONOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE SPARE TIRE WIRE CABLE HOIST ASSEMBLY FRAY SNAPPED AND THE SPARE TIRE FELL ONTO THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

MY SPARE TIRE ON MY 2002 GMC SONOMA PICKUP FELL OUT OF ITS CARRIER. IT ROLLED ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC, LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND NO ONE WAS STRUCK BY THE RUN AWAY WHEEL. I APPEARS THE CABLE THAT SECURES THE SPARE ON THE TRUCK PARTED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE SPARE HAS BEEN OFF THE TRUCK. *JB

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WAS TOLD AIR INJECTOR VALVE OPER/SOLENOID REPLACE. DROVE 800 MILES, TOOK EMISSIONS TEST FAILED. SHOWED NO CODES. WAS TOLD BY TECH TO TRY DRIVING 100 MILES. OR TAKE TO DEALER, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP CHARGED DIAGNOSTIC FEE. WAS TOLD BY THEM TO DRIVE 100 MILES. DROVE 150 RETURNED NEXT DAY. STILL THE CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. WANT ME TO DRIVE ANOTHER 150 MILES. TWO CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. TOOK BACK TO EMISSIONS PROVIDER, THEY SHOWED ME IT WAS THE 02 SENSOR AND LAST TEST ON THE OBD COMPUTER. I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME. ALSO PLEASE NOTE MY RADIO FROZE AGAIN PLAYING ON 1 STATION AND SHOWING ANOTHER. SHOWED IT TO TECH TODAY. AND ALSO MY BRAKES STILL GIVING SAME PROBLEM. ABS BRAKES STILL PULLING VEHICLE. BOUGHT NEW TIRES TO HELP WITH THE TRACTION. BUT PROBLEM STILL SAME. FUEL WAS ABOUT 12 MILES PER GAL. HOW MANY MILES DO I HAVE TO DRIVE IN ORDER FOR THE COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND. I'VE DRIVEN OVER 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) SINCE FRIDAY 10-21-05. WHAT A LEMON! I WILL BE RETURNING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP (CHEV) TOMORROW AFTER DRIVING 150 MILES. MY DAYTIME LIGHT STILL GOES OUT WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS. *NM

IN DEC. OF 2003 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SO WE TOOK IT IN ONLY TO FIND WE HAD OIL IN OUR RADIATOR. AT A COST OF $800.00 WE HAD IT REPAIRED. WELL IN SEPT. OF 2004 WE SAW SOMETHING LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND AGAIN WE HAVE OIL IN OUR RADIATOR.*AK

PLEASE SEE MY NUMEROUS ENTRIES- TOOK VEHICLE IN AGAIN TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT. PICKED UP 11/17/05. ABS BRAKES. SUPPOSEDLY THEY HAVE FINALLY DIAGNOSED THEM.!REPLACED BAD WHEEL SENSOR. H0161.9. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T CHECK THEM PREVIOUSLY. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE NUMBER OF TIMES THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND I HAVE BROUGHT THEM IN. . THEIR RECORDS ONLY SHOW TWICE. RADIO-REPLACED 8 TIMES ALREADY DUPLICATED FREEZING, PLAYING 1 STATION AND SHOWING ANOTHER AT OTH DEALER AND DOC, THEY DIDN'T REPLACE THIS TIME HOWEVER THEY INSTALLED UPDATED SOFTWARE. "WHY WASN'T THIS DONE BEFORE" AND THEY ADVISED A CD WAS STUFF IN THE PLAYER. IT WAS NOT, MY DAU WAS PLAYING A JANIS JOPLIN CD AND TOOK IT WITH HER WHEN WE LEFT THE VEHICLE. WHEN TURN SIGNAL USED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT GOES OUT. THEY SAY THIS HAPPENS ON SOME CARS BUT NOT ALL. THEY CANNOT TELL YOU WHICH CARS IT HAPPENS TO. ONCE WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY FIXED IT. THEN IT STARTED GOING OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SHOWED ME A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAID "SOME VEHICLES" HAS THIS BUT THEY DO NOT DESIGNATE WHICH VEHICLES, I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR BOTH. EMISSIONS, I'VE DRIVEN OVER 2500 MILES AND IT FINALLY PASSED THE READINESS TEST. I TOOK THIS IN 4 TIMES BEFORE DRIVING 1000, THEY ON THE FIFTH TIME I TOOK IT IN IT PASSED WHY DID I HAVE TO DRIVE SO MANY MILES IN ORDER FOR MY VEHICLE TO PASS THE EMISSIONS. MY LEMON TAINTED 2002 SONOMA TRUCK GM REP SYS HIS RECORD SYS I WAS NEVER TOWED. AS YOU KNOW I WAS TOWED TWICE. ONCE WHEN ENGINE JUST STOPPED AND SECOND WHEN MY BATTERY JUST DIED. GENERAL MANAGER AT DEALER SYS MY COMPLAINT SHOWS ONLY TWICE. THEY STILL TELL ME I DO NOT HAVE ANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I SAY I DO. ARE MY BRAKES FIXED? I WILL NEED TO DRIVE IT AND WILL LET YOU KNOW! *NM

