2012 CHEVROLET SONIC Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while a friend was driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly veered to the right and struck the curb. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the front passenger’s side suspension had failed. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front driver’s side suspension lower control arm had failed and needed to be replaced, along with the front axle and ball joints. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 111,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO SHAKE AND MAKE A LOUD POP NOISE FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT-END. THE VEHICLE WOULD THAN STALL CAUSING THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE TRACTION WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR DUCT WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE CONTACT RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND REPLACED THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY, FUEL PUMPS, AND THE FUEL INJECTORS. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

ONCE AGAIN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE 2013 WITH 16000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE DEALERSHIP TRY TO TELL ME IT WAS THE GAS I WAS USING. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS THE AIR INTAKE HOSE WAS CRACKED....THAT WAS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO AND NOW IT IS ON AGAIN!!! THE FIRST IT WAS BARELY COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, I DONT THINK IT WILL THIS TIME. I AM PISSED.....I PAID 17000 FOR THIS CAR AND HAVE HAD IN THE SHOP SO MANY TIMES IT ISNT EVEN FUNNY. I EVEN HAD IT IN FOR THE SWAY BAR LINK THAT WAS BROKE WHICH SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN AT 42000 MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE STABILIZER SHAFT LINK JOINT WAS LOSE AT THE BAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE STABILIZER SHAFT LINK THREE TIMES. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,272.

1. CAR LOSES POWER WHEN ACCELERATING/HESITATION - SOMETIMES ALMOST FEELING LIKE THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN. IT'S RANDOM BUT HAPPENING MORE OFTEN. CAR WAS REPAIRED ONCE ALREADY FOR THIS, WAS BETTER FOR ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS AND NOW IS DOING IT AGAIN. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING ONTO HIGHWAYS OR MAKING RIGHT TURNS ON RED OR SWITCHING LANES. 2. WIPER FLUID WAS NOT WORKING, RECALL ISSUE, BUT NOT ON MY CAR. REPAIRED ONCE AND NOW NOT WORKING AGAIN! 3. SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEREO CHANGING STATIONS, TURNING ITSELF ON AND OFF, VERY LOUD SCREECHING SOUNDS OCCASIONALLY, REPAIRED WITH AN UPDATE BUT STILL HAPPENING. 4. VERY STRANGE SOUNDS COMING FROM SUSPENSION, IT STARTED WHEN BACKING UP I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM 2 TIMES, HOWEVER, NOW IT'S HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING, IN REVERSE AND IT'S GETTING WORSE! 5. STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT ON A WINDY DAY WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY....

MY 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC HAS GOTTEN ITS SECOND FLAT TIRE FROM ALIGNMENT ISSUES, AND IS ABOUT TO NEED A THIRD TIRE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS 26000 MILES WITH A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH, OTHER THEN MAJOR STEERING ISSUES. THE TIRES COMPLETELY RUN BALD ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE TIRE, AND A SHAKING IS EXPERIENCED AT ALL SPEEDS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE I AM NOT DOING AN ALIGNMENT EVERY 6500 TO 7500 MILES; WHICH I FIND TO BE RIDICULOUS. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF HAVING TO ALIGN A CAR THAT FREQUENTLY. SO THERE VERDICT THIS FAR IS I HAVE TO BY ALL NEW TIRES AND GET AN ALIGNMENT DONE ON MY CAR WITH ONLY 26,000 MILES. I CONTACTED CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS OUT OF FRUSTRATION CAUSED FROM THE DEALER SHIP WRITING ME OFF TWICE, AND...

