10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
19,861 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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problem #20

Dec 022022

Sonic

  • miles
The driver, and front passenger interior door handles the metallic chrome coating starts to lose its adhesive. When opening the door from the inside it cuts your hands if you don't notice it. Both door handles started to have the same issue within the same year. My children, my wife and myself all have been cut from the same problem. I tried to remove the parts that caused the injury due to us not being home and still required to use the door handles. I didn't want further injury to occur to my family.

- Marana, AZ, USA

problem #19

Jul 172022

Sonic

  • miles
Dashboard speed indicator dimming and getting brighter for no reason. no warning lamps. Check engine lamp turned on then after fueling vehicle engine won't start, or won't shut off. Vehicle is an automatic transmission. A button must be engaged to put vehicle in park, drive, etc. The Button often sticks and keys cannot be removed because the transmission won't go in to park. On July 17 the button popped out while driving. This could have stranded myself or my family. The cause of the issue is unknown, but drivers may become distracted when the end of the automatic gear shift lever pops out or as in my case when putting the vehicle into park it pops out and breaks off entirely. I believe it to be a defective part that can easily break. My vehicle has less than 70,000 miles. It has not been assessed by an insurance agent or dealership yet

- Rigby, ID, USA

problem #18

Jun 092022

Sonic

  • miles
The manual transmission's clutch master cylinder failed on two occasions. It snapped into two pieces. On the first occasion, on March 24, 2022 I stepped on the clutch pedal, and it remained on the floor. The car was essentially inoperable. I was able to coast to a stop by the curb, but the car had to be towed. The part was repaired at a Chevrolet dealer with GM parts and returned to me on March 31, 2022. On June 9, 2022, the part failed again, in the identical manner. The part snapped into two pieces. The Chevrolet dealer is, over my objection, replacing the part. I have objected to the replacement of the part, because I am concerned that it is defective and certain to fail once again in the same way as it did on the two other occasions. I was fortunate on both occassions to be on suburban streets with very light traffic. I was able to coast to a stop at curbside on both occasions. My safety and the safety of others would have been at risk if the failure had happened on a heavily trafficked high-speed superhighway, or had I been ascending a hill on a busy road. The failure of the part makes it impossible for a driver to respond to the situation, as it disables the transmission system.

- Upper Montclair, NJ, USA

problem #17

Feb 102020

Sonic

  • miles
Vehicle shakes and vibrates when first turned on, and driving. Has alot of vibration.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #16

Nov 212019

Sonic

  • miles
Has been hacked

- Marion, IA, USA

problem #15

Jan 052021

Sonic

  • 30,000 miles
1st at 20K miles (2019) my car wouldn't start, stuck late night. Called aaa, battery had dead cell so I purchased one for $200. Months later found out it was covered under the warranty. I started smelling coolant (2019). Dealer said it was the water pump. It was covered under warranty. Started smelling coolant again (2019), it was a valve, wasn't covered. The car wouldn't start, dead cell in the battery again (2020) started smelling coolant (2020), needed a new radiator, wasn't covered under warranty. Started smelling fumes & had a leak. It was the purge solenoid needed replacing, another $500. Two months ago (Nov 2020) the ambient sensor went out $450. Now today (Jan 5, 2021) the airbag light is on and I'm told it's the internal SDM fault and will be close to a $900 repair.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #14

Mar 312019

Sonic

  • 50 miles
2015 hatchback 'my link'/infotainment system just 'froze'/pushing on screen to activate usual functions became unresponsive. The vehicle was stationary.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #13

Aug 072020

Sonic

  • 34,100 miles
Defective ignition switch. Key will not come out. When I put it into park to get out.

- Phoenix, NY, USA

problem #12

Nov 032019

Sonic

  • 75,000 miles
I took my car in for the recall for the manifold. Within 30 days, the check engine light was on. Took it in for service for that, all or the O2 sensors had gone bad, a crack in the housing at the thermostat and a few other things. Got it back and 100 miles later the check engine light comes on again. The catalytic converter is bad.

