1998 GMC SONOMA Complaints

CONSUMER STATES DURING THE LAST SIXTH MONTHS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHEN ACTIVATED, WORK FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STOP, CAUSING A VISIBILITY PROBLEM, CONSUMER HAS ROATED THE WIPER KNOB TO HIGH, TURNED IT OFF, AND SLOWED IT DOWN, NEITHER OF WHICH RELIEVE THE PROBLEM, DEALER STATED MOTOR NEEDED REPLACED, HOWEVER CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE MOTOR WAS NOT THE PROBLEM, SO HE IS CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS IS. SERPENTINE BELT FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND DROPS INTO NEUTRAL FOR 1-2 SECONDS, AND THEN GOES BACK INTO GEAR, CAUSING A REVVING IN ENGINE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN JULY 2000, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION STICKING IN GEAR. SAME DEALER CLAIMS TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES STUCK GEAR RESULTED IN AN ENGINE BRAKE CONDITION IN A REDUCED SPEED ZONE WHERE VEHICLE SPEED IS SUDDENLY REDUCED WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON, CONSUMER FOUND TSB 99-07-30-005 REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND STATED THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY, HOWEVER THIS WAS NOT BEEN DONE UNTIL THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY FAILED WHICH CAUSED 3RD GEAR TO LOCK ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUME RWANTS GM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. *SLC

I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK OFF WALLY ARMOUR IN ALLIANCE OHIO.AFTER GETTING IT HOME WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS FRONT END TROUBLE,IT SHOOK REAL BAD,ALSO HEAD LIGHT DID NOT COME ON ALL THE TIME AND THE MIRROR ON DRIVERS DOOR SHIMMIED BAD AND MIRROR ON WINDOW WAS FALLING OFF.THIS VEHICLE IS A 1998 SONOMA GMC.I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AS A LEMON AND NOW THEY ARE CHARGING ME OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF TAXES BESIDES RUINING MY CREDIT TO NEARLY ZERO.WHAT CAN I DO?IS THERE DEFAULTS ON THIS VEHICLE?*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT OUT DURING A RAIN STORM. WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENED ALL THE TIME. CONSUMER CONSIDERED THIS DANGEROUS BECAUSE HE COULD NOT SEE WHEN RAINING. *AK

THE RECLINER SEATBACK HANDLE IS ATTACHED TO A SUB-STANDARD METAL PART WHICH HAS BROKEN ON THIS TRUCK TWICE SINCE NOVEMBER 1999. IN BOTH INSTANCES IT APPEARS THE METAL PORTION THAT THE HANDLE IS SCREWED INTO IS NOT A HIGH GRADE METAL AND THUS CAN BE BROKEN IN TWO PIECES FROM REGULAR USE. PER OUR SERVICE ADVISORS AT THE PONTIAC/GMC DEALERSHIP, THEY'VE INDICATED THIS WAS THE PART THAT USED THE LOWEST GRADE MATERIAL THUS THEY HAVE SEEN MORE OF THIS PART BREAK ON THIS TRUCK THAN ANYTHING ELSE. ALSO, THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THIS WAS THE SECOND TRUCK WITH THIS PROBLEM THIS WEEK. I DEFINATELY NEED TO KNOW IF THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM IN THE LONG RUN WITH THESE TRUCKS IN QUESTION. I MAY NOT BE THE FIRST, BUT I AM CERTAINLY NOT THE LAST TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM.

WHEN HE APPLYING BRAKES ABS BRAKING LIGHT CAME ON. THEREFORE, SYSTEM WAS INOPERABLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT EBCM DEVICES WERE BAD .THIS WAS BRAIN UNIT TO THIS DEVICE. *AK

THE SYSTEM THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE BROKE AT THE SPRING BOLT/CABLE CONNECTION. MANY CARS AND TRUCKS HAD TO SWERVE TO AVAOID THE TIRE ONCE IT CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE TRUCK! GMC SAYS THEY WON'T FIX IT, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HISTORY WITH THE PICK UP. I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A FRIEND . THAT TIRE CAME OUT AT 25 MPH!!! IT WAS A REAL SCARY SITUATION!

TANSMISSION PROBLEM...WHINNING, NOT ABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR/ TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE/PILOT BEARING BUSHING REPLACED/CRANK SHAFT REPLACED TWICE/ NOW REFUSES TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE ON TRUCK. HAVE PREGNANT DAUGHTER DRIVING VEHICLE CANNOT SHIFT AGAIN. THIS IS THE SEVENTH TIME I HAVE TAKEN IN FOR SAID REPAIRS. WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY OF PREGNANT DAUGHTER.

IGNITION COIL HAS A PRONOUNCED "WHITE STRIP" BY THE COIL CORE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY INSULATION THAT IS DECAYED AND OPENING UP TO EXPOSE THE WINDINGS. FACTORY TELLS THE DEALER IT IS NORMAL. IT IS OBVIOUS TO THE UNTRAINED EYE THAT THE WINDINGS ARE JUST UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE INSULATION. IT IS A SUSPECTED PROBLEM THAT HAS CAUSED ERRATIC ENGINE RUNNING CHARACTERISTICS.

SPARE WHEEL WOULD NOT FIT ON THE TRUCK, WRONG NUMBER OF HOLES IN THE WHEEL. *MJS