Total Complaints
9 filings
CHEVROLET SONOMA · model year
1994 CHEVROLET SONOMA
9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994CHEVROLETSONOMA carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1994 SONOMA is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 4 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (1) and engine and engine cooling:cooling system:hoses/lines/piping/fittings (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1994 SONOMA, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
9
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001212VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP AT ANY GIVEN TIME. IF CONSUMER JIGGLES CIRCUIT BOARD THEY WILL COME BACK ON. BUT, PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. *AK THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED TWICE AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS WERE REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED. JIGGLING THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS THE ONLY SOLUTION SO FAR. ALSO BACK UP LIGHT SWITCH FAILED AND WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES BUT GOES OUT WITHINTWO WEEKS EACH TIME. *YH
20001212EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP AT ANY GIVEN TIME. IF CONSUMER JIGGLES CIRCUIT BOARD THEY WILL COME BACK ON. BUT, PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. *AK THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED TWICE AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS WERE REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED. JIGGLING THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS THE ONLY SOLUTION SO FAR. ALSO BACK UP LIGHT SWITCH FAILED AND WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES BUT GOES OUT WITHINTWO WEEKS EACH TIME. *YH
19990827ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY NOTICED THAT ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT A LINE/HOSE TO THE ENGINE WAS NOT ATTACHED PROPERLY . *AK
19990827UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY NOTICED THAT ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT A LINE/HOSE TO THE ENGINE WAS NOT ATTACHED PROPERLY . *AK
19980220SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCK UP CONTINUOUSLY, ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON ONE OCCASION DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL, REPAIRS MADE HOWEVER PROBLEMS CONTINUE.
19970722SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE KEPT ON ROLLING ABOUT 20-30 FEET. DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ONCE THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. *AK
19970124CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES FAILED WHEN CONSUMER PUSHED ON PEDAL, VEHICLE REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A MISHAP. *AK
19961223SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, WHEN BRAKES ARE USED THEY LOCK UP, OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERS THEY SAID THE REAR BRAKES WERE WORN. *AK
19961029CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED SIX TIMES, ONCE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.
Compare 1994CHEVROLETSONOMA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 CHEVROLET SONOMA have?▼
The 1994 CHEVROLET SONOMA has 9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 CHEVROLET SONOMA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 CHEVROLET SONOMA is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS.
Is the 1994 CHEVROLET SONOMA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.