1995 GMC Sonoma SLS from North America - Comments

The vehicle is on its fourth battery, but I feel that is the nature of Florida. An outside manual mirror has fallen off every fifty thousand miles. I am preparing to have to put the fifth mirro on the truck. The oil pan had to be replaced at 100,000 miles, either due to the plug threads failing or sloppy mechanics at the dealer changing the oil. I have lifetime oil and filter change in the purchase deal.

I have a 1995 Sonoma, currently 142,000 miles. Thus far, it has been a very mechanically sound vehicle. The engine has performed marvelously. Does not have the first leak of any kind. I have experienced minor problems. It is on its fourth battery, but I think that is the nature of batteries in Florida. Alternator replaced. The left rear speaker on the standard AM/FM radio quit early on. When I bought the truck, the dealer through in lifetime oil and filter change. On schedule, every 3,000 miles the oil has and still is changed. At 100,000 I had to have the oil pan changed because the threads for the plug gave out or were stripped by a careless oil changer. That cost $500 in labor. They have to drop the lower half of the front end to change the pan!

My one real complaint is every 50,000 miles; I lose one of the outside manual mirrors. They are weak; they bounce to a point where they break off. I am about to lose the right side for the second time. I have replaced both sides one time already. This will be the fifth outside mirror on the truck. I sent an email to GMC and was basically told it was not a recognized problem and they just did not give a hoot.

Has anybody else had this problem? I have noticed that the design of the mirror was changed in 1997 to a stronger housing. Does anybody know if this newer style will fit on the '95 model? As I said previously, this Sonoma has been a very good mechanically sound truck.

I am the owner of a 94 sonoma. I have lost both the left and right side mirror once. The driver side was lost to a speed bump at probably five miles per hour and the left was lost to a friend who barely leaned on it. They do seem to be a little weak.

I am the owner of 1995 Sonoma. I have put 138,000 miles on her, and the driver side mirror and the passenger side mirrors haven't fell off yet, but I think that both of them are gonna before the next oil change.

I also own a 1995 Sonoma and both of my mirrors are about to fall off. I agree that the structure of the mirror housing seems to be a little weak. What can be done about this?

I own a 1995 Sonoma and have not had any problems till this past two weeks, I am loosing power going up inclines and cannot find the problem, is there any body out there that can possibly tell me what is happening. It starts after it has warmed up, it will idol for awhile, but then after it is warm it bogs down, PLEASE HELP...

Shadow Kistner

of Arkansas.

The battery is a systemic problem with the 1995 Sonoma. Note that newer models have their batteries wrapped. This is to reduce under hood temperatures to the battery. I am on my 6th battery. Get one with a long warranty because it is going to keep happening. My ignition key does not move into the off position all the time. The result is the door continues to buzz and if not moved to the off position by hand (without the key in) it will drain the battery. Is this a problem with yours too?

Rear speaker went out in mine too. I know it really shakes on that plastic panel.

Oil pan replacement.

The oil pan is aluminum and if the drain plug is overtightened then the steel drain plug will beat/strip out the oil pan threads. Your dealer made a mistake. The drain plug has this composite washer that must be replaced about every third oil change. You should carry one with you and hand it to the dealer on every third oil change. Why you ask? As this washer deteriorates, the drain plug could leak slightly, so what does the installer do? They over tighten the drain plug and eventually strip those threads.