- Townsend, DE, USA

problem #11

Sep 302019

Sonic

  • 25,000 miles
Stationary. 2015 Chevy Sonic. The gear shift button/knob was sticking and finally broke. I've had to fiddle with it (for the last seven months or so) to get the car in and out of gear using a screwdriver. When the button was stuck in the in position, the gear shift did not lock in place and when in park I could not get the key out of the ignition. When the button was in the out position, it was difficult to push in at times. It finally broke. I've got the casing completely off and the broken button out. There's a plastic lever/spring/contraption that you can press down with a screwdriver to unlock and move the gear shifter. I'm 'cautiously' on my way to the dealer to get it fixed. Here's a youtube video to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about. Sonic shifter button repair https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=0hs_bln4nyo I've also supplied a photo. See attached. 42423234 gear knob lever cover kit for 2012 2016 Chevy Sonic

- Lawton, OK, USA

problem #10

Aug 302019

Sonic

  • 65,000 miles
My Chevy Sonic stalls while driving it. The engine shuts down, door locks cycle, lights go on and off, power steering and brakes go out, rpms drop, and until today, it turns back on, the rpms jump sky high, and the motor revs back to life and it goes fine again for awhile. But today it stalled sitting in mcdonalds parking lot and not only didn't start again, but had to be jumped. I can only imagine what would have happened if my granddaughter and I had her in heavy traffic when that happened! every other time it's been going down the road. One time I was in traffic and it almost caused an accident. It happens almost every day. Especially if I'm running the air conditioner. It happens at all speeds. I have taken it to 3 mechanics and it doesn't 'throw any codes'. it did show a little issue with the alternator so we replaced it but it didn't charge anything. I've done some research and this is a common issue with several years of Chevy Sonic cars. Unfortunately our outcry is going nowhere. GM seems determined to ignore us until someone dies and they get sued. Can you please get them to recall the engine or whatever it is that's causing this issue" please"!!! thank you!

- Cortez, CO, USA

problem #9

Jun 012019

Sonic

  • 7,200 miles
Antifreeze overflow has a leak and is bubbling over the engine light on even after taking it to Chevy dealer. Car stuttered and had bad smell air does not get cool we had to pull over and the second time this happened the car would not start

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #8

Dec 162018

Sonic

  • 2 miles
Shifter knob button sticking. The button sticks to where the car can be shifted out of gear. It causes a problem to where you can not pull key out of ignition with button stuck

- Deshler, OH, USA

problem #7

Aug 012018

Sonic

  • 58,125 miles
When air conditioning is turned on call loses power if stop at a red light or stop sign you can press the accelerator all the way down car is very slow taking off and sometime window control don't work. Air-condition blows hot air at times.

- Radcliff, KY, USA

problem #6

Jun 092018

Sonic

  • miles
Vehicle doesn't always have to be in motion however motion is triggering the engine to stay on or at times disappear for a short period of time. Constant diagnostic testing code is P0011. I have been to General Motors dealerships as they refuse me to go outside their dealers for repairs; results possibility of denying me coverage under my powertrain warranty. I have put in case after case with their complaints and only results into something I already do is 'simply' call dealership. I am driving a very unsafe unpredictable vehicle that is not being fixed. I have been to 3 of their dealerships total times of 8 times. Currently still till this day with same issue.

- Conway, AR, USA

problem #5

Oct 152017

Sonic

  • 40,100 miles
Car has rough idle and when parked running the car it stalls out. Also after putting gas in the gas tank the car will not turn over to start. The check engine light is on now too. The car wants to stall at intersections and in traffic.

- East Falmouth, MA, USA

problem #4

Jul 102017

Sonic

  • 17,274 miles
Horn does not work. Does not work when using smart key/fab. No accident or adverse event from the problem as of yet. Presents a danger when horn is needed to prevent a possible collision with other motorists and/or pedestrians.

- Olathe, KS, USA

problem #3

Jun 042017

Sonic

  • 45,000 miles
I had just pulled into a parking spot at the grocery store, I pressed the button on the shift stick and attempted to put it into park, however the stick got stuck and would not allow me to shift up past the "R" or reverse position, I could not place the vehicle into park. I had to call someone to come help me get the car into the park position. This shift stick button was getting stuck several times before this but it has never gotten stuck like that. I have to contact the dealership but I doubt they will be of any help.

- Glendale, AZ, USA

problem #2

Jun 042016

Sonic

  • 370 miles
The shifting gear gets stuck, and it cannot be moved from park to drive. To move the gear from park to drive and have to use a lot of strength to make the gear change. But sometimes it gets so stuck I have to wait to make the change. When the car is turn off I have to wait 2-3 minutes to remove the key. This happens on and off for no reason. This happens when the car is parked, it does not matter where.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #1

Mar 082016

Sonic

  • miles
Takata recall. I bought this car in may, not even a year old and this car has been in the shop because it keeps dying. It has left me stranded about 8 times now and had to get towed to the Chevy garage.nothing has ever been pluged in to the car. It is brand new. I dont feel safe in it I dont trust it I cant rely on it. I am not happy and want this car bought back.

- Buckhannon, WV, USA