2012 CHEVROLET SONIC Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 340 complaints submitted for the 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - DURHAM, NC

    2012 CHEVROLET SONIC: GEAR SHIFT BUTTON STUCK IN DEPRESSED POSITION, PREVENTING REMOVAL OF THE KEY FROM IGNITION WHEN IN PARK POSITION AND ALLOWS THE SHIFTER TO SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS AND PARK POSITIONS WITH LITTLE-TO-NO INTERVENTION. INABILITY DISENGAGE BUTTON AND TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION ALSO CREATES INABILITY TO SECURELY PARK THE VEHICLE AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THE FAILURE TO DISENGAGE WAS FIRST EXPRESSED INTERMITTENTLY, WITH A FAILURE OCCURRENCE RATE OF 20%-30% (WITH THE INITIAL FAILURE MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES). WITHIN 3 MONTHS, THE FAILURE OCCURRENCE RATE INCREASED TO 100%. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS "INTERNAL FAULT OF SHIFTER AND KNOB ASSEMBLY," WITH RECOMMENDATION TO "REPLACE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY AND SHIFTER KNOB" (WITH LABOR + PARTS QUOTE AT $406.00 USD). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. DIAGNOSIS IDENTIFIED AS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, WITH REQUEST MADE TO ISSUE RECALL.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - MIAMI, FL

    AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON, INTERMITTENTLY AT FIRST, NOW PERMANENTLY. THERE ARE THREE (3) AIR BAG RELATED RECALLS FOR 2012 CHEVROLET SONICS WHICH DETAIL THE SAME SYMPTOMS. NEAREST CHEVROLET DEALER SAID THIS SONIC IS NOT PART OF ANY OF THOSE RECALLS BUT THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE SAME. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED AT NO COST TO OWNER? THANK YOU.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - CINCINNATI, OH

    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#

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - ALLENTOWN, PA

    MY RADIO STAYS ON IN MY 2012 SONIC EVEN AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR IN THE MORNING AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. THE CAR WAS JUMPED AND STARTED UP FINE. I DROVE THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS WITHOUT INCIDENT THEN I NOTICED THE RADIO WAS COMING ON AND OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. EVEN AFTER IT WAS TURNED OFF, IT WOULD JUST START PLAYING. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. TWO DAYS BEFORE MY APPOINTMENT THE CAR BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DRAINED AGAIN IN THE MORNING. ( AN EXTREME INCONVENIENCE AND ANNOYANCE IF YOU NEED TO BE TO WORK ON TIME). AGAIN THE CAR WAS JUMPED AND STARTED RIGHT UP. THE DAY BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT THE RADIO WAS COMING ON AND OFF WITHOUT ME TOUCHING IT. I WAS SO ANNOYED I PULLED THE BUTTON OFF. LUCKILY THE RADIO STAYED OFF. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE APPOINTMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RADIO WAS DAMAGED BECAUSE I PULLED THE KNOB OFF. I WAS TOLD $400 TO REPLACE RADIO AND INSTALLATION FEES. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THE CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THE RADIO FROM NO FAULT OF MY OWN? I DID NOT GET IT REPLACED BY THE DEALER. I WAS ABLE TO POP THE KNOB BACK ON IN A SECOND SO I KNOW THE MECHANIC DIDN'T TRY AT ALL. THEY JUST WANTED TO REPLACE WITH A NEW ONE AND CHARGE ME. I HAVE PULLED THE FUSE AND CURRENTLY HAVE NO RADIO. THIS IS MY VERY FIRST NEW CAR AND I HAVE HAD OTHER ISSUES AS WELL, KEY GETTING STUCK IN IGNITION ETC. I WILL NEVER BY ANYTHING CHEVY AGAIN!!!

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - BOYNTON BEACH, FL

    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. VERY HARD TO KEEP THE CAR IN THE LANE. 6. CAR FEELS LIKE IT'S TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN WITH FOOT ON THE BREAK. 7. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/INTERIOR LIGHTS ALL DIMMING WHEN WIPERS ARE TURNED ON. SERVICE TOLD ME THE WIPER MOTOR IS A BIG DRAIN ON A SMALL ENGINE? NOW MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I STILL HAVE ALL THESE ISSUES!! I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS SAFE OR WELL BUILT. IT TOOK ME OVER 10 YEARS TO GET TO A POINT WHERE I COULD AFFORD A NEW HELLO, WENT WITH CHEVROLET TO KEEP IT "AMERICAN". I FEEL LIKE I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE....UPDATED 10/20/15 *BF UPDATED 12/06/2017*CN

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - LA VERNIA, TX

    AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF - AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY (PER THE MECHANIC). TOOK TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE AIR BAG MODULE WOULD NOT UPDATE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $750.00. HOW CAN A PART THAT HAS NEVER BEEN USED NOT BE ABLE TO BE UPDATED WITHOUT HAVING TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE. I SEE ALL THE RECALLS ON THIS CAR / THIS MODEL / THIS YEAR REGARDING AIRBAGS. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - FT. JACKSON, SC

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND THE RPMS RAPIDLY INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE, POWERED IT OFF AND BACK ON, AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN; HOWEVER, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO SECOND GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,663.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - CROWN POINT, IN

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS JUMPSTARTED IN ORDER TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,025.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - ELKTON, MD

    STICK SHIFT BUTTON STARTED TO STCK AND NOW THE BITTON IS BROKEN AT THE BOTTOM. IT IS BARLY SHIFTING TO R, P OR DRIVE. HITS CAUSE U CANT PUSH IN BUTTON. SOMETIMES CANT PUT IN PARK OR KEY IS STUCK CAUSE IT ISNT IN PARK ALL THE WAY. THIS IS GOING TO MESS UP MY TRANSMITION!!!

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC
    - GLENDALE , AZ

    GEAR SHIFT BUTTON STUCK IN DEPRESSED POSITION UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND REMOVE KEY AND HAVE TO TRY AND POP OUT BUTTON TO PARK CAR AND REMOVE KEY.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE