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What 353 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (353)Crash / fire / injury (36)Transmission & drivetrain (154)Engine (82)Electrical system (59)Airbags (34)Suspension (19)Fuel system (18)Brakes (16)Speed control (16)Visibility & wipers (16)Steering (14)

36 of 353 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters · page 2 of 2

May 28, 2014Fuel systemCrash

MY MOTHER STATED THAT SHE WAS SITTING STILL AT A RED LIGHT WAITING FOR IT TO TURN GREEN WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD CAUSING HER TO STRIKE THE CAR THAT WAS IN FRONT OF HER. SHE MANAGED TO STEERING AROUND THAT CAR AND BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. SHE AND MY SISTER TOLD ME THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS STANDING STILL AND HER FEET WERE ON THE BRAKES.UPDATED 06/03/14 *BF *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594703

Apr 9, 2014Electrical systemCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,500.

NHTSA ODI 10578460

Apr 1, 2014Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEquipment Adaptive/mobilityCrash

ON OR AROUND DECEMBER, 2014, THE SHIFT COVER WOULD NOT ATTACH PERMANENTLY. ON OR AROUND MARCH 10, 2014, THE ELECTRICAL ACCESS PLUG DID NOT OPERATE. ON OR AROUND MARCH 6, 2014, MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING AROUND 45MPH, AND WE HIT AN ELK. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10576112

Mar 19, 2014AirbagsCrash1 injury

VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON DRIVER SIDE BY ANOTHER CAR THAT FAILED TO STOP AT A FOUR WAY STOP. THE IMPACT WAS MOSTLY ON THE DRIVER DOOR. THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10573633

Mar 17, 2014AirbagsCrash1 injury

I WAS IN A TBONE ACCIDENT WHERE THE DRIVER WAS GOING WELL OVER MY SPEED. AFTER THE HIT, MY HEAD HIT THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. THE IMPACT SENT ME SPINNING ACROSS THE ROAD INTO A WOODED AREA WHERE MY PASSENGERS SIDE STRUCK A TREE. I WAS OUT FOR A LITTLE WHILE (NOT SURE HOW LONG). WHEN I CAME TO MY SENSES MEDICAL WAS ON SCENE AND I HAD A MAJOR HEADACHE AND MY LEFT KNEE WAS PRETTY SORE. I WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM THAT DAY TO BE INFORMED THAT I SUFFERED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED I WAS TOLD THAT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLES HAD MORE AIRBAGS THAN THE STANDARD VEHICLE AND MY AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10572868

Nov 11, 2013SteeringCrash

DURING AN CONTINUOUS LEFT HAD TURN IN A PARKING LOT THE STEERING LOCKED UP NOT ALLOWING FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO CENTER CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH A CURB INSIDE OF A PARKING LOT. ONCE IMPACT WITH RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS MADE AND DAMAGE SUSTAINED, MINIMAL STEERING WAS REGAINED ALLOWING FOR CAR TO BE MANEUVERED TO A SAFE LOCATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551738

Jul 24, 2013AirbagsCrash

PULLING OUT FROM A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK DRIVER'S SIDE FROM LEFT ONTO FRONT BUMPER/FRONT FENDER AREA BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. VEHICLE THAT STRUCK SONIC TRAVELING 50+ MPH IMPACTED ENTIRE FRONT OF VEHICLE FROM LEFT SIDE DAMAGING FENDERS, HOOD, BUMPER(NO LIGHT CASINGS OR BULBS BROKEN), MOVED RADIATOR. NONE OF THE DRIVER'S FRONT, SIDE, OR HEAD AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL. CAR WAS DETERMINED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS BY INSURANCE COMPANY. I REQUESTED A DETAILED LISTING OF THEIR FINDINGS AND NONE WAS GIVEN TO ME. THE CAR WAS TAKEN QUICKLY NOT ALLOWING ME TO INVESTIGATE THE AIRBAG FAILURE. REASONS FOR TOTALING IT. I FEEL THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE LOST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT I WILL HAVE TO MAKE UP TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE WHICH I PURCHASED ONLY 54 WEEKS PRIOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10531684

Apr 17, 2013Electrical systemLightsBody & structureFire

WAS DRIVING AND SMELT SOMETHING BURNING AND THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS BURNING SOMETHING AND I DROVE THRU THE SMOKE AND SO I KEPT DRIVING AND A MILE DOWN THE ROAD I KEPT SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING SO I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AROUND IN MY CAR THEN GOT OUT AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTHING SO I WENT AHEAD AND DROVE HOME THEN LOOKED AROUND AGAIN AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING SO I JUST WENT INSIDE THEN THE NEXT DAY AFTER IT RAINED I SEEN THAT BOTH MY FOG LIGHTS HAD MOISTURE IN THEM AND WHEN I GOT DOWN AND LOOKED BOTH MY FOG LIGHTS ARE ALL BURNT AND MELTED INSIDE, I GUESS IT GOT SO HOT IT MELTED THE LIGHT HOUSING AND ALL THAT.. IT GOT SO HOT ITS BLACK INSIDE MY FOG LIGHTS AND U CAN SEE WHERE IT GOT HOT AND THE PLASTED MELTED AND RAN DOWN TO THE BOTTOM ON THE INSIDE OF MY FOGS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10508509

Jul 9, 2012AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A TRAILER TWICE AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE KNEE, LEFT SHOULDER AND BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

NHTSA ODI 10464676

May 14, 2012EngineFire1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS CAUSING DISCOMFORT TO THE CONTACT'S NOSE, EYES, CLOTHES AND TASTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOR WOULD BE COME UNCOMFORTABLE AFTER BEING IN THE VEHICLE FOR A MINIMUM OF 45 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES WHO CONFIRMED THE SMELL BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD BE SENT TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,100.

NHTSA ODI 10458294

Apr 22, 2012Engine & coolingTransmission & drivetrainCrash

WHEN I AM DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND AM BEHIND A CAR THAT IS TURNING I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN. WHEN I GIVE IT GAS AT AROUND 2K RPM. THE CAR HAS SOME HESITATION LIKE IT CANT FIND A GEAR TO BE IN. IT HAS DONE IT SEANCE ABOUT 100 MILES. HAS 7000 MILES ON IT NOW. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION TRYING TO FIND ITS SHIFT POINTS AS YOU BREAK IT IN AT 1000 MILES.(BERGER CHEVY) ALSO WHEN IN GARAGE AND START CAR IT SOUNDS FINE. BUT ONCE I PUT IT IN REV. I HEAR LOST LOT PINGS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. STARTED AFTER DEER CRASH. TOOK TO BERGER CHEVY WHERE CAR WAS BOUGHT. THEY FOUND NOTHING BUT JUST BODY DAMAGE. HOOD, FRONT END, AND PASSAGE SIDE ALL REPLACE. WITH 600 MILES ON CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10456042

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Working with the data? Download all 353 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Chevrolet Sonic verdict →