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WAS TOLD AIR INJECTOR VALVE OPER/SOLENOID REPLACE. DROVE 800 MILES, TOOK EMISSIONS TEST FAILED. SHOWED NO CODES. WAS TOLD BY TECH TO TRY DRIVING 100 MILES. OR TAKE TO DEALER, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP CHARGED DIAGNOSTIC FEE. WAS TOLD BY THEM TO DRIVE 100 MILES. DROVE 150 RETURNED NEXT DAY. STILL THE CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. WANT ME TO DRIVE ANOTHER 150 MILES. TWO CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. TOOK BACK TO EMISSIONS PROVIDER, THEY SHOWED ME IT WAS THE 02 SENSOR AND LAST TEST ON THE OBD COMPUTER. I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME. ALSO PLEASE NOTE MY RADIO FROZE AGAIN PLAYING ON 1 STATION AND SHOWING ANOTHER. SHOWED IT TO TECH TODAY. AND ALSO MY BRAKES STILL GIVING SAME PROBLEM. ABS BRAKES STILL PULLING VEHICLE. BOUGHT NEW TIRES TO HELP WITH THE TRACTION. BUT PROBLEM STILL SAME. FUEL WAS ABOUT 12 MILES PER GAL. HOW MANY MILES DO I HAVE TO DRIVE IN ORDER FOR THE COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND. I'VE DRIVEN OVER 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) SINCE FRIDAY 10-21-05. WHAT A LEMON! I WILL BE RETURNING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP (CHEV) TOMORROW AFTER DRIVING 150 MILES. MY DAYTIME LIGHT STILL GOES OUT WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS. *NM

NAR 03-24-2003 MR. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE FIRST 2 TIMED THE GAS GAUGE REAR 1/8TH OF A TANK AND THE LAST TIME IT READ 1/4TH OF A TANK. T HE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED IT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE AND WAS A DESIGN FLAW. *JB

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ON 1/25/06 I TOOK MY 2002 GMC SONOMA PICKUP TRUCK TO ALLEN GMC IN LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA TO HAVE THEM CHECK OUT A CLICKING NOISE I WAS HEARING IN THE STEERING SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY IN IT. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT (GMC P/N 26056116) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF 244.90 PLUS 188.00 FOR LABOR. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE AND THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED FOR A WHILE BUT IN DECEMBER 2007 I NOTICED THAT THE SAME SYMPTOMS (CLICKING NOISE AS WELL AS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL) WERE BACK. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO ALLEN GMC WITH A COPY OF THE INVOICE (INV # GCCS358357)FOR THE ORIGINAL REPAIR. THE SERVICE WRITER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD RETURNED BUT SAID THAT THE REPAIR AND PARTS WERE OUT OF THE 12 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD. I TOLD HIM I WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR INABILITY TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT THEIR COST AND WAS GIVEN THE PHONE NUMBER TO THEIR NATIONAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION LINE (800 GMC-TRUC). I CALLED THIS NUMBER ON 2/15/08 AND TOLD THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP (TERRI AT EXT 21714) ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD FIXED AND THAT IT HAD RETURNED LESS THAN 2 YEARS LATER. SHE GAVE ME A FILE NUMBER OF 71-607365535 AND TOLD ME I WOULD HEAR BACK FROM HER IN A FEW DAYS. ON 2/18/08, TERRI CALLED BACK TO INFORM ME THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT ELAPSED SINCE THE REPAIR THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT GMC WOULD DO FOR ME. I EXPLAINED TO HER THAT IT IS UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT A CUSTOMER TO PAY NUMEROUS TIMES FOR A GMC PART THAT CLEARLY WAS POORLY DESIGNED. I TOLD HER THAT I FOUND SEVERAL INCIDENCES ON THE INTERNET OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PART AND THAT GMC NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE PART THEY NEED TO FIX AT THEIR EXPENSE. SINCE THIS DEFECTIVE PART IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STEERING SYSTEM, I THINK IT IS IS IMPERATIVE THAT GMC FIX IT AND NOT CAUSE THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR THEIR POOR DESIGN. *TR

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH TILT STEERING. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CANNOT BE USED IN THE FULL TILT POSITION BECAUSE IT OBSTRUCTS FULL EXTENSION OF THE RIGHT FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, MAKING BRAKING DIFFICULT. CONSUEMR FEELS THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE ONLY REPLY FROM THE DEALER AND GMC IS DON'T USE THE STEERING WHEEL IN ITS FULL TILT. *JG

TL* - THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN HIS CLUTCH FAILED ON HIS 2002 GMC SONOMA. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET. THE CLUTCH STOPPED ENGAGING, THE ENGINE WAS REVVING BUT NONE OF THE GEARS WOULD ENGAGE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE TOW DRIVER SAID HE COULD SMELL THE CLUTCH BURNING. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE CLUTCH FLUID THE NEXT MORNING AND 3/4 OF IT WAS MISSING. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A CLUTCH REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS SHOWN THE FLYHEEL THAT MELTED. THE FORD DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THE CLUTCH BURNED OUT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK

THE CLUTCH FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN ENGAGED. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING IN A SLOW RAIN, THE DRIVERS SIDE WIPER ARM CAME LOOSE AND FLEW ALL THE WAY PAST THE WINDSHIELD TO THE LEFT OF THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL ATTACHED, IT WOULD NOT MOVE. FORTUNATELY I WAS LESS THAT A MILE FROM HOME AND DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. MY HUSBAND GOT A WRENCH, REPOSITIONED THE WIPER ARM AND TIGHTENED IT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO THEN GO TO WORK. I CONTACTED MY DEALER ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE THAT HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN WITH THIS MODEL AND THAT I SHOULD CARRY A 13 MM WRENCH WITH ME SO IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN I COULD FIX IT LIKE MY HUSBAND HAD. HE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE VEHICLE IN HIS SHOP OR WRITE A TICKET FOR IT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE VEHICLES DID THIS. MY CONCERN IS FOR SAFETY, IF THIS HAD BEEN A HARD RAIN STORM AND I HAD BEEN GOING 60 OR 65 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AS THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS PROBLEM IF VERY COMMON FOR THIS MODEL. *JB