Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 GMC Sonoma, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 12 | 14% |
| Seats | 10 | 12% |
| Structure | 9 | 11% |
| Air bags | 6 | 7% |
| Power train | 6 | 7% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 5 | 6% |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 5% |
| Fuel system | 3 | 4% |
| Equipment | 3 | 4% |
| Seat belts | 3 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 GMC SONOMA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH ON A FLOODED DIRT ROAD, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DITCH. AFTER THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WAS DELAYED. THE CONTACT
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
DURING A PANIC STOP THE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES FELT SOFT BUT STILL WORKED. DURING THE DRIVE THE BRAKES BECAME VERY WEAK. WHEN I CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID IT WAS EMPTY. I REFILLED IT AND STARTED CHECKING
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SONOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING OVER UNLEVELED LAND. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SONOMA. WHILE DRIVING 72 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED, ALL THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VE
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
BRAKE LINE HYDRAULIC FAILURE OF HARD STEEL LINE. THE LINE THAT BROKE GOES TO THE BACK WHEELS ALONG THE FRAME. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
MY 1999 GMC SONOMA HAS HAD A FAULTY FUEL GAUGE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. IT WAS TAKEN INTO JIM CAUSLEY'S PONTIAC/GMC IN CLINTON TOWNSHIP MI ONCE FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. SERVICE REP IN
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
WHILE STEPPING OFF OF TAILGATE, BOTH CABLES SNAPPED AND THE TAILGATE FELL OFF OF PICKUP. NO BROKEN BONES, BUT BUMPS AND SCRAPES. CABLES ARE SEALED, EXCEPT FOR THE ENDS, WHERE WATER MUST HAVE GOTTEN INTO THEM AND CORROD
NHTSA complaint: Structure
I HAVE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL DIFFERENT CHEVY/GMC VEHICLES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING A LAGGING START AND IN SOME CASES NO START WITHOUT A BOOST. MY SONOMA HAS THE LAG AND I HAVE A FEW FRIENDS THAT HAVE BLAZERS AND FULL SIZE TRU
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1999 GMC Sonoma. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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.
Risk: FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Fix: 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.
| Reliability raw | 82 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 86 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 84 | excellent |
| Performance | 52 | average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other pickup trucks in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 12 of them (14%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1999 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 76/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.