1994 GMC Sonoma SLS review from North America
"A very well made vehicle"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The Brakes have been my worst problem. I have had to replace them approximately every 40K. The pedal has continuously been spongy.
At 60K I had to replace serpentine belt.
At 85K I had to replace the Alternator.
At 120K I had to replace water pump.
At 125K I had to replace the serpentine belt.
At 130K the multi-position switch in steering column started failing intermittently. The turn signal stopped automatically turning off around the same time. The windshield wipers are also connected via this switch, thus they fail intermittently.
At 135K the right side view mirror control motor or associated circuitry failed.
General comments?
I have changed oil every 3K or 3 months.
At 100K I had the engine bilstien flushed. Made a world of difference in power.
The interior has held up very well.
The ride is very comfortable for a small truck. I have made several 15 to 25 hour trips in it.
At 140K I wouldn't hesitate driving this vehicle on a 10 hour trip. I make 4 to 5 hour trips regularly.
I have made the following modifications:
-Hypertech High Performance Chip
-Flow Master catalytic converter
-Flow Master Single inlet, dual outlet muffler
-2.5" Dual Exhaust from muffler back
-K & N Air Filter
-8mm plug wires
-Tried using Bosch Plus Fours, but they made engine run hot and reduced performance. Replaced with AC Delco's and ran great.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 1995 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.3 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 30000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 140000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan 2 X 4 Truck |
| Date of Entry | 3rd December, 2003 |