Home · 2012 Chevrolet Sonic · Complaints
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.
5 of 353 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters
MY WIFE AND I W'ER HIT BY A PERSON THAT RAN A RED LIGHT THE CAR WAS TOTTLED OUT WITH MAJOR FRONT END DAMAGE NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL WHEN THE SIDE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED BUT DIDNT CAUSING MY WHOLE SIDE AND HEAD SMASHING INTO THE SIDE DRIVER DOOR
NHTSA ODI 10968412
THE BUTTON TO RELEASE THE CAR OUT OF GEAR, AND ONCE IN PARK THAT RELEASES THE KEY CAME APART. IT HAS BEEN STICKING FOR AWHILE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, SOMETHING SHARP STARTED POKING OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE BUTTON, AND IT HAS CUT MY HUSBAND'S HAND. NOW THE BUTTON BARELY PUSHES IN AND THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO GET OUT OF PARK. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10678360
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
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
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
Working with the data? Download all 353 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026