2012 CHEVROLET SONIC Engine Problems
82 NHTSA complaints on file
Engine Issues in the 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
82 engine complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. Of these, 2 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, and 2 resulted in injury.
82
Complaints
2
Crashes
3
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
All Engine Complaints
UNKNOWN
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?
Water pump is leaking in front of motor
We have had to deal with severe overheating issues and failing parts our entire ownership of this vehicle, both of which then cause other parts to fail, as the parts are so poorly made and heat sensitive. We have replaced the turbocharger (twice), intake manifold + valve cover (twice), catalytic converter, the radiator (THREE TIMES), the cooling fan (twice), the MAF sensor (twice), and much more. All of this has been done over the course of 18months. This has easily been the most expensive car we have ever owned due to the constant repairs, all of which has been because of Failing Parts and overheating.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.
On 4/1/2023 my engine light went on. I had my nephews look at it. see pictures below for engine read and how oil mixed with antifreeze. Also note service paperwork. Gaskets were not up to quality to keep the oil sealed in its compartment. Manager called and tried to take care of issue because he only uses genuine parts but was told there was an issue with this part and until there were more fatalities or more people complained noting could be done. He was NOT happy. They did the best they could resorting to youtube videos and imagination. When I got it back, it was like brand new. Two days later, my engine light came on again. You will find the new engine reading which again had the oil mix with the antifreeze and no oil left. The engine would blow/seize or worse if I kept driving it. I...
A few months after this car was purchased, we received the notice regarding recall 14234 for our 2012 Chevy Sonic. However, when we brought it to the dealership, they stated that our vehicle didn't fall under the recall. I told them we were experiencing shaking while shifting and it seemed like the exact same issue. Now about 1 year later with less than 100,000 miles, the car will not shift properly into 3rd gear. The auto repair shop informed us that we need to get a new transmission among many other related repairs. We seem to have the exact same issue as reported in the recall; however, we continue to be informed that our vehicle does not fall under the umbrella of the recall. After doing a number of searches it seems that this is a common story. All these 2012 Chevy Sonics have the same issue yet do not...
Vehicle keeps throwing P0011 codes with engine running rough and stalling when moving from stopped or slowing down
After original P0011 engine code dealer bought from replaced VVT actuators, oil control solenoid, VCG, timing belt, water pump, antifreeze, idler and tensioner on 10/27 -11/21. Vehicle ran for one week and all thru Dec 2021 intermittently kept running rough and stalling and throwing P0011 code Camsgaft Position Sensor intake and P0301 cylinder 1 misfire. Smelled burning oil too. Replaced all separate throughout month -Camshaft position sensor intake, changed oil, spark plugs and now the ignition coil. Each time ran one day and code P0011 kept coming back. Running rough, poor gas mileage and stalls. Have extended warranty going back to dealer bought from.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE STARTER WAS REPLACED. DESPITE THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE POSSESSION OF THE MECHANIC. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
ENGINE IS RUNNING ROUGH WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ALSO AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON WITH NO COLLISIONS FOR IT TO APPEAR.
GEAR/TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING IN STEADY TRAFFIC... CAR SUDDENLY WENT TO 5-6000RPMS WITHOUT PRESSURE ON THE GAS AND THEN DOWN QUICKLY TO 1000RPMS BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND PULL OVER. AFTERWARDS, I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO MOVE ABOVE 1000RPMS AND REVERSE GEAR WENT INTO FAILURE. THE TOW TRUCK COULDN'T MOVE IT WITHOUT PLACING IT INTO MANUAL MODE. IT'S BEEN IN THE GARAGE FOR A WEEK WITH ALL DIAGNOSTICS SHOWING FAILURE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. AT THIS POINT, I EITHER NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OR BUY A NEW CAR. I ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES ON THE CAR IN 7 YEARS.
2012 SONIC HAS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE CHEVY CRUZE, THE CRUZE HAS A RECALL ON IT FOR THE ENGINE VALVE, YET THE SONIC DOES NOT. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO GET DIAGNOSED AND WAS TOLD THE ENGINE VALVE NEEDS REPLACED. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE ARE ON OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I DON'T WANT TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED WHEN THE SAME ENGINE ON THE CRUZE HAS THE SAME ISSUE.
