DefectRecord Public Record - Not a Government Site

Home / GMC / Sonoma / 1997

Model Year Problem Record

GMC Sonoma 1997 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 1997 GMC Sonoma: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

111Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints
2Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls
3Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations
20Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Brakes44 complaints

44 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 97V146001.

Visibility31 complaints

31 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine11 complaints

11 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train10 complaints

10 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Air Bags10 complaints

10 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control7 complaints

7 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Tires3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts2 complaints

2 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 97V096001.

Latches, Locks and Linkages2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

97V096001Reported June 12, 1997 - 586,058 vehicles potentially affected

Seat Belts. Recall covering the seat belts system, reported to NHTSA on June 12, 1997. The campaign covers an estimated 586,058 vehicles across all affected models.

97V146001Reported September 11, 1997 - 146,167 vehicles potentially affected

Brakes. Recall covering the brakes system, reported to NHTSA on September 11, 1997. The campaign covers an estimated 146,167 vehicles across all affected models.

Defect Investigations

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened these investigations touching this model year.

EA94038Opened October 31, 1994 - Closed February 28, 2000

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. Resulted in recall campaign 99I006000.

RQ04002Opened February 18, 2004 - Closed May 27, 2004

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

RQ04002Opened February 18, 2004 - Closed May 27, 2004

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

19979
199812
199921
200011
200112
200212
200311
20045
20058
20061
20083
20111
20123
20142
How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.