ALL TEN (10) AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN MY CAR WAS STRUCK BY A DRIVER ATTEMPTING TO PASS ME ON THE LEFT AS I WAS TURNING LEFT. THAT DRIVER WAS SPEEDING, CROSSED THE DOUBLE-YELLOW LINE TO PASS, DID NOT HAVE INSURANCE NOR A DRIVER'S LICENSE. MY DRIVER'S DOOR TOOK THE INITIAL IMPACT STRIKE AND WAS DEEPLY CREASED AS THE OTHER CAR CONTINUED FORWARD INTO MINE, THEN THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WAS STRUCK; THE WHEEL AND A ROD CONNECTED FLEW OFF, MY FENDER WAS OBLITERATED, ENGINE COMPONENTS WERE SMASHED, AND MY CAR SPUN AROUND AT LEAST 200 DEGREES. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS GOING SO FAST, IT CONTINUED FORWARD MORE THAN 150 FEET BEFORE THE DRIVER COULD GET HIS VEHICLE TO STOP AFTER STRIKING MY CAR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED MY CAR A TOTAL LOSS. DURING THE ACCIDENT, MY HEAD VIOLENTLY STRUCK THE DOOR FRAME AND I WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. IT IS...

CURRENT MILEAGE IS 26,985 1. CAR SEEMS TO LOSE POWER WHEN ACCELERATING AND HESITATES (ALMOST SHUTTING DOWN), IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING AS WELL AND IS NOW HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN. IT' VERY DANGEROUS WHEN CROSSING INTERSECTIONS OR MAKING A RIGHT ON RED AND ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN ACCELERATING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY. 2. REAR SUSPENSION MAKES STRANGE NOISES UPON BACKING UP/STOPPING; 3. VERY BAD ODOR COMING FROM A/C VENTS....DISGUSTING, ALMOST SMELLS LIKE PLASTIC BURNING OR BURNING ROTTEN EGGS; 4. I HEAR STRANGE NOISES IN THE BACK BRAKES, NOT CONSTANT BUT RANDOM AND GETTING LOUDER WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN; 5. WIPER FLUID NOT WORKING, I'VE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE; 6. THE AUTOMATIC DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING, MOST ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING THE WIPERS ON/OFF. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF YOU'RE IN COMPLETE DARKNESS OR DAYLIGHT. 7. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT LOCK UNTIL YOU PUT THE...

THE CAR HAS A POPPING NOISE WHEN BACKING OVER A CURB OR TURNING SLOWLY. FERMAN DEALERSHIP IN BRANDON, FL. COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. 2012 SONICS HAVE HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE POPPING NOISE UNDER CAR. SEEMS TO BE A SUSPENSION PROBLEM. DEALER SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS. THEY ARE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH. *JS

I BROUGHT MY CAR IN BECAUSE THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING. I ASKED THAT AN OIL CHANGE BE DONE AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP THE CAR HAD WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE AND HAD A STRONG BURNING SMELL. THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE I WAS ONLY GONE 10 MINUTES FROM THE DEALER BEFORE I HAD TO BRING IT BACK. BROUGHT IT BACK DEALER SAID THEY SMELLED BURNING AND SPRAYED A DEODORIZER IN VENTS TO MASK IT, BUT THEY DID NOT ADDRESS THE SMOKING THAT IS STILL HAPPENING. FILED COMPLIANT WITH GM REQUESTING A BUY BACK OF VEHICLE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS OUT,AND HAVE ALSO HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THE FRONT END, AIR CONDITIONER NOT TO MENTION THAT THE DEALER DROPPED CAR OFF RACK AND CAUSED DAMAGED. *TR

THE RUMBLING/RUBBING NOISE BEGAN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. WITH ONLY 3,000+ MILES ON THE CAR IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY FOUND A LEAKING RF STRUT AND NOISY MOUNT AND REPLACED BOTH PARTS. THE REPLACED PART SEEMED TO REMEDY THE RUMBLING PROBLEM BUT THE FRONT END STILL SEEMED UNFORGIVING WHEN IT WAS DRIVEN ON ROUGH PAVEMENT. WE BEGAN HEARING A GROANING/ RUBBING/ GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNING CORNERS OR WHILE TURNING ON AN INCLINE ESPECIALLY TO THE RIGHT AND AT 8,000 MILES WE RETURNED THE CAR AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS OPERATING OKAY. THE NOISE CONTINUED AND AT 13,000+ MILES WE RETURNED THE CAR AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND THE MOUNT TO BE BINDING ON TURNS AND REPLACED THE RF STRUT MOUNT. AGAIN, THE PROBLEM REMAINED AND FINALLY A SERVICE TECHNICIAN RODE...

