Verdict · NHTSA data
One of the years to avoid
With 254 complaints filed to NHTSA — about 3.4 times the median Sonoma year — the 1995 model ranks #2 of 17 Sonoma years for complaint volume. It lands on the years-to-avoid list. Complainants reported 13 injuries in total across these filings.
Brakes leads the complaint categories with 94 reports (37% of the total).
254
NHTSA complaints
7
Recalls
2
Investigations
35
Crash-involved
0
Fires reported
13
Injuries
0
Deaths
—
NCAP overall
| Component | Complaints | Share | vs prior year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 94 | 37% | ▼ down |
| Visibility & Wipers | 54 | 21% | — flat |
| Engine | 30 | 12% | ▲ up |
| Airbags | 13 | 5% | ▲ up |
| Fuel System | 11 | 4% | ▲ up |
| Electrical System | 9 | 4% | — flat |
| Tires & Wheels | 7 | 3% | ▲ up |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 3% | ▲ up |
| Transmission | 7 | 3% | ▼ down |
| Seats | 6 | 2% | ▲ up |
| Speed Control | 5 | 2% | ▼ down |
| Lighting | 4 | 2% | — flat |
| Other | 3 | 1% | ▲ up |
| Body & Structure | 2 | 1% | ▲ up |
| Steering | 2 | 1% | — flat |
7 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Defect
CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.
Consequence
FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Remedy
DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
Defect
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
Defect
CERTAIN R&B, INC. CENTRAL MULTIPORT FUEL INJECTION (CMFI) FUEL RETURN LINES, MODELS HELP 55163, NAPA BALKAMP 700-3270, AND THE CONNECTION 2560001, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL RETURN LINE HAS A MECHANICAL BLEED VALVE WHICH WAS NOT INSTALLED AT THE PROPER TORQUE.
Consequence
A FUEL LEAK CAN OCCUR AT THE VALVE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Remedy
R&B, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND AT THE CUSTOMERS REQUEST, EITHER REPLACE THE FUEL LINE OR OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT R&B, INC. AT 215-712-5330.
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS (ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1989 THROUGH AUGUST 1996. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS THE SWITCH WHICH SIGNALS THE ABS SYSTEM WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN 2-WHEEL OR 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAN MALFUNCTION CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING ABS STOPS WHILE IN THE TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODE.
Consequence
IF THIS OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE OR REPAIR THE 4-WHEEL/2-WHEEL DRIVE SWITCH.
Defect
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, OR MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH 3-SENSOR ABS (ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) EBC4 UNITS.
Consequence
THESE VEHICLES CAN EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING ABS STOPS ON CERTAIN MULTIPLE SURFACES, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE COMPUTER PROGRAM WHICH OPERATES THE ABS UNIT ON SOME VEHICLES, OR REPLACE THE COMPUTER ON OTHERS TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ABS ON THESE SURFACES.
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 60/40 FRONT BENCH SEATS AND EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL LOCKING RECLINER BUCKET SEATS. THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE DRIVER'S AND/OR PASSENGER'S SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT.
Consequence
IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THERE WERE SECONDARY CRASH EVENTS OR VEHICLE ROLLOVER, THERE WOULD BE NO BELT RESTRAINT OF THE OCCUPANT AND INCREASED INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.
Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.
“WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A SUDDEN STOP ON WET PAVEMENT, THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD; BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSING TWO ACCIDENTS ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE…”
“I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ON 6/30/98 BECAUSE OF ANOTHER SAFETY RECALL OF THE SEAT BELTS, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PHONE TOLD ME HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS CONDITION, EVEN THOUGH I HEARD ABOUT IT ON NATIONAL NEWS AND YOUR WEB SITE. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING…”
“REPEATED EGR VALVE FAILURE.TWICE IN 1997. REPLACED AGAIN ON 7/12/2001. IN THE DEALERS SHOP AGAIN 7/17/2001 FOR PROBABLE SAME EGR REPLACEMENT. HAS SPECIAL POLICY #G98066 THAT EXTENDS THE WARRANTY TO 7 YRS OR 75,000 MILES. EGR FAILURE CAUSES ROUGH DRIVING CONDITIONS AND BRAKE FAILURE. WOULD LIKE A…”
“WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 45-50 MPH ON A WET ROAD HAD TO APPLY BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY STUATION WHICH CAUSED FRONT DRIVER'S TIRES TO BLOWOUT, AND VEHICLE HIT GUARDRAIL. VEHICLE WAS STRUCK AGAIN BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE, AND STILL BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK”
“DURING SIDE IMPACT, WHICH HIT RIGHT REAR WHEEL AT APPROX. 35MPH, CAUSE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER THEN LEAK FUEL OUT FILLER NECK. TT”
NHTSA data argues against it: 254 complaints put the 1995 model at #2 of 17 Sonoma years. It is one of the Sonoma years to avoid.
According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are brakes (94 complaints), visibility & wipers (54 complaints), engine (30 complaints).
Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns affecting the 1995 GMC Sonoma. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.
NHTSA opened 2 investigations into this model year; all are now closed.
Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the Sonoma years to avoid are 1994, 1995, 1998, 1996, 2000, 1997. The cleanest record among Sonoma years belongs to 2004.
Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.
Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.