These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.
Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.
Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.
The full record
Tap to open
What owners complain about
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Seller kit
Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points
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Walk up to the seller ready
Questions to ask the seller of a 1996 GMC Sonoma, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Write your offer
A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email
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Send the seller a fair offer
Type the asking price and your own offer for the 1996 GMC Sonoma, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
When problems show up
Loading mileage at failure
Will it outlast the loan?
The month of your loan each problem zone lands in
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Recalls
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Crash ratings
NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.
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Fuel economy
The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.
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True cost to own
The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
What it really costs to own
What the 1996 GMC Sonoma costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Every year of the Sonoma
Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.
Loading every year of this model
Before you buy this one
Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.
Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.
Fuel system
Mar 12, 2007 · Recall 07E021000
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.
What can happen
Fuel may leak, possibly resulting in a fire.
The 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.
Fuel system
May 19, 2006 · Recall 06E043000
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.
What can happen
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.
The fix
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).
Brakes
Jul 19, 1999 · Recall 99V193000
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.
What can happen
If this occurred at a time when minimum stopping distance was required, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
The fix
Dealers will replace or repair the 4-wheel/2-wheel drive switch.
Brakes
Jul 19, 1999 · Recall 99I006000
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.
What can happen
These vehicles can experience extended stopping distances during ABS stops on certain multiple surfaces, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
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.
Windows, wipers and visibility
Jul 1, 1998 · Recall 98V150001
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.
What can happen
This condition can result in inoperative wipers, reducing a driver's visibility, and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
The fix
Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover.
Brakes
Sep 11, 1997 · Recall 97V146001
Vehicle description: light duty passenger pickup trucks equipped with 4.3l engines. The front brake line can contact the left-hand side of the engine oil pan causing the brake line to wear to the point of brake fluid loss during brake application.
What can happen
Brake fluid loss can reduce braking effectiveness and increase stopping distances resulting in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the clearance between the oil pan and the brake line. If the clearance is 6mm or less, dealers will install an additional brake line clip and if there was contact between the oil pan and brake line, the front brake line will be replaced.
Show 3 more recallsShow fewer recalls
Seat belts
Jun 12, 1997 · Recall 97V096001
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.
What can happen
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.
The fix
Dealers will install a protective cover over the recliner mechanism.
Windows, wipers and visibility
Jan 27, 1997 · Recall 97V008001
The top coat paint severely peels due to overbaking of the powder primer prior to the top coat application. Since the windshield primer and adhesive adhere to the top coat paint onthe windshield opening flange, the windshield does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 212, "windshield mounting."
In the event of a vehicle crash, the windshield may not stay in place as required by fmvss no. 212.
The fix
All vehicles have been repurchased. This campaign is 100%.
Transmission and drivetrain
Feb 22, 1996 · Recall 96V035000
Some of these trucks were built with transmissions containing parts which were not machined to GM's specifications.
What can happen
These transmissions could seize and lock the rear drive wheels while the truck is being driven causing a loss of vehicle control increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the transmission main shaft output torque using a special tool. If the output torque does not meet specifications, the transmission will be replaced.
Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Feb 20, 1996 to Sep 8, 2014. 25% name a part that is usually costly to fix.
Owners reported 28 crashes, 1 fire and 5 injuries in these complaints.
Brakes58 · 34%
Windows, wipers and visibility32 · 19%
Engine20 · 12%Usually costly to fix
What one owner wrote about the brakes
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 gmc sonoma. While applying the brakes at 55 mph, the brake pedal extended all the way to the floor. The emergency brake was applied to stop the vehicle. The contact was a mechanic and he replaced the front brake line for the passenger side wheel. The failure was corrected temporarily. However, twenty miles later, the failure…
Filed Jul 26, 2007NHTSA complaint 101975451 of 18 owner quotes
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
14 more parts, and 18 owner quotes
Every part owners name for the 1996 GMC Sonoma, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Transmission and drivetrain, Body and frame.
Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 9 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the brakes. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look at the brakes first.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the brakes.
Brake firmly somewhere safe. Feel for pulling, grinding or a soft pedal.
