2012 Chevrolet SONIC: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED POORLY AND POSITIONED TO CLOSE TO THE GROUND. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD RUB THE GROUND WHILE DRIVING. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO SPECIFICATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 491.

Owner-reported narrative. 8 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447299 at NHTSA ↗

I TURNED ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS & THE ENGINE DIED. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD RAINED AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR & REALLY DID NOT AT THIS TIME ASSOCIATE THE WIPERS & THE ENGINE DYING UNTIL LATER THAT SAME DAY WHEN CONTACTED A FRIEND OF MINE TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE DEALER CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR BUT THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT IS A LONG STORY & I'M VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF & OTHERS. IT DIED THE OTHER DAY IN TRAFFIC WHEN IT STAR…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10449731 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 ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WOULD NOT IDENTIFY THAT A PASSENGER WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER OBSTRUCTED THE FIELD OF VISION WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000.THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10451658 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 ↗

WHEN I AM DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND AM BEHIND A CAR THAT IS TURNING I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN. WHEN I GIVE IT GAS AT AROUND 2K RPM. THE CAR HAS SOME HESITATION LIKE IT CANT FIND A GEAR TO BE IN. IT HAS DONE IT SEANCE ABOUT 100 MILES. HAS 7000 MILES ON IT NOW. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION TRYING TO FIND ITS SHIFT POINTS AS YOU BREAK IT IN AT 1000 MILES.(BERGER CHEVY) ALSO WHEN IN GARAGE AND START CAR IT SOUNDS FINE. BUT ONCE I PUT IT IN REV. I HEAR LOST LOT PINGS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. STARTED AFTER DEER CRASH. TOOK TO BERGER CHEVY WHERE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10456042 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS CAUSING DISCOMFORT TO THE CONTACT'S NOSE, EYES, CLOTHES AND TASTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOR WOULD BE COME UNCOMFORTABLE AFTER BEING IN THE VEHICLE FOR A MINIMUM OF 45 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES WHO CONFIRMED THE SMELL BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD BE SENT TO FURTHER ASSESS THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10458294 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 ↗

Reported: 2011-12-28 (December 28, 2011)

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 2, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 21, 2011. ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, THE FRONT BRAKE INNER OR OUTER PAD MAY BE MISSING.

Consequence: A MISSING PAD COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT BRAKES FOR A MISSING INNER OR OUTER PAD. IF A BRAKE PAD IS MISSING, DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW INNER AND OUTER PADS, A NEW BRAKE CALIPER, AND A NEW ROTOR. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 14, 2012

Reported: 2012-08-20 (August 20, 2012)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured from May 5, 2011, through February 24, 2012. These vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems." The windshield wiper washer hose on these vehicles may separate from the washer fluid reservoir. If this occurs, washer fluid will not be available to the windshield.

Consequence: A lack of washer fluid could impede the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will secure the windshield washer hose to prevent separation, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 7, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

Reported: 2012-10-31 (October 31, 2012)

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Reported: 2013-01-24 (January 24, 2013)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Reported: 2014-06-06 (June 6, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

Reported: 2014-06-12 (June 12, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, to June 29, 2012, and equipped with a 6 speed automatic transmission and 1.8L four cylinder engine. In the affected vehicles, the transmission turbine shaft may fracture.

Consequence: If the transmission turbine shaft fracture occurs during vehicle operation in first or second gear, the vehicle will not upshift to the third through sixth gears, limiting the vehicle's speed. If the fracture occurs during operation in third through sixth gear, the vehicle will coast until it slows enough to downshift to first or second gear, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission turbine shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14234.

Reported: 2014-07-02 (July 2, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

Consequence: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.