repaired · 2015 Q4
Equipment: electrical
Risk. Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
2012 Chevrolet SonicProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 354 owner complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, most often about the power train. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-417 the manufacturer reports only 79% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic has problems
354 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
154Power train4 crash/fire/injury
83Engine5 crash/fire/injury
59Electrical system5 crash/fire/injury
34Air bags18 crash/fire/injury
19Suspension
16Fuel/propulsion system
16Vehicle speed control
15Service brakes
14Steering
6615 other systems19 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 154 | 4 |
| Engine | 83 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 59 | 5 |
| Air bags | 34 | 18 |
| Suspension | 19 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 16 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 16 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 15 | 5 |
| Steering | 14 | 2 |
| 15 other systems | 66 | 19 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
7 recalls
2012 Chevrolet Sonic recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2015 Q4
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2015 Q4
Air bags
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2015 Q1
Air bags
Risk. 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…
Show 3 more recalls
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. 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,…
no report yet
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer
Risk. A lack of washer fluid could impede the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Disc: pads
Risk. A MISSING PAD COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
49kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 121 power train complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.
25under 30k miles100under 100k miles21100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
8 owners mentioned a cost$427median
Middle half: $400 – $513
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Sonic year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sonic median. How we score
'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Chevrolet Sonic safety ratings
2012 Chevrolet Sonic 5 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (12.6% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, and the recalls they led to.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Air Bag Non-deploymentLed to recall 13V-023
In owners' words
What Sonic owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that on several occasions, while coming to a stop, the vehicle unexpectedly remained in second gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that several attempts were needed for the vehicle to shift into another gear.…
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle lost power. The check engine OBD reader had lost communication with the transmission. The contact merged to the side of the road. The contact then went to auto parts store and attempted to change the speed…
While driving on the highway late at night, at approximately 60 mph my 2012 Sonic began to lose power and slowed to a dangerously low speed when there was nowhere for me to pull over! I literally had to coast to a spot that I could barely squeeze off the road! Then would not shift into any workable…
Own a 2012 Sonic?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.