Chevrolet SONIC problems and owner complaints

THE BUTTON ON THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB STICKS IN ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO BE SHIFTED IN OR OUT OF GEAR WHILE MOVING. THIS PROBLEM ALSO ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION TO NOT BE PROPERLY PLACED IN PARK THEREBY ALLOWING IT TO ROLL AND POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY TO SOMEONE.

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11042029 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING ON AN INCLINE, THE HILL HOLDER WAS ENGAGED YET THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE BRAKES STARTED TO SQUEAL AFTER BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR BOTH FAILURES. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THERE WAS CORROSION ALONG THE REAR BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 925 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1041. …

Owner-reported narrative. 925 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450891 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED MY CAR BRAND NEW WITH 3 MILES ON IT IN NOVEMBER 2011. WHEN I HIT AROUND 7500 MILES I NOTICED THE CAR WHEN STOPPED ON A HILL WOULD DRIFT BACKWARDS - WHEN I GOT TO 7800 MILES THE WHENEVER I WAS IN TRAFFIC TRAVELING AROUND 5-13 MPH I NOTICED THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT ON IT'S OWN THE RPM'S WOULD SHOOT UP AND THE TACH WOULD REV BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO. I WOULD NEED TO PUT IT IN PARK AND THEN DRIVE AND IT WOULD BE FINE. THIS HAPPENED ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS. WHEN GOING TO PARK AND PUT IT IN REVERSE TO BACK IN THE CAR WOULD HESI…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10459472 at NHTSA ↗

THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED "HUNTING" (SHAKING LEFT AND RIGHT) AND RESISTED ATTEMPTS TO STEER THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS STILL CONTROLLABLE, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHILE STOPPED AND WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND IS NOT THERMAL (WILL HAPPEN BOTH AT COLD START-UP AND WHEN VEHICLE IS UP TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE. IT IS NOT EFFECTED BY AMBIENT TEMPERATURE). THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE WITH SPS 155 WT40, STATING THE CURRENT PROGRAMMING WAS INCORRECT. THE INVOICE RE…

Owner-reported narrative. 706 miles reported. Look up ODI 10459808 at NHTSA ↗

FIRST PROBLEM WAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED ONSTAR AND THEY SAID IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH EMISSION. CALLED DEALER, THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID IT WAS A FAULTY EVAP SOLENOID. DEALER REPLACED SOLENOID ON 3-22-2012. WHILE THERE, THEY ALSO TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE ABOUT A RECALL. SAID THEY FIXED THAT TOO. PROBLEM # 2- TODAY 4-15, 2012, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, ITS MAKING WHAT SEEMS LIKE A RUBBING SOUND !! CALLED ONSTAR AGAIN, BUT THEY COULDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING. I WILL BE TAK…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10455300 at NHTSA ↗

WE BOUGHT THE CHEVY SONIC BRAND NEW, OFF THE DEALERS LOT. WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH OR ABOVE WE FOUND THAT THE CAR DRIFTS EXCESSIVELY AND IS VERY HARD TO KEEP IN THE LANE. ON A FEW OCCASIONS DRIVING AT POSTED HIGHWAY SPEEDS WE WERE FORCED TO SLOW DOWN BECAUSE OF RADICAL SWERVING. OUR FIRST COMPLAINTS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WERE ANSWERED WITH "IT'S THE NEW ELECTRONIC STEERING, YOU'LL GET USED TO IT" AFTER DRIVING A FEW MORE WEEKS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT, WE TOOK IT BACK IN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. A NOTICE CONCERNING THE BELL…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10466332 at NHTSA ↗

STALLS EASILY AND FREQUENTLY WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP AND IS THEN DIFFICULT TO RESTART, OR I MUST WAIT ABOUT 5 SECONDS BEFORE I CAN ATTEMPT A RESTART. UNEVEN IDLE MOST OF THE TIME. DEALER BLAMES ME FOR THE STALLING (SAYS I'M NOT USED TO THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION, BUT MANY ARE COMPLAINING ON THE ONLINE FORUM WWW.SONICOWNERSFORUM.COM) MOST IMPORTANTLY, YESTERDAY (08/04/2012), THE FULLY WARMED 1.4L TURBO ENGINE IN MY SONIC REV'D TO FROM IDLE (750 RPM) TO EXACTLY 3,000 RPM THEN BACK DOWN TO 750 RPM (WHILE 6 SPD MANUAL IN NEUTRAL, CLUTCH FULLY …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,070 miles reported. Look up ODI 10469210 at NHTSA ↗

MULTIPLE REPORTS OF DAEWOO SONICS (AND CRUZES, ALSO SOURCED FROM DAEWOO THOUGH ASSEMBLED IN THE UNITED STATES) EQUIPPED WITH THE 1.4L TURBOCHARGED ENGINE STALLING OUT AND/OR ACCELERATING POORLY IN WARM/HOT CONDITIONS WHEN USING 87 OCTANE FUEL. THESE VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE IN WARM WEATHER WHEN OWNERS USE REGULAR, UNLEADED GASOLINE, EVEN THOUGH THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT PROHIBIT LOW OCTANE FUEL FROM BEING USED. (PREMIUM FUEL IS "RECOMMENDED" BUT NOT REQUIRED, AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS THAT WILL PURCHASE THESE CARS LIKELY WILL NOT WISH TO SPEND …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10474012 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO NOTIFY THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ABOUT HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V315000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOTICED A STRONG PERSISTENT ODOR OF FUEL COMING THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN, FUEL PUMP, AND CALIPER PINS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10628140 at NHTSA ↗

FIRST ISSUE WAS ELECTRICAL ISSUES (BAD LIGHTS, UNFUNCTIONING CONTROLS, AC ADAPTER WOULD NOT GIVE POWER, OUTSIDE LIGHTBULBS DO NOT LAST, HEADLAMP CONTROLS FELL APART, MIRROR CONRTROLS FELL OFF, VENT CONTROLS FELL APART. WHEN ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROL STOPPS WORKING AND HISSES AND SMOKES WHEN ENGINE IS TURNED ON. I ALSO HAVE BEEN SHOCKED PAINFULLY WHEN TRYING TO GET THE AC ADAPTER TO WORK. NEXT CAME REPAIR OF THE IGNITION SWITCH.. I COULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE MY "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON. IN AUGUST 2017, CAR HAD ENGINE MISFIRE, WH…

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11128493 at NHTSA ↗