257 of the
1,423 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Sonic
are about the engine —
18% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2012.
I purchased a 2012 Chevy Sonic with 65k miles on it from Carvibe LLC earlier this month. When I took it into Firestone for a full inspection, they found that the car has severe rusting to the mechanical parts along with the body of the vehicle - the entire structure of the vehicle is compromised. Someone spray painted the rust black but Firestone was still able to see the covered up rust. Firestone has deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive.
NHTSA complaint #11758358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine Cooling System (Thermostat Housing / Water Outlet) The vehicle suffered a premature structural failure of the factory engine coolant thermostat housing. The component, which is manufactured from a fragile plastic composite, cracked completely open without warning, causing an immediate, rapid loss of engine coolant. This constitutes a severe safety hazard. A sudden, catastrophic loss of engine coolant under normal driving conditions puts the vehicle at immediate risk of severe engine overheating and sudden engine stalling or seizure while in motion. If the engine stalls unexpectedly in high-speed traffic, it strips the driver of power steering and braking assistance, drastically increasing the risk of a serious collision. General Motors is fully aware of this pervasive material defect across the Chevy Sonic model years, yet they refuse to issue a safety recall, forcing owners to operate vehicles with inherently flawed, dangerous plastic cooling components. They also refuse to help in getting the vehicle repaired or share the cost.
NHTSA complaint #11745643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oil cooling system has been replaced. Major leak in AC line needs replacement. Purge solenoid stop functioning and was replaced, now there is an additional major coolant leak
NHTSA complaint #11732795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This car overheated and a head gasket blew. I am on a Facebook forum, and it seems like all of these cars have these problems. The Chevy Sonic ltz turbo 1.4 2016 is known for coolant issues and head gasket failures. My car only had 104,000 miles on it. It should last a lot longer than that, but this is a common issue. For some reason there was a recall but they stopped fixing cars with 1.4 engines that came out after 2014. There cars don't have temperature gauges and when they overheat they don't tell you until a light comes on the dash and by then it's too late and your engine is blown. This should be illegal. Chevrolet needs to fix this.
NHTSA complaint #11718737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the engine made an abnormally rough sound, the transmission failed to shift as intended, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact exited the highway and continued to drive at slower speeds. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Zone, where it was diagnosed with turbo charger failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was driven but was no longer driven on the highway. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
NHTSA complaint #11716327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the engine made an abnormally rough sound, the transmission failed to shift as intended, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact exited the highway and continued to drive at slower speeds. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Zone, where it was diagnosed with turbo charger failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was driven but was no longer driven on the highway. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
NHTSA complaint #11716327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously sustained undercarriage damage while driving at 20 MPH and hitting a pothole. The undercarriage was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle started to overheat. A coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled into the Walmart parking lot and parked the vehicle. An independent mechanic was notified of the failure. The contact stated that while the mechanic was towing the vehicle to the repair shop, the vehicle caught on fire. The mechanic pulled over to the side of the road. The incident occurred near the mechanic's shop. The contact stated that the workers of a nearby recreation center extinguished the fire with fire extinguishers. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The contact stated that the fire originated from the engine compartment. A police report was filed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.
NHTSA complaint #11709620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Around April of 2025, I noticed loud engine noises and cold start loud noises coming from the engine. My car has been in the shop multiple times since then and I opened a case with GM about multiple repair issues with my 2014 Chevy Sonic LT even though I take excellent care of the vehicle and perform all maintenance on the vehicle, and now this loud engine noise issue and leaking oil. I was driving home from a relative's home Saturday night Dec 27th late evening on the expressway when I noticed my car driving very sluggish and jerking and make extremely loud engine noises and continued burning oil smell in the cabin of the vehicle. No check engine light or oil light, now I had stopped by the service department earlier in the week when and oil pressure light came on, and they stated no issues. I made it home without incident, but the car was not running right. The car was brought to the dealership service department Monday Dec 29th, and they informed me they found broken plastic pieces of guard rails that secure the timing chains in the engine which may have caused serious damage to the engine. The dealership wanted 4k dollars to repair it after they could not properly diagnose a known online issue that I found out a lot of these Chevy drivers have found out about and having me repair other items on the car instead of fixing the leaking oil problem and whatever was going on in the engine. The manufacturer has not inspected this issue now only the service department at the local Chevy dealership has, however I had a case open with GM before this final incident occurred on Nov 1st after my last repair and complaint to the dealership about loud engine noises. GM would not take my concerns seriously and stated we are sorry, but your car is out of warranty even though this is a known issue of this plastic guard rail failing and other serious engine issues with Chevy. I would like the NHTSA to be involved in this matter and investigate this matter if possible.
