4 recalls and 150 owner complaints on record for this model year.
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The contact owned a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds approaching a parking lot and slowing down to turn, the vehicle behind was speeding and crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle then flew forward and crashed into a pole. No airbags deployed. The passenger in the driver's side rear seat sustained whiplash to the neck. The contact and her daughter sustained minor injuries to the right hip, right knee, and right shoulder. A police report was filed. The passenger in the driver's side rear seat was treated via ambulance and the contact and her daughter received medical attention from a chiropractor. The police towed the vehicle to a lot where it was deemed a total loss. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that no recalls were under the VIN. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and started an investigation. The failure mileage was approximate 88,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT STRUCK A VAN DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AMBULANCE WAS NOT CALLED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED NECK AND A CONCUSSION AND HER SPOUSE SUSTAINED A SPRAINED NECK AND BACK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,913.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN MULTIPLE TIMES TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THREE MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES, BUT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.
THE ROAD I WAS DRIVING ON IS 55 MPH ON BEAR IN. AS I BEGAN TO BREAK NOTHING HAPPENED. A 90 CORNER WAS IN FRONT OF ME. 55TH AVE. I PUSHED AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BREAKS. IT WAS SMOOTH.. TRACTION CONTROL WAS ON. NO BREAKING UNIT WENT INTO AFFECT. IT WAS SMOOTH ALL THE WAY INTO A TREE HEAD ON. ZERO SKID MARKS! I WAS CONSCIOUS THE ENTIRE TIME CLOSED ON EYES RIGHT BEFORE IMPACT. AIR BAGS DID WORK. THE ENGINE STARTED ON FIRE 3X. THEY HAD TO USE THE JAWS OF LIFE TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE TREE. I PUSHED SO HARD ON THE BREAK THAT IT BROKE MY ANKLE, SPLIT MY KNEE OPEN AND SPRAINED MY KNEE. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 56K. THIS SHOULD HAVE KILLED ME. THE BREAKS HAD WORKED FINE BEFORE THIS.. NO SQUEALING, SHAKING ETC. IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. CONDITIONS WERE DARK, DRY ROADS, NO WIND. I DO HAVE REPORTS BUT CAN NOT SCAN THEM. I LOADED 5 IMAGES! PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY. LIVES ARE AT STAKE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER OF THE OCCUPANT OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
A new EverStart Maxx lead-acid battery (Group Size H5/47, 12V, 650 CCA) was bought at Walmart on 07/14/2026 and installed the same day in a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. It was installed correctly: correct polarity, both terminals tight and free of corrosion, hold-down secured. The car ran normally for about eight weeks, with no warning lights or electrical symptoms. On 09/10/2026 at about 12:00 p.m., the car caught fire while parked. It had not been driven or started since about 5:00 p.m. the day before (about 19 hours), so the engine and charging system were off. The fire appears to have started at the battery. It stayed in the engine compartment but melted the underhood fuse box and the engine wiring harness. The local volunteer fire department responded, and a police report was filed. No one was hurt, but a battery fire in a parked, unattended car could easily spread to a home, garage, or other vehicles. The car had an earlier front-end repair after hitting a deer. It had been driven for more than a year since that repair with no electrical problems. The vehicle and the battery remains have been left in place and are available for inspection. The retailer and manufacturer have not inspected them yet.
The contact owned a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while his spouse was driving approximately 35 MPH she noticed smoke being emitted from under the hood. The contact stated his spouse saw no warning light being illuminated. The spouse pulled off to the side of the road and exited the vehicle safely when a fire began to burn from under the hood. The fire department was called and extinguished the flames with water. The police were also on the scene and wrote an incident report. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact was advised by his insurance provider that the vehicle would be listed as a total loss. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
I HAD TAKEN THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND IT WAS VERY HOT ABOUT THE END OF JULY. ON FRIDAY AUGUST 11, I NOTICED A PAUSE IN THE CAR STARTING THE A SOUND OF A KNOCK LEAVING WORK. I ARRIVED HOME AROUND 6:00 P.M. PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY FOR THE DAY. I WAS AWAKEN SATURDAY MORNING BY MY NEIGHBOR BE MADE MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THIS WAS DETERMINED BY LAWRENCE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF AN ENGINE FIRE.