HAVING HEARD RATTLING IN THE FRONT OF HER SONIC MY DAUGHTER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. THE MAIN COMPLAINT WAS RATTLING FROM THE FRONT OF HER VEHICLE ONLY. AFTER MUCH RUN AROUND(FROM A SUPPOSED 5 STAR SERVICE DEPARTMENT) THEY TOLD HER THAT IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIND OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SO THEY SENT HER ON HER WAY. LAST WEEK SHE WAS DRIVING HOME AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. SHE THOUGHT SHE HIT SOMETHING OR SOMETHING HIT HER. NO DAMAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE VEHICLE OR IN THE ROADWAY. A MYSTERY BANG FOR SURE. I DROVE THE CAR AND HEARD NOTHING. NOT SAYING THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT MY DAUGHTERS, AS IS EVERYONE'S, SAFETY IS AT RISK HERE. I AM TAKING MY DAUGHTERS CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WITH RECALLS IN HAND WILL REQUEST INSPECTIONS OF EVERY PART...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, SHE NOTICED A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE LAST TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30. *TR

FIRST TIME THE STRUT MOUNT WAS REPLACE WITH STRUT. I NEVER HEARD THE RUBBER TENSION/BINDING NOISE. THE STRUT STARTED MAKING A POPPING NOISE BEFORE I TOOK IT TO DEALER AT 13386 MILES. IT WAS FINALLY DUPLICATED AT 19885 MILES TO HAVE MOUNT AND STRUT REPLACED. 65886 MILE REPLACING STRUT AND MOUNT AGAIN. 75922 STABILIZER BAR END LINKS (PER RECALL) 84869 ONLY STRUT MOUNT WAS REPLACED AGAIN 87000 STRUT MOUNT HAS BEGUN TO MAKE RUBBER TENSION/BINDING NOISE AGAIN. GM HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND I AM WORKING WITH LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND DISTRICT SPECIALIST. *TR

MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN SEPTEMBER HAVE CONTROL ISSUES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MY CAR SWAYS ALL OVER THE ROAD DEALER WILL NOT HELP ME .I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINTS ONLINE EVERYWHERE PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS CAR BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED FOR DRIVING AND UNSAFE CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSE BY A DEFECTIVE SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED TO SEND A LUBRICATION KIT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000. ...UPDATED 10/19/12 *BF UPDATED 10/25/2012 *JS

WE BOUGHT THE CHEVY SONIC BRAND NEW, OFF THE DEALERS LOT. WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH OR ABOVE WE FOUND THAT THE CAR DRIFTS EXCESSIVELY AND IS VERY HARD TO KEEP IN THE LANE. ON A FEW OCCASIONS DRIVING AT POSTED HIGHWAY SPEEDS WE WERE FORCED TO SLOW DOWN BECAUSE OF RADICAL SWERVING. OUR FIRST COMPLAINTS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WERE ANSWERED WITH "IT'S THE NEW ELECTRONIC STEERING, YOU'LL GET USED TO IT" AFTER DRIVING A FEW MORE WEEKS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT, WE TOOK IT BACK IN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. A NOTICE CONCERNING THE BELLY PAN CAUSING STEERING PROBLEMS ON CARS BUILT BEFORE JANUARY 2012 WAS RECOGNIZED AND IT WAS REMOVED FROM OUR VEHICLE WHICH HELPED ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT. UPON TWO MORE VISITS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, NOTHING ELSE WAS FOUND. BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE DRIVEN A VARIETY OF NEW VEHICLES...

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC SEDAN. THE FIRST TIME THAT WE DROVE IT AT HIGHWAY AND INTERSTATE SPEEDS WE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN THE DRIVING LANE. WE RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND AFTER A NEW SET OF TIRES, THEN LATER A NEW SET OF LARGER WHEELS AND TIRES THERE HAS BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENT IN HANDLING. I AM 55 YEARS OLD AND HAVE DRIVEN MANY DIFFERENT CARS AND TRUCKS AND THIS IS THE WORST DRIVING VEHICLE EVER. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. IT IS THE WORST ON CONCRETE ROADS THAT HAVE BEEN GROUND BUT HANDLING IS ALWAYS BAD. I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THIS CAR BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR