2000 GMC SONOMA Complaints

THE TAILGATE ON MY SONOMA TRUCK WAS IN THE OPEN POSITION, A PIECE OF WOOD (SO SMALL IT DIDN'T EVEN LEAVE A DENT) FELL ON THE GATE. THE TWO CABLES WHICH SUPPORT THE TAILGATE BOTH SNAPPED AT THE SAME TIME ALLOWING THE GATE TO FALL STRAIGHT DOWN. AFTER FINDING THE INFO REGARDING THE SIERRA TRUCKS HAVING THIS PROBLEM, YOU NEED TO KNOW IT IS THE SMALL TRUCKS AS WELL. THE EXACT SAME REPLACEMENT PARTS FROM GMC COST ME APPROX $96.00, AND I HAVE TO INSTALL THEM MYSELF! VERY HAZARDOUS. *NM

WHILE CLIMBING UP INTO THE BED OF MY 2000 GMC SONOMA BOTH OF THE TAILGATE CABLES ON MY TRUCK FAILED SENDING ME TUMBLING TO THE GROUND. I WAS NOT INJURED BUT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO MY TAILGATE. THERE IS NOW A DENT THAT RUNS THE LENGTH OF MY TAILGATE WHERE IT CAME TO REST ON MY REAR BUMPER. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM YET AS I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THE TAILGATE CABLE IS COVERED BY THE 2004 RECALL OF THE SAME CABLES THAT ARE USED IN OTHER GMC TRUCK MODELS.

THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ON MY GMC SONOMA BROKE AT THE SAME TIME. I WENT FISHING AND SAT ON THE TAILGATE TO PUT ON MY BOOTS. BOTH CABLES SNAPPED AT THE SAME TIME. THE TAILGATE DROPPED TO THE BUMPER AND DENTED.

(2000 GMC SONOMA) THE CABLE ON THE TAILGATE RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS STANDING ON IT. *TT *SC *JB

DT: CABLES THAT ARE ATTACHED THE TAILGATE BECOME RUSTED AND CORRODED. THEY BROKE. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND BOUGHT NEW CABLES. *AK CONSUMER FEELS THIS INCIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH ONLY 68,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE SAME CABLES ON THE TAILGATES OF THE LARGER FULL SIZED TRUCKS HAVE RESULTED IN A NATIONWIDE RECALL AND THIS SHOULD BE THE SAME RECALL FOR THE SMALLER TRUCKS. *SB *NM

GMC 2000 SONOMA SLS 1) THE THIRD DOOR PLASTIC HANDLE ACTUATOR SNAPS OFF. (ONCE IN 5 YEARS) .....I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY CAREFUL NOT TO FORCE THE HANDLE BECAUSE A MECHANIC TOLD ME FOUR YEARS AGO THAT THE HANDLES WERE ALREADY BREAKING ON MANY CUSTOMERS. I BOUGHT THE PART AT A GM DEALERSHIP FOR $30 AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF...NOT TOO TOUGH IF YOU ARE A "PROJECT PERSON" WITH MANY TOOLS. TOOK ABOUT ONE HOUR. THE INITIAL ROD ADJUSTMENT MUST HAVE BEEN BAD BECAUSE MY INSTALL IS NOW BETTER FUNCTIONING THAN THE ORIGINAL. 2) THE METAL ROD OF THE RECLINER HANDLE SNAPS IN HALF. (ONCE IN 5 YEARS) ......THIS HAPPENED WHEN A TECHNICIAN WAS WORKING IN THE BACK CAB SPACE REPLACING MY BACK WINDOW. I THOUGHT THEY DID IT ON PURPOSE TO GENERATE SOME PAPERWORK. THE GUY SWORE TO ME THAT THOSE HANDLES HAVE BROKEN ON THEM MANY TIMES, AND MY PASSENGER SIDE WILL DO THE SAME SHORTLY. THEY REPLACED IT FOR FREE, BUT IT TOOK TWO HOURS AND THEY HAD TO TAKE THE WHOLE SEAT APART. 3) THE TAILGATE CABLES CORRODE AND SUDDENLY BREAK IN HALF. (TWICE IN 5 YEARS) ......THE FIRST TIME IT JUST SNAPPED FOR NO REASON. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT FREE. JUST ONE YEAR LATER THE NEW CABLE BROKE WHEN I WAS PUSHING OFF A LOAD...I ALMOST TUMBLED OFF UNDER THE DROPPING LOAD. THEY WANT $48 FOR THE CABLE ALONE, WHICH IS RIVETED TO A BRACKET. I AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND REFUSE TO PAY THAT MUCH OR THE LABOR. I AM GOING TO RIG UP MY OWN REPLACEMENT. MEANWHILE, THE EXISTING CABLE IS STRAINED AND THE UPPER CABLE BODY ATTACHMENT ROD IS BENT. THE TAILGATE WAS DENTED WAS THE CABLES SNAPPED. I CONDUCTED MUCH RESEARCH ON THE WEB ON THESE ISSUES, AND FOUND THEY ARE A COMMON PROBLEM. MOST PEOPLE WON'T TAKE THE TIME TO REPORT THEM, THOUGH....SO YOU NEED TO ESTIMATE THIS AND ALSO DEMAND GM'S WARRANTY AND PARTS RECORDS. WHAT IS SAD IS THAT ALL THREE OF THESE ISSUES INVOLVE GMC LITERALLY TRYING TO SAVE PETTY NICKLES AND DIMES ON MATERIAL QUALITY IN CRITICAL FUNCTION PARTS.

MY 7 YEAR OLD SON WAS OPENING THE TAILGATE ON MY SONOMA WHEN HE DROPPED IT. BOTH TAILGATE CABLES BROKE AT THE SAME TIME. LUCKILY HE WAS NOT INJURED, BUT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN. THESE CABLES APPEAR TO BE IN PERFECT CONDITION EXCEPT FOR THE POINT AT WHICH THEY BEND WHEN THE TAILGATE IS SHUT. THE COATING HAD FLAKED OFF AND THE EXPOSED STEEL CABLES HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THE USE OF A BETTER COATING OR STAINLESS STEEL CABLES WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS FROM HAPPENING.

WHILE STEPPING ONTO THE TAILGATE BOTH SUPPORT CABLES BROKE AND CAUSE THE TAILGATE TO DROP COMPLETELY. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE CONSUMER TO TWIST HIS RIGHT ANKLE WHEN THE TAILGATE DROPS UNEXPECTEDLY. BOTH SUPPORT CABLES SHOW SIGN OF CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *NM *BF *NM

TAILGATE CABLES ON 2000 GMC SONOMA PICKUP TRUCK HAVE BROKEN. GMC/CHEVROLET HAS A RECALL ON FULL-SIZE TRUCKS FOR BROKEN DEFECTIVE CABLES. (MY 2003 SILVERADO WAS RECALLED AND CABLES REPLACED N/C). GMC/CHEVROLET NEEDS TO STEP UP AND RECOGNIZE SAME SAFETY PROBLEM ALSO EXISTS ON THE SMALL TRUCKS AND PROVIDE N/C REPLACEMENT OF THESE CABLES. BOTH CABLES ON MY SON'S 2000 GMC SONOMA ARE BROKEN. VIN [XXX] *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2000 GMC SONOMA TAILGATE STRAP BROKE AND RUSTED THROUGH.*MR THE CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE OTHER STRAPS BREAKING WHILE LOADING OR UNLOADING THE TRUCK AND THE INJURIES WHICH MAY RESULT. *BF *NM