10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
39,445 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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problem #12

Jul 102020

Sonic 4-cyl

  • 86,000 miles
Code 84 while driving on regular road at normal speed. Car goes into power reduction mode. It's difficult to accelerate and the "see mechanic" symbol on the dash. Took it to midas, had the pedal assembly replaced and electrical wires greased. Next week same thing, replaced pedal assembly again. Same thing happened again today. Driving in nice weather going under 45mph. Stabilitrack light comes on and power reduction turns on. Turn car off, sit a minute, turn back on, check engine light and power reduction off. Will happen again. Every day for the last 3 weeks after about a year ago having pedal assembly replaced. Code 84 came on again today, took to the mechanic, they say everything is running fine with the diagnostic reading. Not sure why the power reduction comes on. I have tried driving with traction control off, tc off and stabilitrack off. New tires, new brakes, new windshield (replaced when I bought the car in case there was an internal leak. No water intrusion was found by the mechanics. I cannot drive the car safely on the busy road I work on. Car will go into power reduction at random even when on the highway, causing the car to lose ability to accelerate fast enough to not get hit. Always while driving. Sometimes the check engine light stays on and sometimes it's not on at all. Intermittent power reduction. Mechanics say could be an electrical issue but couldn't find the source of the problem. This has been happening on and off for over a year and no solution has been found. All regular maintenance is scheduled in a timely fashion. Unknown cause of safety issue

- Carol Stream, IL, USA

problem #11

May 012014

Sonic

  • miles
Code P0171 and P0420. I have replaced everything in the car that these codes state. New thermostat, catalytic converter, both 02 sensors, exhaust hose. Fixes for a few days to a week and the same codes keep coming back. Now the button on my gear shift sticks keeping the gear shift from locking into place. This stops me from being able to turn my car completely off and removing key from ignition.

- Myerstown, PA, USA

problem #10

Jul 022019

Sonic

  • 71,000 miles
2013 Sonic ls -from the start, the air conditioner doesn't work, the car was driving on freeway sways uncontrollably but seems like wind at first but there's no wind. It started jerking and hesitating, lights and radio flickering, when in motion in freeway, car started getting hot but not all the way over heating pulled over then the steering column locked in the turn to pull over, when stopped, the car RPM started revving but car wasn't going nowhere, then turned the car off after putting in park and and the key won't come out of the ignition...after wiggling the key for a few minutes it released. Towed the car to friendlies auto repair shop and told them everything that was happening they said they needed to replace the ratiator for $1400 and we paid it. However the car is still doing the same thing and the radiatir didnt fix anything we seen as being wrong. Now they said it's the compressor but we don't have additional money to continue fixing. I read online others with this car are having similar issues.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #9

May 012018

Sonic

  • 79,000 miles
When the car is first started and turned off, the horn goes off each time. If parked but still running, the horn goes off every 2-3 minutes. When locking the car, it doesn't make any noise indicating it has been locked. When phone is plugged in, the music doesn't always work properly. There is a piece to one of the hoses that broke and is now making car run lean. When idling (at a red light or stop sign) the engine shakes vigorously and is harder to get back speed. When car is running and the hood is open, there is a hissing sound.

- Park City, UT, USA

problem #8

Sep 282018

Sonic

  • miles
The speed limit goes in and out to different number so I won't know what's the actual limit. The radio goes in and out so sometimes when it comes back in it scares me. Different signals are popping in and out on the dashboard so I'm not sure about that. This has been happening since I've had the car so the date is when I received the car. The car's dealer said they tried everything and there is nothing else they could could do.

- Jackson, MS, USA

problem #7

May 282018

Sonic

  • 98,999 miles
"takata recall". my air conditioner went out on May 28,2018 while I was sitting in my yard waiting to cook off my car. So I have replaced the air compressor fuse and relays and it still does not work. It came on once since they have been exchanged and the compressor still will not come back on after I have had it unplugged and plugged back in.

