2012 CHEVROLET SONIC Complaints

ISSUES BEGAN WITH AN INTERMITTENT RATTLE AT COLD START AFTER CAR HAD BEEN SITTING ABOUT 30MINS TO AN HR, FROM BEING DRIVEN. NO CODES SHOWING SO WENT UN-REPAIRED, ONCE PINPOINTED, IT WAS REPLICATED, STILL NO CODES, NO FIX, STARTING ABOUT AUG 2012 AFTER MY 1ST SERVICE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AT IDLE WHILE STOPPED IN D, STARTED GETTING WORSE PROGRESSIVELY. VEHICLE STALLED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT ITSELF (AUTO TRANS) INTO 3RD, VIOLENT JERK TO A STOP AND IMMEDIATELY PICKED ITSELF UP AND JERKED FORWARD AND MOVED, WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR. NEXT STALL OCCURRED ABOUT 3-4 WEEKS LATER, IDLED SO ROUGH AND LOW WHILE IN D AT A STOP LIGHT, CAR BOGGED DOWN AND STALLED, STARTED ITSELF RIGHT BACK UP. ENGINE POWER SURGING BEGAN AT THIS POINT. WHILE BRAKING OR ON BRAKE WHILE STOPPED, ENGINE WOULD POWER SURGE THRUSTING CAR FORWARD, CAME VERY CLOSE TO HITTING SEVERAL CARS WHILE PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT FROM THESE SURGES. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE IN MULTIPLE TIMES BETWEEN 1ST OCCURRENCE AND THIS POINT IN SEPT. IT WAS DUPLICATED WITH MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS AT ONCE, INCLUDING AS GIVEN FROM DEALER: HARD SHAKING, MISFIRE, AND RATTLE/KNOCK AT COLD START. ONLY CODE TO SHOW WAS FOR THE MISFIRE, REPAIR: VALVE CLEANING, NOT FIXED. RATTLE BECAME A KNOCKING. IDLE MEANWHILE GETTING ROUGHER. TOOK BACK FOR KNOCKING, SURGING, ROUGH IDLE, STALLING. NO CODES, REPAIR: GM TECH ASSIST HAD CAMSHAFT ACTUATORS REPLACED , FIXED KNOCKING/RATTLE AT COLD START ONLY! IDLE WORSE, NOW LOSS OF ENGINE POWER INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO HARDLY MOVE, HAD VEHICLE BACK LESS THAN 24HRS. ALMOST HAD A "T-BONE" ACCIDENT AND HEAD ON INTO A POLE IN SAME INCIDENT DUE TO SAID LOSS OF POWER. ASKED FOR REPLACEMENT (AFTER 7 SERVICE REPAIR ATTEMPTS), REQUEST PRESENTLY IN LIMBO, NO OFFER OF REPLACEMENT THUS FAR! I AM SEVERELY CONCERNED FOR MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AT THIS POINT, CLEARLY DEFECTIVE IN ITSELF WITH NO CODES SHOWING. *TR

THIS VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. I WAS GOING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN OUT OF A RED LIGHT NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF TIMES AND WHEN GOING TO SPEED UP TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE WOULD GET STUCK OR STALL OUT AND NOT SPEED UP. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY LARGER VEHICLES FOUR TIMES NOW BECAUSE IT STALLS OUT WHEN GOING TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE TALKED TO FOUR OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS! *TR