A MONTH AGO, MY 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC TRANSMISSION STARTED NOT SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR AND SEVERELY SHIFTING WHEN PERSUADED. AFTER THAT IT STOPPED RESPONDING IN REVERSE AS WELL, UNLESS I WAS TO INCH FORWARD IN DRIVE ONLY TO SHIFT BACK INTO REVERSE, WHICH FOR A WHILE WORKED. I AM A CITY DRIVER AS WELL AND HAVE ONLY ADDED 2,000 MILES IN 5 MONTHS. NOW AFTER BUYING A USED TRANSMISSION AND HAVING THE SHOP PUT IT IN, IT IS STILL NOT RESPONDING IN REVERSE, WHICH THE PART SOLD TO ME SHOULD HAVE WORKED. HEARING THIS MADE ME COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT IT CANT BE THE TRANSMISSION, BUT I KNOW NEXT TO NOTHING WHEN IT COMES TO VEHICLES. WHEN I SEARCH MY CAR FOR RECALLS THERE ARE NONE BUT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSIONS MADE TWO MONTHS AFTER MINE, WHICH TO ME, BECAUSE MY CAR IS HAVING THE SAME...
THE CAR HAS UNDER 100K MILES AND SEEMS TO BE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINTANCED. I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE CAR BEING THE SECOND OWNER. THE CAR HAS ISSUES GETTING UP TO SPEED CAUSING PEOPLE TO TAILGATE ME OR SPEED UP AND GO AROUND ME. YOU CAN ALSO FEEL/HEAR THE TRANSMISSION GOING THROUGH THE GEARS. THE TAKEOFF IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. YOU CAN TELL THE ENGINE IS WORKING HARD. THE RPMS DON'T GO ABOVE THE DANGER ZONE BUT THEY DO RISE WHEN SWITCHING THROUGH THE GEARS. IT'S VERY LIKELY TO CAUSE A ACCIDENT ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR CANNOT GET OUT OF IT'S OWN WAY.
ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE WITH KEY IN IGNITION AND ALSO USING THE FACTORY INSTALLED WIRELESS REMOTE STARTER WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY HOWEVER THE CAR WOULD NOT START INITIALLY. AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT OR TWO THE CAR DID START. ALSO, ON OCCASION AFTER CAR DOES FINALLY START, IT IMMEDIATELY TURNS BACK OFF. HAD CAR BATTERY TESTED WHICH THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE FOUND NOTHING WRONG HOWEVER WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IDLE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED OFF WITH NO HUMAN INTERACTION, THE CAR ATTEMPTED TO START ITSELF 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. HE RECOMMENDED TAKING CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND HAVING THEM REPROGRAM AND INSPECT THE REMOTE STARTER CONNECTION/PROGRAMMING. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AS A NOTIFICATION AND THE ISSUE CONTINUES AFTER MUTIPLE DAYS OF REPEAT FAILED ATTEMPTS TO START WHETHER FROM ACTUAL KEY OR WIRELESS REMOTE START ATTEMPTS....
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE IGNITION WOULD INADVERTENTLY START AND THE RPMS INCREASED VIOLENTLY. ALL THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH HERB JONES AUTO GROUP (1605 RING RD, ELIZABETHTOWN, KY 42701, (270) 765-2123). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
AUTOMATICALLY STOPS
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, WHICH COST ME REPAIR ON THE FUEL PUMP. A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT, THE BATTERY DIED AND I REPLACED IT. ONE WEEK LATER,, IT STARTED TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING. THEN A FEW HOURS LATER, ELECTRIC WAS ON AND OFF BUT POWER TO VECHICLE STOPPED.. THIS ENDED UP BEING THE SERP. MAIN BELT. NEXT CAME THE...
THE LIGHT MY ENGINE SHOWS AND IT ALWAYS SMELL LABOR KE OIL
AT 54,600 MILES IT WAS USING OIL AND SMOOKING OUT THE EXHAUST !! IN MOTION. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD A BAD CHECK VALVE AND INTAKE HAD TO BE REPLACED ,VERY COMMON ON THE 1.4 TURBO ENGINE AS I FOUND OUT BY GOOGLING THIS ISSUE ,NO UPDATE ON MANIFOLD SO THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN !!!
NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, NOT WHEN VEHICLE HAS STALLED. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES. STALLS WHILE MOVING AND AT A DEAD STOP. AND A SCENT OF BURNING LIKE A ELECTRICAL SHORT BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. I AM AFRAID THAT THIS VEHICLE COULD STALL WHILE I AM ON THE ROAD AND CAUSE ME TO BE REAR ENDED CAUSING A SERIOUS CRASH.
COOLANT LEAK FROM WATER PUMP, APPLICABLE HOSES AND SURGE TANK. REPLACED WATER PUMP, SURGE TANK AND HOSE IN 2016. NEED TO REPLACE WATER PUMP, HOSES AND SURGE TANK AGAIN IN 2018. THERE IS ALSO AN ENGINE OIL LEAK YET TO BE IDENTIFIED. 1.8 L ENGINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE EMERGING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME (A MILE AWAY) AND NOTICED A LOT OF SMOKE EMERGING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL COOLER COMPONENT AND LINES FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
TL-CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVY SONIC ---- CONTACT WAS STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND HEAT WENT COLD -- NO HAT ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR -- DEALERSHIP DID DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND VEHICLE WAS FIXED ONCE ALREADY -- VEHICLE HAS 60,000 MILES --- HEAT KEEPS GOING COLD WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED . 0 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN...CB
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID THE HOSE OR SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE FLUID TO DRAIN ON THE GROUND I EXPLAINED TO BRADLEY CHEVROLET IN FRANKLIN INDIANA THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUE BUT THEY STATED THAT MY VIN NUMBER WASN'T IN THE RECALL BUT I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS DUMB I WANT THIS WORK COMPLETED UNDER THE RECALL AND FIXED AND I AM HAVING A LEAN CODE OF PO171 COME UP THAT ONSTAR DIAGNOSED AND BRADLEY DOESN'T WANT TO EVEN LOOK AT IT WITHOUT CHARGING ME A DIAGNOSTIC FEE WHEN I ALREADY HAVE THE CODE FEELING VERY FRUSTRATED PLEASE HELP ME
12/23/16, I PURCHASED A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. 4/6/17, I WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN SMOKE COME IN THE VENTS FROM THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I CALLED ONSTAR & TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC. THE DIAGNOSTIC DIDN'T RETURN ANY INFORMATION & I CONTACTED THE DEALER & TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE ON 4/9/17. I WAS TOLD THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING WAS LEAKING AND CAUSED THE SMOKING. THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED & FILLED & A GM OIL, LUBE, FILTER CHANGE WAS DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS READY FOR PICK ON 4/19/17. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE CAR WAS SMOKING AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY JUST FLUID ON THE ENGINE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO SMOKE PERIODICALLY. 6/7/17, THERE WAS A LARGE POOL OF OIL UNDER THE CAR, I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL SHOP. THEY SAID THAT THE OIL HAD BEEN OVERFILLED & THAT IT BLEW...
WE DO CONSTANTLY ARE REPLACING PARTS WE REPLACED THE WINDOW REGULATOR AND NOT EVEN A FEW MONTHS WE HA FT TO REPLACE AGAIN THE COOLING LINES ARE CONSTANTLY GOING OUT THERMOSTAT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE NOW WITHIN 2 YRS THE SEAT WARMERS NO LONGER WORK BEEN LIKE THAT THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION HAD TO REPLACE HOSES TWICE CONSTANT GRINDING SOUNDS AND NO BODY CAN FIGURE OUT WHY THE CAR IS A TOY CAR EVERYTHING BREAKS DOWN AND NOT JUST ONCE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL EXHAUST SOUND. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE OIL AND AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE OIL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE STARTED UP WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTO-START FEATURE MAY HAVE MALFUNCTIONED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AGAIN AND SEEMED AS IF IT WOULD STALL. BELL PIERRE CHEVROLET IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES BY PHONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,500.