- Lewisville, AR, USA

problem #6

Nov 012017

Sonic

  • 16,000 miles
Things started after my vehicle was repaired after a car hit me and took off. I noticed the check engine light came and stayed on, at certain times the car either while driving or while stopped the car will either shake for 2-3 minutes or also while stationary the traction system light will come on then turn off. I've also experienced issues with slow or not as responsive acceleration or unprompted rpg gauge revving and sometimes thats coupled with the shaking to the point that my has shut off while driving down a city street. I was never aware of any recalls so im not sure if it has anything to do with a possible recall that hasnt been diagnosed but theres great cause for concern. - sn: I wasnt able to choose every affected part.

- North Richland Hills, TX, USA

problem #5

Jul 142015

Sonic

  • 65,000 miles
I've had this car for only 2 years and there is always something wrong. First I was driving and it just shut off all the light on dash board went off and from that point on nothing on the steering wheel works. No horn and none of the controls of it are working. My passenger air bag light stays on. Been in the shop 3 times still not working. Now the warning light of over heating come on everytime I have to still in traffic on my way home or driving for a over an hour, have to turn the heater on, on high to get the light and warning beeping to stop. It's already 90, but if I don't the car start shaking. The reason I bought a newer car was to not have to put it on the shop every 4 months. So no horn, cruise control, not sure if air bag work on passenger side and to top it off have to ride with the heat on while it's 90outside to make it home safe, ,(I think, ,).. I call GM customer services over and over again, and they tell me there is not other problems with other cars. My warranty is expired. So it's on me.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #4

May 012016

Sonic

  • miles
While driving my car for the past year now I have noticed my RPM gauge sticking and revving on its own. It is starting to happen more consistently. When I'm driving downhill the RPM gauge will rev high and stay stuck high. Then when I put the car in park it will rev high on its own and stay stuck and eventually come back down. Something new I have started to experience is when I'm at a complete stop the RPM gauge will start revving up and down on it's own while my car lights brighten and dim and my warning light comes on that I'm sliding which is impossible since I'm at a complete stop. I have also noticed the transmission has started to feel jerky lately with everything else. I just purchased this vehicle almost 2 years ago and I only have 58,000 miles on it.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #3

Jun 022016

Sonic

  • 18,338 miles
My vehicle was in motion, straight-line, at 60 mph. This morning on my way to work, my gauge panel went haywire. This isn't the first time it's happened. It's happened many times. I've taken video of this condition and uploaded it to youtube. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=ivsdeo8lcr8 when it happens, not only does the speed and RPM's fluctuate rapidly and inaccurately, but the turn signals quit working (safety issue!), and since the traction control light is coming on, I assume it has quit working as well (safety issue). The vehicle is under warranty, and I've had it in to a local Chevrolet dealership (rk Chevrolet, Virginia beach, va) for repair. They were told of the youtube video and they watched it. They then tried to reproduce the problem and couldn't. so the vehicle was returned without a repair being done. The problem is intermittent. I've tried contact Chevrolet in another way but they were unresponsive. Time to try something different. That's why I am contacting you all.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #2

Jan 012016

Sonic

  • 39,000 miles
The senor codes keep coming on. Had it 3months in shop to reset 3times. Now thermostat or senor bad. Wipers didn't work one day after I brought it. The hoses disconnected from hood area. Had to drive home in rain with head out window. The RPM keeps sticking while I'm driving it. I live on S.S. so I don't have a lot of bucks to keep putting in this car. I traded a good car in chev avero with nothing wrong with it.the dealer charged me to much for this car and wont take it back.you ask for date it been going on since Dec 2015 to April 2016

- Inverness, FL, USA

problem #1

Jan 102016

Sonic

  • 2 miles
My window in the rear will not go up and down from the front control panel, and my key is sticking they have fix my key once and my windows was wandering what was going on.

- Elk Washington, WA, USA