What 353 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

THE CAR GOT STUCK IN 1 GEAR WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND THEN WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE. TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAVE PLATE HAS BROKEN. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 70,598 MILES ON IT. HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. I DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH AND THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS! THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT DOESN'T INCLUDE MY VEHICLE. HTTPS://M.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHEVROLET/SONIC/2012/TRANSMISSION/BAD_TRANSMISSION.SHTML

NHTSA ODI 11315613

VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2018 AND DRAINED BATTERY. RADIO WOULD TURN OFF BUT TURN BACK ON IT'S SELF. CAUSES BATTERY REPLACEMENT. TO TO GM THEY TOOK FUSE 15 OUT NOW HAVE NO SPEAKERS ONSTAR RADIO INCOMING CALLS CRASH RESPONSE

NHTSA ODI 11299959

CHECKED CAR WHILE STATIONED, WHEN RUNNING ALWAYS NEEDS MORE COOLING MAYBE ELECTRICAL BURNOUT OF A PART THAT CONNECTS TO THE RADIATOR FAN. WHEN PUT THE DIAGNOSE CODE, NONE IS GIVEN, AND TEMPERATURE GOES UP TO 225, ITS A HAZARD IF A PERSON DOES NOT KNOW THAT FAN IS NOT WORKING, PUTTING REFRIGERANT ALL THE TIME. READ THAT THERE IS A NEW RE-DESIGN COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ODI 11292032

MY CAR KEEPS SHUTTING COMPLETELY OFF EVEN WHILE DRIVING, THE RADIO COME ON AND OFF BY ITSELF AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS I BE DRIVING WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC

NHTSA ODI 11279699

THE SHIFT LEVER BUTTON WILL NOT RELEASE WHEN IN PARK, SO THE VEHICLE DOESNT NOT READ THAT ITS FIRMLY IN PARK; THE KEY WONT RELEASE AND I CANNOT TURN OFF THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE BUTTON UNJAMS ITSELF OR I LUBRICATE IT TO DO SO. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FREQUENTLY. THE ONLY FIX IS REPLACING THE ENTIRE SHIFT LEVER, WHICH IS UPWARDS OF $300

NHTSA ODI 11269558

MY CAR JERKS WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTS. IT'S BEEN DOING THIS ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I GOT IT. GOT IT CHECKED OUT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. FAST FORWARD...IT'S WORSE. THE CAR JERKS IN SECOND AND FIRST DOWNSHIFTING. DOESN'T MATTER IF I'M DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE OR CITY STREET.

NHTSA ODI 11267103

GEAR/TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING IN STEADY TRAFFIC... CAR SUDDENLY WENT TO 5-6000RPMS WITHOUT PRESSURE ON THE GAS AND THEN DOWN QUICKLY TO 1000RPMS BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND PULL OVER. AFTERWARDS, I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO MOVE ABOVE 1000RPMS AND REVERSE GEAR WENT INTO FAILURE. THE TOW TRUCK COULDN'T MOVE IT WITHOUT PLACING IT INTO MANUAL MODE. IT'S BEEN IN THE GARAGE FOR A WEEK WITH ALL DIAGNOSTICS SHOWING FAILURE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. AT THIS POINT, I EITHER NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OR BUY A NEW CAR. I ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES ON THE CAR IN 7 YEARS.

NHTSA ODI 11266588

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, THE CAR LOOSES POWER AND BEGAN TO STALL. I'VE WENT TO TWO CHEVY DEALERSHIPS AND TWO REPAIR AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT'S THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11265702

2012 SONIC HAS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE CHEVY CRUZE, THE CRUZE HAS A RECALL ON IT FOR THE ENGINE VALVE, YET THE SONIC DOES NOT. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO GET DIAGNOSED AND WAS TOLD THE ENGINE VALVE NEEDS REPLACED. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE ARE ON OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I DON'T WANT TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED WHEN THE SAME ENGINE ON THE CRUZE HAS THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11254621

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO EXCEED 10 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS THREE MILES AWAY FROM HER DESTINATION WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR WAS NOT SHIFTING AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED CHEVROLET OF COLUMBUS (2825 MERCHANT MILE, COLUMBUS, IN 47201, (812) M308-4380) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11245299

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V315000 (POWER TRAIN). THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11229189