THE BUTTON ON MY GEAR SHIFTER WAS STUCK FOR A FEW MONTHS AND THEN IT BROKE RESULTING IN ME CRASHING INTO A PARKED CAR BECAUSE I LOST CONTROL.
THE BUTTON ON THE SIFTER HANDLE HAS BROKEN AND GETS STUCK IN ALLOWING THE SHIFT HANDLE TO MOVE FREELY. THIS HAS CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS ALSO ALLOWED MY VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE ON ITS OWN WHILE SITTING IN THE PARKED POSITION. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON IN A LOT OF THE SONIC AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. MY VEHICLE HAS ALSO SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED BEHIND ME.
TAKATA RECALL I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I HIT A STATIONARY SUV FROM THE BACK, I WAS TRAVELING 30-35 MPH PER THE POLICE REPORT THROUGH A LARGE CITY INTERSECTION. MY SONIC WAS HIT HARD ON THE WHOLE FRONT LEFT (DRIVER SIDE) THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND WAS REPORTED TO HAVE A LOT OF LEFT FRAME DAMAGE. DURING THIS ACCIDENT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO AMBULANCE WAS CALLED BUT I WAS TAKEN TO THE VA TO RECEIVE TREATMENT FOR MY BACK PAIN FROM THE ACCIDENT. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT BASED ON THE HARD HIT AND THE AMAZING OF DAMAGE MY AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED FOR MY SAFETY. THE REASON THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IS UNKNOWN TO ME.
WENT TO PASS AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER ON AN INTERSTATE AND AS I ACCELLERATED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISHTAIL, WHEN I RAN OVER A BUMPY PART IN THE ROAD DUE TO A BRIDGE THAT FELL , I LOST ALL STABILITY CONTROL AND CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. WE SLAMMED INTO THE CAB OF THE RITE ENTRANCE WHEELER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE IN THE FRONT. NO AIR BAGS WERE RELEASED. WHEN WE HIT THE EITEEN WHEELER IT PUSHED OUR CAR TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE WIRE RAILING, THE BACK OF OUR VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HIT THE TRAILER. NO AIR BAGS RELEASED. WE THEN GRINNED ACROSS THE WIRE RAILING AND RAN OVER A FEW CONES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. ON ALL THREE IMPACTS, NO AIR BAGS WERE RELEASED.
ANOTHER CAR RAN A RED LIGHT & MY SON, IN THE SONIC RAN INTO THE SIDE OF THE OTHER CAR. HIS SONIC WAS TOTALED & DESPITE THIS FACT THAT THE OTHER CAR'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT, HIS SONIC AIRBAGS DID NOT. MY SON WAS ACCELERATING FROM STOP LIGHT ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE OTHER CAR RAN THE RED LIGHT. THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO BEND 2 OF THE 4 FRAME RAILS. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BUCKLED DOWN AS THEY SHOULD HAVE, BUT THE CONCERNING THING IS AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. MY SON NOW HAS A REPLACEMENT SONIC BUT CONCERNED DUE TO THE RECENT RECALL OF SEVERAL MILLION CARS/TRUCKS WITH DEFECT IN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM OF GM PRODUCTS.
THE DRIVER BACKED OUT ONTO THE RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE DRIVE ALIGNED THE WHEELS TO POINT STRAIGHT DOWN THE STREET. THE DRIVER SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND PRESSED PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AND SWERVED TO THE LEFT. IT GRAZED THE BUMPER OF A PACKED CAR AND CAME TO REST ON A TREE. UPON LEAVING THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WAS DEFLATED. THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED LEFT SUSPENSION DAMAGE. *TR
Power steering light came on while Driving and lost power steering assist control. Almost crashed while turning down the street.
Filed by owners of this model year and unverified by NHTSA — one person’s account, not an established fact.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer to open the door. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114 "Theft Protection."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17130.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured July 28, 2014, to August 1, 2014. Due to a loss of electrical connection in the steering column, in the event of a severe crash, the driver's frontal air bag deployment may be limited to the first-stage deployment only instead of the intended first-stage and second-stage deployments.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will test the terminals in the IP harness clock spring coil connector and replace any loose terminals, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14537.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured August 2, 2013, through August 12, 2013. Due to insufficient welds, the front fuel tank strap bracket may separate from the vehicle.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front fuel tank strap bracket, and repair it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13296.
Published by model year, not by VIN — may not apply to this vehicle, or may already have been done. Confirm with a dealer.