MY 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN INJURY TO ME BECAUSE MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE SEVERAL RECALL CAMPAIGNS ON THE VEHICLE THAT DID NOT COME UP UNDER MY VIN.CAMPAIGN ID 12V52200, CAMPAIGN ID 13V023000, CAMPAIGN ID14V315000, CAMPAIGN ID 14V317000 CAMPAIGN ID 11V599000, CAMPAIGN ID, 12V408000. I COLLIDED WITH A VEHICLE THAT HAD BLEW A STOP SIGN AS I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. MY VEHICLE T-BONE THE OTHER VEHICLE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY THE OTHER VEHICLES AIR BAGS DID. MY CAR HAS BEEN SERVICE AT MODERN CHEVROLET UNIVERSITY PARKWAY IN WINSTON SALEM NC SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN NOV. 2012 FROM THAT DEALERSHIP. THE ONLY RECALLS THE DEALERSHIP OR GM HAS NOTIFIED ME ABOUT WERE ONLY GM CAMPAIGN ID 12172 REPLACE SWAYBAR LINKS AND GM CAMPAIGN ID12176. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS *TR
MY ANTIFREEZE PRESSURE HOSE BUSTED,I TOOK IT TO THE DEALLERSHIP THEY SAID THAT I HAD AITIFREEZE IN THE ENGINE. THEY SAY IT WILL ONLY COST ME AROUND $400.00 DOSE THIS SOUND RIGHT .I THINK A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CAUSE THE HOSE TO BURST AN IT ALL SHOULD.IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS.THE HOSE BUSTED WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY
CAR STARTED MISFIRING WHEN ACCELERATING AND WOULD JERK AND BE VERY ROUGH WHEN IDLING BUT NO ENGINE LIGHT. FULL TUNE UP FOUND THAT OPEN VALVE COVER GASKET WAS DAMAGED AND THAT SEALS WERE PLASTIC WHEN THEY SHOULD'VE BEEN RUBBER, THIS CAUSED OIL TO ENTER THE SPARK PLUG WELLS. CHANGED GASKET AND SEALS BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IGNITION SWITCH IN CYLINDER 1 WAS BAD, THIS CORRECTED THE ISSUE BUT NOW CAR HAS BURNING SMELL AT TIMES.
HAS BURNING SMELL OF ANTI FREEZE AND WIRES MELTING. AIR BAGS DON'T WORK ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE.
THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME SO MANY PROBLEMS. THE RADIATOR, THE MOTOR EVERYTHING.
AIR INTAKE HOSE HAS BEEN REPLACED DUE TO CRACKING ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME ABOUT 45K MILES. NOW THE SHIFT KNOB STICKS AND THE BUTTON TAKES FOREVER TO RELEASE, OR I HAVE TO POP IT BACK OUT SO I CAN TAKE THE KEY OUT OTHERWISE THE KEY GETS STUCK. GETTING WORSE...NOW IT IS BECOMING HARDER TO SHIFT INTO PARK. ALL THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN STATIONARY...I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE CAR INTO OTHER GEARS WHILE IN MOTION BUT I KNOW IT WILL HAPPEN IF IT IS PUSHED WHILE THAT BUTTON IS NOT RELEASED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH OVER A BUMP, THE VEHICLE FELT LOOSE FROM UNDERNEATH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THERE WAS NO FAILURE DETERMINED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FAILURE RECURRED FIVE MONTHS LATER AND IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE MADE A HUMMING NOISE WHEN MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STABILIZER LINKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDOW WASHER FLUID DRAINED ON THE ENGINE, AND THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE HOSE CONNECTED TO THE FLUID CONTAINER WAS DISCONNECTED AND NEEDED TO RECONNECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
TAKATA RECALL I WAS DRIVING AND I TRIED TO BRAKE AT AN INTERSECTION DUE TO A RED LIGHT AND THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS UNABLE TO USE THE BRAKES BECAUSE THE PAD GOT STIFF AND IT DIDN'T ALLOW ME TO BRAKE, I HAD TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND A BEEPING NOISE STARTED. ALSO, THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND LEFT IT THERE FOR TWO DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT FOUR HOSES ATTACHED TO THE RADIATOR FAILED AND THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING WAS DAMAGED. IN APRIL, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WAS EXPERIENCING A FAILURE WITH THE HEATER SYSTEM. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM THE RADIATOR TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,856.
