Page 3 of 3 · complaints 101–114 of 114

2015 Chevrolet Sonic complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2015 record →

SteeringCrash
Filed May 25, 20162,800 milesAL

I WAS DRIVING A 2015 SONIC DEALERSHIP CAR BECAUSE MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR THE WEEKEND, A CAR WAS ABOUT TO HIT ME AND ALL DID WAS I STEPPED ON BRAKES AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND RAN ME INTO A POLE. I HAD JUST TURNED THE CORNER, THE WEATHER WAS GREAT, I WAS ONLY GOING 15 MILES.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed May 16, 201613,000 milesMO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, WHEN SHE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER BUMPED HER HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. UPDATED 07/27/16*LJ

WheelsFire
Filed Apr 8, 201612,000 milesNJ

ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 07 2016 MY SON WAS DRIVING MY WIFE TO WORK ON HIGHWAY WHEN THEY HEARD A LOUD POP, MADE HIS WAY THROUGH TRAFFIC TO SIDE OF ROAD. HIS 2015 CHEVY SONIC WHICH WE BOUGHT FOR HIM LAST AUGUST 2015 WITH ABOUT 12,000 MILES ON IT HAD A BLOWN REAR PASSENGER HANOOK TIRE. HE CONTACT OUR LOCAL DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE. AND WAS TOLD "YOU HAVE NO WARRANTY COVERAGE IN OUR SYSTEM", HE TRIED TO TELL THEM, BUT WAS RUDELY TOLD "WELL IF YOUR PARENTS HAD PURCHASED OR HAS A TIRE WARRANTY WE COULD HELP YOU". WELL THAT'S A LIE GM COVER TIRES UNDER THEIR 3YR/30,000 MILE WARRANTY PROGRAM I HAVE SUBMITTED PICTURES OF THE TIRES, WHICH I TOOK EARLIER THIS MORNING WHEN I GOT HOME. I WANT THE TIRE REPLACED THE DEALER IS NOT STANDING BY THEIR OWN WARRANTY PROGRAM AND PER MY SON WAS NOT TO CONCERNED WHEN HE TOLD THEM THE ISSUE NOR OFFERED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 8, 2016WV

TAKATA RECALL. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN MAY,NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD AND THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP BECAUSE IT KEEPS DYING. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ABOUT 8 TIMES NOW AND HAD TO GET TOWED TO THE CHEVY GARAGE.NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN PLUGED IN TO THE CAR. IT IS BRAND NEW. I DONT FEEL SAFE IN IT I DONT TRUST IT I CANT RELY ON IT. I AM NOT HAPPY AND WANT THIS CAR BOUGHT BACK.

Structure › Body
Filed Mar 7, 20161,200 milesNM

THIS SONIC SUN VISORS WILL NOT PULL OUT TO EXTEND AND ALSO HAVE NO PULL-OUT EXTENSIONS. PEOPLE DRIVING NORTH IN THE IN THE P.M. OR SOUTH IN THE A.M. HAVE TO DRIVE WITH ONE HAND ONLY IN ORDER TO BLOCK THE SUN WITH THEIR LEFT HAND. THERE IS PROBABLY A HIGHER INCIDENT OF ACCIDENTS AT THESE TIMES OF DAY INVOLVING SONICS. I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS CAR IF I REALIZED THAT THE VISORS DID NOT PULL OUT.

Service BrakesCrash
Filed Dec 22, 20153,000 milesVA

THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. THE ABS BRAKES DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE ALSO HAS ISSUES. THE BRAKES HAS CAUSED TWO ACCIDENTS THUS FAR. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION SEVERAL TIMES WITH REPAIRS AT NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK AND CAUSED TWO REAR END ACCIDENTS.

Electrical SystemCrashFire1 killed
Filed Dec 21, 2015TN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES AND DIED ON THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Sep 3, 20153,646 milesMO

MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HIT A DEER GOING ABOUT 60 MPH. THE DEER HIT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE FROM THE GRILL TO THE CORNER. AFTER THE IMPACT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DAMAGE COULD BE A TOTAL LOSS JUST WAITING ON THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER.

Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Filed Aug 31, 20158,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE PRODUCED AN ABNORMAL MOLD ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FILTER NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 10, 20152,000 milesIA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DEER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

Steering
Filed Aug 4, 2015500 milesPA

WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER TO RIGHT YOU FIGHT STEERING AND THEN CAR GOES TO LEFT HARD AND IT CROSSES CENTER LINE. I FEEL FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OWNER AND OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAY THIS NEEDS ADDRESSED AND FIXED

Air Bags
Filed Apr 7, 201526 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26. UPDATED 6/8/15*CN UPDATED 10/05/2017*CN

Air BagsCrash3 injured
Filed Apr 7, 20153,191 milesGA

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING STRAIGHT IN A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC LT AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER OF A 2002 TOYOTA COROLLA MADE A LEFT HAND TURN CAUSING A COLLISION. SIMPLY PUT WE T BONED THE OTHER VEHICLE. 2015 CHEVY SONICS ARE EQUIPPED WITH WEIGHT SENSING RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. I WAS THE PASSENGER AND WEIGH APPROXIMATELY 142 LBS. BOTH DRIVER FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, KNEE AND STEERING WHEEL. THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. ALMOST ALL OF THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE FRONT END PASSENGER SIDE. TOTAL MILEAGE AT TIME OF COLLISION WAS 3,191. SO FAR INSURANCE HAS ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS TO BE $8,863.10, NOTE THIS IS BEFORE TARE DOWN. FINAL COST WILL RISE CONSIDERING THEY FAILED TO INCLUDE FRONT BUMPER AND RADIATOR. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CONTACTED GM CONCERNING THE AIR BAG FAILURE, AND THE REPORT HAS BEEN PASSED ALONG TO NOW THE THIRD PERSON. THE REPORT WAS "ESCALATED TO CENTRAL CLAIMS" ON 4/2/2015, I WAS TOLD THEN THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A CALL WITHIN 24-48 HOURS, IT IS NOW 4/7/215. I DID NOT RECEIVE A CALL, CALLED GM YESTERDAY AND WAS GIVEN CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE 3RD ASSIGNED PERSON, SENT AN EMAIL ASKING FOR A RETURN CALL, NO RESPONSE RECEIVED. IT HAS NOW BEEN 24 HOURS SINCE EMAIL. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN ALLOWING ADOLESCENTS/CHILDREN TO RIDE IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Mar 30, 201570 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic → · Every Sonic year → · How the figures are calculated →