What breaks most · 2011 to 2020 model years
Chevrolet Sonic problems by year
Owners have filed 952 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Sonic across model years 2011 to 2020. Three years stand out: 2012 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2013 for electrical system complaints and 2014 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2011, 2018 and 2017.
- Years to check closely: 2012, 2013, 2014
- Fewest complaints: 2011, 2018, 2017
- Complaints on file
- 9522011 to 2020, all trims
- Worst year
- 2012354 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 9117 fires · 76 injuries · 2 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 49kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 23Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 354 | 27 | 7 | Powertrain and transmission (154) | |
| 217 | 24 | 6 | Electrical system (56) | |
| 149 | 11 | 4 | Electrical system (48) | |
| 114 | 15 | 3 | Electrical system (34) | |
| 48 | 8 | 2 | Engine (13) | |
| 37 | 6 | 0 | Engine (19) | |
| 14 | 0 | 1 | Electrical system (5) | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (3) | |
| 10 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (6) |
What fails on the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 44% |
154 | 3 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 23% |
83 | 2 | Shop engine parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 17% |
59 | 3 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| Unknown or other | 13% |
46 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 10% |
34 | 18 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 5% |
19 | 1 | Shop suspension parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 5% |
16 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 5% |
16 | 1 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
The automatic transmission failed. It failed while i was driving the vehicle. Yes, it was confirmed by a dealer. It has been inspected by the chevy dealer. No, there were not any warning signs prior to the failure.
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Was driving in heavy rain when car suddenly cut power and decelerated showed code 84 and the CEL came back with P2138. It is a known issue that rain gets up into the connector and causes a malfunction.
-
Button on floor-mounted gear shift sticks in. Can't get key fob out of ignition. Sticks all the time. Second incident this year. Can't turn car off. Problem so common there are you-tube videos on repair techniques. Car is usually stationary, but shifter won't work because of stuck button.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Chevrolet Sonic years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2012, 2013, 2014 carry the most filings on the Chevrolet Sonic. The 2012 alone has 354 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Chevrolet Sonic problem?
On the 2012 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 154 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Sonic problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chevrolet Sonic complaints that include mileage is about 49,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.