Home · 2013 Chevrolet Sonic · Complaints

What 217 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 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 (217)Crash / fire / injury (29)Electrical system (56)Engine (55)Transmission & drivetrain (38)Airbags (25)Fuel system (14)Steering (13)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (12)Brakes (11)Visibility & wipers (9)Body & structure (8)

5 of 217 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 31, 2019Body & structureEngineCrash

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND WAS COMING UP TO AN INTERSECTION I HAD TO TURN AT. I PUSHED THE BREAK PEDAL, BUT IT WAS REALLY STIFF AND DIDN'T DO MUCH. MY CAR SLID ACROSS THE ROAD INTO A WOODEN ELECTRIC POLE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT STOP. MY CAR IS TOTALED AND NOW I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO GET A DIFFERENT VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11292281

Jan 4, 2019EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, A BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT FLUID/WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO 5 STAR CHEVROLET (495 WATSON BLVD, WARNER ROBIN, GA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ONE YEAR LATER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11165206

Dec 18, 2017Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)EngineCrash

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.

NHTSA ODI 11055177

May 22, 2017EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT SMELLED BURNING OIL AND SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL CAP SEAL WAS TORN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

NHTSA ODI 10990938

Jan 27, 2016AirbagsBrakesEngineCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE ENGINE REVVED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER HEAD AND NECK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10822556

Working with the data? Download all 217 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 2013 Chevrolet Sonic verdict →