IT WAS A FOGGY NIGHT I HAD JUST GOT OFF WORK I STARTED MY CAR LIKE ANY OTHER NORMAL DAY/NIGHT EXCEPT THIS NIGHT I USED MY REAR DEFROST I PROCEED TO LEAVE MY JOB AS I BEEN TO GET OFF THE ON RAMP TO THE HIGHWAY MY ENTIRE BACK GLASS EXPLODES AND BUST OUT CAUSING GLASS TO SHATTER EVERYWHERE AND LEAVING ME WITHOUT A REAR WINDOW AND COSTLY REPAIRS. I'M NOT SURE IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS BUT THERE DEFINITELY SHOULD BE AS THIS CAN COST MANY PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IF EVERYTIME THE REAR DEFROST IS CUT ON THERE A POSSIBILITY MY WINDOW COULD BUST AND I GET COVERED WITH GLASS

NHTSA ODI 11217668

TAKATA RECALL - THE GASKET OR O RING ON THE OIL FILTER HOUSING KEEP LEAKING. I DONE REPLACED EVERYTHING FROM OIL FILTER TO THE HOUSING. I HAVE ONLY OWN THE CAR FOR 7 MONTHS AND I HAVE ONLY OUT 5000 MILES ON THE CAR. NOW THE SMELL OF THE OIL IS HITTING THE EXHAUST AND SMOKING. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING WAS LEAKING UNTIL I SMELLED THE OIL HITTING THE EXHAUST.

NHTSA ODI 11216973

AUTOMATIC SHIFTER RELEASE BUTTON STICKING YOU CAN NOT GET THE CAR TO GO INTO PARK TO SHUT OFF CAR ALSO IT STAYS DEPRESSED CAUSING YOU TO BE ABLE TO EASLY HIT THE SHIFTER INTO NEUTERAL OR REVERSE WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11196762

HORN FAILURE. SOUNDED MY HORN AT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE HORN CONTINUED TO SOUND EVEN AFTER I TOOK MY HAD OFF OF IT. THIS CONTINUED ON FOR ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES, INCLUDING TURNING CAR ON AND OFF, UNTIL THE POINT THE HORN COMPLETELY DIED ON IT. HORN HAS INTERMITTENTLY WORKED ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS NOW. I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY ON I-55 SOUTHBOUND BETWEEN CALIFORNIA AVE AND PULASKI ROAD IN CHICAGO. THIS IS A MAJOR FAILURE AS IT IS A SMALL CAR AND LARGER VEHICLES (SUVS/SEMI-TRUCKS/ETC.) DO NOT ALWAYS SEE ME. MAKES VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11196783

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM ON TO OFF FOR A FEW WEEKS, AS WELL AS THE AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT ON HE DASH, NOW THE LIGHT STAYS ON THE DASH AND THE THE AIRBAG STAYS IN THE OFF POSITION.

NHTSA ODI 11193875

SEAT BELT TENSIONER CABLES FRAYED AND BROKE OFF

NHTSA ODI 11192887

A MONTH AGO, MY 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC TRANSMISSION STARTED NOT SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR AND SEVERELY SHIFTING WHEN PERSUADED. AFTER THAT IT STOPPED RESPONDING IN REVERSE AS WELL, UNLESS I WAS TO INCH FORWARD IN DRIVE ONLY TO SHIFT BACK INTO REVERSE, WHICH FOR A WHILE WORKED. I AM A CITY DRIVER AS WELL AND HAVE ONLY ADDED 2,000 MILES IN 5 MONTHS. NOW AFTER BUYING A USED TRANSMISSION AND HAVING THE SHOP PUT IT IN, IT IS STILL NOT RESPONDING IN REVERSE, WHICH THE PART SOLD TO ME SHOULD HAVE WORKED. HEARING THIS MADE ME COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT IT CANT BE THE TRANSMISSION, BUT I KNOW NEXT TO NOTHING WHEN IT COMES TO VEHICLES. WHEN I SEARCH MY CAR FOR RECALLS THERE ARE NONE BUT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSIONS MADE TWO MONTHS AFTER MINE, WHICH TO ME, BECAUSE MY CAR IS HAVING THE SAME RESPONSE, THE MANUFACTURING DATE SHOULDN'T MATTER. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MANY SHOPS AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT, AND I'M NOT SURE IF I TOOK IT TO ACTUAL CROSSROADS CHEVROLET IF THEY COULD FIGURE IT OUT EITHER. I BOUGHT THIS CAR 5 MONTHS AGO FOR $4700.