IN 2015, MY 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL PURGE VALVE REPLACED. THE CAR WORKED FOR A WHILE AFTER THIS. HOWEVER, A FEW MONTHS AGO, IT STARTED HAVING A ROUGH IDLE, WITH THE RPMS DIPPING UP AND DOWN. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE RECENTLY, WHEN THE CAR ACTUALLY COMPLETELY DIED WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GET HIT. NOW, IT IS EVEN WORSE. NOW, IN ADDITION TO THE ROUGH IDLE, TRACTION CONTROL RANDOMLY ENGAGES EVEN WHEN I AM NOT SLIPPING, CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL POWER FOR BRIEF PERIODS OF TIME, WHILE IN MOTION. THE TRACTION CONTROL IS GLITCHING SO BAD THAT IT EVEN RANDOMLY ENGAGES WHEN I AM COMPLETELY STOPPED. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD ME THE CAR WANTS $113 JUST TO TELL ME WHAT IS CAUSING IT, AND HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO ACTUALLY FIX. THERE...
MAJOR CONCERN: MY POWER STEERING FAILED. THE DEALER SAID THE POWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ($1,300). THE CAR HAS HIGH MILEAGE (EXCESS OF 150,000). I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CARS WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE BUT NEVER HAD THE POWER STEERING FAIL. SINCE THIS IS ELECTRONIC STEERING THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY WARNING/NO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED BUT IN THE DRIVEWAY AFTER HAVING DRIVEN SEVERAL HOURS THE SAME DAY. WE CHECKED FOR RELAYS IN THE FUSE BOX BUT NONE ARE MARKED FOR THE POWER STEERING. THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO PREVIOUS TIMES WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY THAT THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP BUT THEN STARTED WORKING FINE. DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM FOR THE FIRST TWO INCIDENTS. MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE JUNE 2015 BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IF EVEN IT...
WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL THE RPMS SHOOT UP BUT CAR EXCELERATES SLOWLY. IT JERKS HARD WHEN SWITCHING TO ANOTHER GEAR AND TAKES SEVERAL MINUTES TO FINALLY GET TO A SAFE SPEED. SOMETIMES THE CAR STRUGGLES TO GO UPHILL AND HARDLY ABLE TO REVERSE. DEALERSHIP CLEARED MY ENGINE CODES DURING MY LAST OIL CHANGE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON A WEEK LATER, AUTOZONE PULLED 3 CODES (P0700, P0300 AND P0717). CHANGED MY SPARK PLUGS, USED LUCAS OIL/5.25 OZ. FUEL TREATMENT TWICE BUT STILL NO CHANGE. SOMETIMES I CAN SMELL BURNING RUBBER. THIS PROBLEM MAKES IT HARD TO SAFELY MERGE ONTO HIGHWAYS AND GET THROUGH TRAFFIC LIGHTS FAST ENOUGH. NOW AUTOZONE HAS ACCIDENTALLY CLEARED MY CODES SO I CAN'T SEE IF ANY OF THE ABOVE LISTED CODES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,581.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC COMMUTING MY GRANDCHILD TO PRE-K,PULLING OUT FROM STOP SIGN ONTO STRAIGHTAWAY STREET CROSSING IN FRONT OF DISTANT ONCOMING TRAFFIC,AND MY CAR STALLED,VERY SCARY AS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD WRECK WITH MY GRANDCHILD BEING HURT AS MYSELF! FORTUNATELY I LET COAST TO SIDE OF STREET AS I WAS ONLY GOING 10 MILES OR LESS AN HOUR WHEN IT SHUT OFF! IT WOULDN'T START RIGHT OFF! IT FINALLY STARTED AFTER A FEW SECONDS,MAYBE 5 OR MORE WENT BY! THIS IS VERY DISTURBING AS IT RISKS MY LIFE ,PLUS ANOTHER ALSO,AS HE IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD! I NEED TO KNOW IF CAR IS EVEN SAFE TO KEEP DRIVING!
MY MOM PURCHASED HER VEHICLE AND FOR THIS LAST YEAR IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT ISSUES. SHE TOOK IT AND HAD IT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE OIL LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THE GEAR SHIFT STICKING AND THE TRANSMISSION. SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CHARGED HER 400$. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. AUTOPLEX IN ARANSAS PASS TEXAS. AS WELL AS CHARGING HER FOR A BATTERY THAT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR IS NOW UNDRIVEABLE AS IT WONT SHIFT AT ALL. WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY ARE NOT VERY THOROUGHLY FIXING IT. MY MOTHER IS 74 AND IS ON A FIXED INCOME. THE FINANCIAL REPAIRS ARE RIDICULOUS AS WELL AS THE SAFETY ISSUE.
