NHTSA Complaint #10651872 — 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC

CHEVY IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A WORKING SOLUTION. THEIR RELATED BULLETIN IS PI0826. I PARK MY CAR ON AN INCLINE WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE LEFT BY APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES WHEN IT RAINS, WATER COMES IN THROUGH THE LOWER WINDSHIELD AREA, DOWN AN AIR VENT, THROUGH AND AROUND AN AIR FILTER, THROUGH AND AROUND A FAN ASSEMBLY AND DRIPS ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED, I THOUGH IT WAS ME, LEAVING THE WINDOW AJAR, OR A WATER BOTTLE LEAKING, OR ACCIDENTLY LEAVING DOOR UNLOCKED AND SOMEONE DOING SOMETHING. I DRIVE MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, SO BY THE TIME I FOUND THE PROBLEM, THE CAR SMELLED REALLY BAD. IT WAS A FISHY TYPE SMELL. I HAD CHECKED WINDOWS, THEY WERE UP. I HAD TO UNLOCK, SO IT WAS NO ONE GETTING IN. LUCKILY, THE MAT HAD A PLASTIC BOTTOM AND IT HELD MOST OF THE WATER, BUT THE CARPET BELOW DID GET WET AS WELL. I HADN'T USED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS, AND THE FLOOR MAT WAS STILL SOAKED 3-4 DAYS AFTER THE ACTUAL RAIN. IT TOOK 3 DAYS TO REMOVE THE SMELL FROM THE MAT ALONE. LAUNDRY DETERGENT DIDN'T WORK. I FINALLY GOT IT BETTER WITH WHITE VINEGAR. I HAD TO SPRAY IT AFTER THAT WITH LYSOL AND COLOGNE. SO MUCH FOR THE "NEW CAR SMELL". 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED I KNEW IT WASN'T ANYTHING I DID. LUCKILY, I WENT OUT TO CHECK IT THE DAY AFTER A STORM. IT WAS SOAKED AGAIN, AND AGAIN I HAD TO CLEAN IT AND DRY IT UP. THIS IS WHEN I SEARCHED AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BULLETIN. IT WAS APPLIED BY A DEALER, BUT IT DID NOT WORK. 2ND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE LOWER TRIM ON WINDSHIELD. THERE IS LESS WATER, BUT IT'S STILL COMING IN. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY HOW I PARK. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MOLD FROM THE WET FILTER & FLOOR PADDING, PREMATURE RUSTING WHEN THE FLOOR GETS WET AND PREMATURE FAILURE IF THE FAN GETS WET. I HEARD SAME ISSUE ON ANOTHER MODEL HAS A SPECIFIC PART FOR THE FIX. *TR