NHTSA complaint #11708125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dear GM Executive Office, I am writing in frustration and disappointment after being told today by Chevrolet Customer Assistance that the case I opened (Case # [XXX]) was simply a "dealer complaint" and that no further help would be offered - despite my vehicle exhibiting a recurring, safety-related malfunction covered under Special Coverage N232395330 - Turbocharger Replacement. To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally request a resolution regarding a recurring and unresolved issue with my son’s 2018 Chevrolet Sonic Premier (Turbocharged engine), VIN: [XXX] This past January we brought the vehicle to Ziegler Buick GMC of Lincolnwood an authorized due to overheating and a warning light. We paid $210 for a diagnosis and an additional $520 for a repair, totaling $730. The only action taken was the replacement of the coolant reservoir. The issue was not fully diagnosed, and the root cause was not addressed. On [XXX], the same issue has returned: Red heat warning light illuminated after less than one mile of driving. Coolant reservoir nearly empty upon inspection. Engine went into reduced power (“limp mode”). Scanner showed only a low coolant level but no additional actionable codes. Vehicle also displayed a change oil warning, likely triggered by overheating. This vehicle has a known history of turbocharger and coolant system defects, which have been acknowledged in GM technical service bulletins and Customer Satisfaction Programs. I have reason to believe this situation qualifies for one of those programs. Despite paying $730 for a prior repair, the vehicle is now exhibiting the same safety-related malfunction, putting my son at risk of engine damage and breakdown. We have also taken the car to Mike Anderson Chevrolet twice for inspection and they reported finding nothing. I am respectfully requesting the following: A thorough inspection and diagnosis of the entire cooling system and turbocharger INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOI
NHTSA complaint #11675305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle enters into catalyst monitor too early. Monitor Fales indicating that the catalyst is below efficiency threshold. A vehicle is run for a significant amount of time before being allowed to enter the driving conditions for the catalyst monitor, monitor will pass. This indicates that there is a programming failure, not an actual component failure. Theory has been tested multiple times. Catalyst had also been tested by temperature sensor as well as by taking readings with a gas analyzer before and after the catalyst. Everything indicates the catalyst is well within operating parameters. Theories, test, and confirmations have been conducted by a certified technician and mechanical engineer.
NHTSA complaint #11666137 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was idling roughly. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The contact stated that the canister purge valve had previously been replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced a second time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
NHTSA complaint #11661264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the catalytic converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 115,000.
NHTSA complaint #11640293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The thermostat housing and water pump keeps failing and leaking.The seat heaters dont work. The car started leaking antifreeze real bad which cause it to overheat and lock up. Yes it has been confirm by a dealer that alot of the chevys been coming for new thermostat housing and water pumps. No vehicle was only inspected by a dealer. The overheating like came on and then 10 seconds later the car locked up
NHTSA complaint #11625053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I purchased this car 2 years ago and it has caused me absolutely nothing but trouble. We have replaced the fan 4 times (twice due to the resistor thats part of the fan failed), headgasket job, intercooler punctures (once inward, once outward), failed valve cover, intake maniford, turbo seals twice, failing check values, new relays for the fan (twice), another drive belt, and now I go outside and theres a puddle of coolant under my car. I have sunk over $8,000 into this car and it has been the worst financial decision ever. Why do the parts keep failing? Why isnt there a heat gage in the dang car so I know its too hot before the light comes on?
NHTSA complaint #11624090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.