THE CHEVROLET SONIC THAT WE HAD STARTED HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING OUT OF THE FIRST AND SECOND GEARS AROUND 9000 MILES. IT IS A BRAND NEW CAR WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IN MID JUNE OF 2012 WE STARTED NOTICING THAT THE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WENT TO SHIFT TO A HIGHER GEAR IT WOULD STICK, THEN SHIFT HARD, THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD. ON JUNE 25, 2012 WE WERE DRIVING IT HOME WHEN AGAIN THE PROBLEM SHIFTING STARTED AGAIN. THIS TIME HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION STUCK IN SECOND GEAR AND WOULD NOT SHIFT UP OR DOWN. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED IT FROM AND IT TOOK TWO WEEKS TO REPAIR. THE TECHNICIANS TOLD US THAT THERE WAS FAULTY CONTROL LINK OUT AND REPLACED IT. THEY TEST DROVE IT AND IT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. THE TECH'S DETERMINED THAT REPLACEMENT PART WAS FAULTY AND REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER ONE. AFTER THIS THE CAR WAS GIVEN BACK TO US. THE CAR PERFORMED WELL UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2012 WHEN IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. WHEN APPROACHING SPEEDS OF 17 TO 18 MILES PER HOUR, THE TRANSMISSION WILL ATTEMPT TO SHIFT, GET STUCK AND JERK FORWARD. IT EVENTUALLY SHIFTS BUT NOT EASILY. THE RPMS WHEN IT DOES THIS IS APPROXIMATELY 3500 RPMS. IT ALSO GETS STUCK WHEN THERE IS A LITTLE MORE TORQUE NEEDED AROUND 25 TO 28 MILES PER HOURS. THIS IS WHAT CONCERNS ME AS A DRIVER IS THAT WHEN IT DOES IT AT THIS SPEED, THE RPMS ARE 5500 TO 6000 AND WHEN IT GETS STUCK AND CANT SHIFT, THE RPMS WILL ACTUALLY RED LINE OR REACH 7000 RPM. MY WIFE AND I AGAIN TOOK THE CAR TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THAT SINCE THERE IS NO ERROR CODE OR FAULT CODE THEY ARE CONSULTING THE ENGINEERS AND TECHNICIANS FROM GENERAL MOTORS. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THAT CAUSE ONLY THAT IT IS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *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

MULTIPLE REPORTS OF DAEWOO SONICS (AND CRUZES, ALSO SOURCED FROM DAEWOO THOUGH ASSEMBLED IN THE UNITED STATES) EQUIPPED WITH THE 1.4L TURBOCHARGED ENGINE STALLING OUT AND/OR ACCELERATING POORLY IN WARM/HOT CONDITIONS WHEN USING 87 OCTANE FUEL. THESE VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE IN WARM WEATHER WHEN OWNERS USE REGULAR, UNLEADED GASOLINE, EVEN THOUGH THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT PROHIBIT LOW OCTANE FUEL FROM BEING USED. (PREMIUM FUEL IS "RECOMMENDED" BUT NOT REQUIRED, AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS THAT WILL PURCHASE THESE CARS LIKELY WILL NOT WISH TO SPEND ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR PREMIUM FUEL FOR ECONOMICAL, SUBCOMPACT AUTOMOBILES.) NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THESE EXAMPLES OF GOVERNMENT MOTORS ONCE AGAIN ENDANGERING THE GENERAL PUBLIC. *TR

AFTER DISENGAGING, ENGAGING, AND THEN DISENGAGING THE CLUTCH TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS. *TR

STALLS EASILY AND FREQUENTLY WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP AND IS THEN DIFFICULT TO RESTART, OR I MUST WAIT ABOUT 5 SECONDS BEFORE I CAN ATTEMPT A RESTART. UNEVEN IDLE MOST OF THE TIME. DEALER BLAMES ME FOR THE STALLING (SAYS I'M NOT USED TO THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION, BUT MANY ARE COMPLAINING ON THE ONLINE FORUM WWW.SONICOWNERSFORUM.COM) MOST IMPORTANTLY, YESTERDAY (08/04/2012), THE FULLY WARMED 1.4L TURBO ENGINE IN MY SONIC REV'D TO FROM IDLE (750 RPM) TO EXACTLY 3,000 RPM THEN BACK DOWN TO 750 RPM (WHILE 6 SPD MANUAL IN NEUTRAL, CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED, RIGHT FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE AND NOT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I HAD STOPPED AT THE END OF A DRIVEWAY AND WAS WAITING ON TRAFFIC SO THAT I COULD PULL OUT. MY RIGHT FOOT NEVER MOVED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS IN NO WAY TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE IDLE SPEED INCREASED TO 3,000 RPM ALL ON IT'S OWN AND BACK DOWN TO IDLE, MUCH TO MY SHOCK AND AMAZEMENT. THANKFULLY, I WAS FULLY STOPPED. AT ONLY 3,070 MILES AND NOT YET 3 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, MY NEW 2012 SONIC IS BEGINNING TO HAVE A MIND OF IT'S OWN. *TR

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 INCLUDING SMALL CARS WITH A COMBINED DRIVING EXPERIENCE OF 70 YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD AN ISSUE WITH A NEW VEHICLE. THE STEERING ON THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A TRAILER TWICE AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE KNEE, LEFT SHOULDER AND BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

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