AutoStatsIQ
Data through Oct 2026
Model line

Chevrolet Sonic

Every Chevrolet Sonic model year on file, 2011 to 2020. Pick a year for its recalls, investigations, service bulletins and the full text of owner complaints.

Owner complaints, all model years953115 involved a crash, fire, injury or death
Model years102011 to 2020
Recall campaigns16Distinct campaigns listing it
Service bulletins10,426Summed across model years
By model year

The 2012 model year drew the most complaints, 354, 37% of the model's total

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, all years filed, by model year.

01002003004002011201235420132014201520162017201820192020
Source: NHTSA ODI. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA, and NHTSA publishes no sales volumes, so counts are not rates.
Components

Engine and cooling leads the Chevrolet Sonic complaint record

Owner complaints across all model years, by component.

Engine and cooling
257
Powertrain
231
Electrical system
226
Airbags
126
Fuel system
74
Steering
54
Brakes
44
Stability and traction control
42
Suspension
34
Visibility and wipers
32
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.
Model years

The record for each Chevrolet Sonic model year

Peer index compares complaints with the median vehicle of the same model year and body class (100 is the median). It corrects for age, not for how many were sold.

Chevrolet Sonic by model year
YearBodyComplaintsSeverity indexPeer indexRecallsInvestigationsBulletins
2020Sedan100.011100544
2019Sedan80.05900580
2018Hatchback140.010010820
2017Sedan3718.921800964
2016Sedan4820.8343201,083
2015Sedan11416.7713301,331
2014Sedan1509.3750401,506
2013Sedan21713.4658611,726
2012Sedan35410.21,180721,589
2011Sedan10.0500283
Source: NHTSA ODI. Body class from NHTSA's VIN decoder where decoded.
Latest recalls

Recent campaigns covering the Chevrolet Sonic

  • 23V-516 Jul 27, 2023
    Driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect
    Airbags · 767 vehicles
  • 18V-342 May 27, 2018
    Joint in the driver's seat-back frame may not be properly welded, reducing the strength of the seat-back frame
    Seats · 71 vehicles
  • 16V-422 Jun 10, 2016
    Affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the…
    Electrical system · 19k vehicles
  • 16V-257 Apr 28, 2016
    Affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder,…
    Electrical system · 318k vehicles
  • 15V-416 Jun 30, 2015
    In the affected vehicles, equipped with the base radio and OnStar, the radio may lock up due to a software issue, causing the display to go blank…
    Equipment · 46k vehicles
  • 14V-543 Sep 9, 2014
    Due to a loss of electrical connection in the steering column, in the event of a severe crash, the driver's frontal air bag deployment may be…
    Airbags · 304 vehicles
  • 14V-417 Jul 2, 2014
    In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed
    Equipment · 2,990 vehicles
  • 14V-315 Jun 12, 2014
    In the affected vehicles, the transmission turbine shaft may fracture
    Powertrain · 22k vehicles
  • 14V-300 Jun 6, 2014
    Driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals
    Airbags · 32k vehicles
  • 13V-464 Sep 26, 2013
    Due to insufficient welds, the front fuel tank strap bracket may separate from the vehicle
    Fuel system · 1,558 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.