I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW. PAINT STARTED TO LOOSE SHINE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO ( I PERSONALLY WASH THE VEHICLE WITH PROPERLY CARS WASH SOUP). TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN'T COVER UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY. COST OVER $400.00. CHECK ENGINE ON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND TWO HOSES DAMAGED AND THERMOSTAT LEAKING.
CAR WILL START BY ITSELF AFTER KEY IS PARTIALLY INSERTED INTO IGNITION AND CAR WILL TRY TO START OVER AND OVER IF LEFT IN IGNITION WHEN TURNING OFF. TOOK TO DEALER THEY BLAMED ON AFTERMARKET RADIO. HOWEVER, I AM PRETTY SURE HAS DONE ALMOST FROM THE POINT PURCHASE. DISCONNECTED RADIO STUFF AND STILL DOES SAME THING. CAR IS STATIONARY IN PARK. NO SAFETY ISSUE OTHER THAN WHAT IS STATED.
CAR WITH 21,000 MILES OVERHEATED WHILE USING THE AC. ENGINE COOLANT ALARM CAME ON AND I TURNED THE AC OFF AND LIGHT SHUT OFF ALSO. TOOK IT TO AN AUTO SERVICE CHAIN AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. COST: $463.
VEHICLE STARTED TO RANDOMLY SHOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, SMELL OF GASOLINE FROM TIME TO TIME. EVERY TIME I WOULD TAKE IT IN THE LIGHT WOULD NOT BE ON SO THEY COULDN'T HELP. FINALLY LIGHT STAYED ON AND VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE I WOULD DRIVE, ESPECIALLY IF I HIT A STOP LIGHT. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE VEHICLE IN AND I HAD TO RENT A RENTAL CAR SO I CAN GET TO WORK THAT MORNING. DEALERSHIP CALLED AND SAID THAT IT WAS A VACUUM ISSUE CAUSING ALL THE STALLING AND ALL THE ISSUES WITH THE MULTIPLE LIGHTS ON THE DASH. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE AIR DUCT FOR THE AIR INTAKE BOX. THIS VEHICLE WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH SAME ISSUE, VEHICLE IS BARELY OUT OF WARRANTY AND AT 36000 MILES BUT VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 50K MILES. I HAD TO...
TOOK MY 2012 CHEVY SONIC TO THE DEALER TODAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE COOLING FAN IS CRACKED, THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED (HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE KEY STICKING FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW), AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON BECAUSE OF AN AIR DUCT OUTLET. TOTAL REPAIRS TO BE AROUND $1,000. NO IDEA WHY THE COOLING FAN CRACKED ON A 3 YEAR OLD CAR WITH ONLY 66,000 MILES! #TOTALLY AGGRAVATED#
Other 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC Problem Areas
Power Train
150 complaints
Electrical System
56 complaints
Unknown Or Other
46 complaints
Air Bags
34 complaints
Suspension
19 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
16 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
15 complaints
Service Brakes
14 complaints
Steering
13 complaints
Visibilitywiper
11 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
9 complaints
Structurebody
9 complaints
Exterior Lighting
6 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling
4 complaints
Seat Belts
4 complaints
Traction Control System
3 complaints
Wheels
3 complaints
Equipment Adaptivemobility
2 complaints
Fuel System Gasoline
2 complaints
Power Trainautomatic Transmission
2 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulic
2 complaints
Electrical Systemhorn
1 complaint
Electrical Systemignition
1 complaint
Electrical Systemignitionswitch
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkages
1 complaint
Power Trainautomatic Transmissionlever And Linkagecolumn Shift
1 complaint
Seats
1 complaint
Steeringcolumn
1 complaint
Structure
1 complaint
Structurebodydoor
1 complaint
Tires
1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Controlaccelerator Pedal
1 complaint
Visibility
1 complaint
Visibilityglass Siderear
1 complaint
Visibilityrearview Mirrorsdevices
1 complaint
Visibilitywindshield
1 complaint
Visibilitywindshield Wiperwasher
1 complaint