NHTSA ODI 11192523

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. WHEN MY CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 15 MILES PER HOUR & MY ENGINE BEGAN TO REV IT'S SELF. AS I ALMOST GOT HIT. I PULLED OVER IN A PARKING LOT & WAS TRYING TO REVERSE INTO A PARKING SPACE. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I REALIZED I HAD LOST MY REVERSE.

NHTSA ODI 11191447

THE GEAR SHUFT ASSEMBLY IS THE ISSUE. THE BUTTON ON THE GEARSHIFT GETS STUCK. THE CAR CANNOT BE TURNED OFF. I REPLACED THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY ONCE. I MUST NOW REPLACE IT AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11190955

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION MADE A NOISE AND JUST STOPPED. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE RECALL STATES! I COULD HAVE WRITTEN IT MYSELF. THANKFULLY, GOT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. GM STATES THIS VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. CERTIFIED CHEVROLET DEALER'S "DIAGNOSTIC" IS "BLACK FLUID WITH METAL IN IT" (MORE OF AN OBSERVATION) AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE TRANSMISSION APART TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS INDEED THE TURBINE SHAFT FRACTURE. OF COURSE, THEY JUST WANT TO PUT IN A NEW ONE AT MY EXPENSE. GM SHOULD WANT TO KNOW IF THERE ARE MORE SONICS WITH THIS ISSUE TO EXTEND THE RECALL AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE!!

NHTSA ODI 11186353

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBINE SHAFT MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO REMAIN IN THIRD GEAR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TURBINE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

NHTSA ODI 11186376

THE CAR HAS UNDER 100K MILES AND SEEMS TO BE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINTANCED. I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE CAR BEING THE SECOND OWNER. THE CAR HAS ISSUES GETTING UP TO SPEED CAUSING PEOPLE TO TAILGATE ME OR SPEED UP AND GO AROUND ME. YOU CAN ALSO FEEL/HEAR THE TRANSMISSION GOING THROUGH THE GEARS. THE TAKEOFF IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. YOU CAN TELL THE ENGINE IS WORKING HARD. THE RPMS DON'T GO ABOVE THE DANGER ZONE BUT THEY DO RISE WHEN SWITCHING THROUGH THE GEARS. IT'S VERY LIKELY TO CAUSE A ACCIDENT ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR CANNOT GET OUT OF IT'S OWN WAY.

NHTSA ODI 11184507

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE REVERSING FROM A DRIVEWAY AND PULLED FORWARD AT THAN 2 TO 3 MPH AND HIT AN OBJECT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN VEHICLE WAS STILL AND CONSUMER WAS INJURED. THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE CONTACT'S MOUTH, CHIN, AND ARMS, AND CAUSED MINOR BRUISING TO THE BODY. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED. A DEALER HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DEPLOYMENT PRODUCED AN ODOR AND SUBSTANCE FROM THE AIR BAGS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A TOW YARD AND DECLARED IT DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAULT WITH THE SYSTEM CONCERNING THE EDR BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN AN AIR BAG RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF *TR

NHTSA ODI 11182314

ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE WITH KEY IN IGNITION AND ALSO USING THE FACTORY INSTALLED WIRELESS REMOTE STARTER WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY HOWEVER THE CAR WOULD NOT START INITIALLY. AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT OR TWO THE CAR DID START. ALSO, ON OCCASION AFTER CAR DOES FINALLY START, IT IMMEDIATELY TURNS BACK OFF. HAD CAR BATTERY TESTED WHICH THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE FOUND NOTHING WRONG HOWEVER WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IDLE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED OFF WITH NO HUMAN INTERACTION, THE CAR ATTEMPTED TO START ITSELF 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. HE RECOMMENDED TAKING CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND HAVING THEM REPROGRAM AND INSPECT THE REMOTE STARTER CONNECTION/PROGRAMMING. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AS A NOTIFICATION AND THE ISSUE CONTINUES AFTER MUTIPLE DAYS OF REPEAT FAILED ATTEMPTS TO START WHETHER FROM ACTUAL KEY OR WIRELESS REMOTE START ATTEMPTS. WHETHER VEHICLE WAS LEFT INSIDE GARAGE OR OUTSIDE THE ISSUE IS STILL THE SAME, REGARDLESS OF TEMPERATURE.

NHTSA ODI 11182052