1998 GMC Sonoma Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 1998 GMC Sonoma, and owners have filed 156 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 1998 GMC Sonoma
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Exterior lighting
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the daytime running lights built with a candela value greater than 3,000 cannot be mounted higher than 864mm above the road surface.
Remedy: Dealers will install a revised wiring harness that changes the drl's from high beam to low beam drl's, and install new long-life low beam bulbs.
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Electrical system: front underhood
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose vehicles. An engine electrical wiring-harness clip can melt and drip onto the exhaust manifold.
Remedy: Dealers are contacting owners by telephone to have their vehicles towed to the dealer and alternate transportation provided to them until the dealer can reroute the electrical wiring-harness.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. A fatigue fracture of the rear axle right-hand brake pipe can occur causing a slow brake fluid leak resulting in a soft brake pedal. If the brake pipe breaks, the driver would experience a sudden drop in the brake pedal, the instrument panel brake light…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pipe.
156 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 GMC Sonoma have filed 156 complaints with NHTSA; 9 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 73,463 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 27 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“While driving all electrical shuts down engine , everything!!!!!!!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 11, 2017 · Electrical system
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 11, 2016 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1998 GMC Sonoma (Sonoma 2WD, Sonoma 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 16–22 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 14–20 / 19–26 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Small Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2.2/4.3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare GMC Sonoma model years
Recall and complaint counts for every GMC Sonoma model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 GMC Sonoma | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 GMC Sonoma | 0 | 1 |
| 1991 GMC Sonoma | 1 | 29 |
| 1992 GMC Sonoma | 1 | 25 |
| 1993 GMC Sonoma | 2 | 58 |
| 1994 GMC Sonoma | 2 | 224 |
| 1995 GMC Sonoma | 3 | 213 |
| 1996 GMC Sonoma | 6 | 148 |
| 1997 GMC Sonoma | 2 | 111 |
| 1998 GMC Sonoma | 3 | 156 |
| 1999 GMC Sonoma | 0 | 57 |
| 2000 GMC Sonoma | 3 | 136 |
| 2001 GMC Sonoma | 1 | 89 |
| 2002 GMC Sonoma | 0 | 57 |
| 2003 GMC Sonoma | 1 | 39 |
| 2004 GMC Sonoma | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 GMC Sonoma | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1998 GMC Sonoma
How do I know if my 1998 GMC Sonoma has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1998 GMC Sonoma; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised GMC dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V220000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other GMC models
- Sierra 15008,930 complaints
- Acadia5,569 complaints
- Yukon4,989 complaints
- Sierra3,937 complaints
- Terrain3,124 complaints
- Jimmy2,720 complaints
- Envoy2,459 complaints
- Yukon XL2,417 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.