What breaks most · 2011 to 2018 model years
Chevrolet Sonic problems by year
Owners have filed 637 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Sonic across model years 2011 to 2018. 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, 2016 and 2015.
- Years to check closely: 2012, 2013, 2014
- Fewest complaints: 2011, 2016, 2015
- Complaints on file
- 6372011 to 2018, all trims
- Worst year
- 2012290 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 7113 fires · 57 injuries · 2 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 43kMedian 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) | |
| 290 | 24 | 7 | Powertrain and transmission (121) | |
| 158 | 19 | 6 | Electrical system (38) | |
| 101 | 9 | 4 | Electrical system (34) | |
| 55 | 12 | 3 | Air bags (17) | |
| 19 | 4 | 2 | Air bags (5) | |
| 10 | 3 | 0 | Air bags (3) | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | Exterior lighting (1) |
What fails on the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 42% |
121 | 2 | Shop powertrain and transmission parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 24% |
69 | 2 | Shop engine parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
46 | 3 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| Unknown or other | 12% |
34 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 10% |
30 | 15 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 6% |
18 | 1 | Shop suspension parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 5% |
15 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 5% |
14 | 2 | Shop steering 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.
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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
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After several manufactural repairs my car continues to run hot. I have had over $2000 worth of repairs and my car continues to run hot. Also the electrical system appears to be going know if you close the door with the keys in the ignition the car locks.
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Car won't start it only clicks really fast. Had battery checked and it's fully charged once i jump it the car will drive until i shut it off. It will start back up right away but if i let it sit it will not
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 30, 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 290 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 121 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 43,000 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.