1991 GMC Sonoma problems & reliability
29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 GMC Sonoma. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1991 GMC Sonoma vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 14 | 48% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 10% |
| Power Train | 2 | 7% |
| Steering | 2 | 7% |
| Structure | 2 | 7% |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 1991 gmc sonoma. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, an unusual noise emitted from of the vehicle. The contact then noticed hat the spare tire had become detached from under the vehicle as a result of a fractured support cable. The vehicle was not repaired. The…”
Tires · filed Jan 2, 2013
“Tl* the contact owns a 1991 gm sonoma. While driving at speeds of 20 mph, the drivers door would open without warning. The door latch pin was found to be severely rusted. The dealer advised the warranty had expired and were not willing to repair the vehicle. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Jun 18, 2010
“1991 gmc sonoma. Tilt steering has become very loose has not caused any wrecks or damage afraid to drive. Have not taken for repairs. Mileage counter broke some years ago this truck has aprox. 200,000 miles on with no other complaints, did have manual trans replaced under warranty many years ago. *tr”
Steering · filed Jun 16, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILS
Preliminary Evaluation PE94046 · opened Jun 17, 1994 · closed Oct 31, 1994
Technical service bulletins
2 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 GMC Sonoma.
Water leak at the a/c recirculation door (install new hood hinge seal). *tw
GM561204 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
End gate latch rattle (install revised striker). *tw
GM161514 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 GMC Sonoma in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 GMC Sonoma?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.