2012 Chevrolet SONIC - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic has an outstanding safety rating of 5 out of 5, making it a top choice for those prioritizing safety in their vehicle selection. This car excels in various crash test scenarios, with high ratings in front and side crash tests, as well as rollover protection. Additionally, it is equipped with standard electronic stability control, which enhances the vehicle's stability and helps prevent accidents in challenging driving conditions.

While the Chevrolet Sonic does not come with forward collision warning or lane departure warning features, its excellent overall safety performance compensates for these additional safety technologies. In terms of complaints and recalls, there have been 344 complaints and 7 recalls reported for this model. However, the high safety rating and stability control system indicate that the Chevrolet Sonic takes safety seriously and provides a secure driving experience for its occupants.

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Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

344

Recall Count

7

Investigation Count

2

Safety Rating

5/5

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Safety Features

2012 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

No
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

No

2012 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2012 Score 2020 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating 5 5
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 5 5
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2012 Score 2020 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating 5 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear 5 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating 5 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2012 Score 2020 Score
Rollover Rating 4 4
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating 5 5

Complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet SONIC

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"01.24.2023 purchased chevy sonic 2012 three weeks ago (12.27.22) w odometer at 33,688 and manuf. date of 03/2012. it has multiple recalls, inc transmission, that gm has reported resolved. i have had to schedule a transmission rebuild for $3,200.00 in february. after pressing on gas pedal, the vehicle hesitates as though it is going to stall, then lurches forward. on open road it will buck. when slowing down to stop or make turns, it bucks and lurches. the problems duplicate those stated in almost all of the complaints reported on this site. if gm has reported this vehicle as properly repaired, then i am stuck. also, the questionable low mileage of a ten year old vehicle and dates of the recalls make me wonder about where and when or if all the recalls were truly resolved. there is one accident reported on this vehicle, sept. 2022; was the accident caused by the same powertrain related problems?"
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2024-12-01
Complaint:
"the automatic transmission failed. it failed while i was driving the vehicle. yes, it was confirmed by a dealer. it has been inspected by the chevy dealer. no, there were not any warning signs prior to the failure."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2024-02-11
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2012 chevrolet sonic. the contact stated that while coming off the freeway at approximately 30-35 mph, the vehicle began jerking. the engine revved up as if it intended to accelerate however, the vehicle would then jerk. the contact was able to coast to the destination driving approximately 5-10 mph. the check engine warning light illuminated with a trouble code regarding the engine. the contact who is a certified mechanic determined that the failure was related to technical service bulletin nhtsa id: 14v315000 (power train). the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where the vehicle was waiting to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 87,410."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2024-03-09
Complaint:
"my vehicle will not shift out of 1st or 2nd gear. this appears to be part of a recall i just found out about, however my vin # states its not part of the recall."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2023-05-09
Complaint:
"the gear shift in the car started sticking about 3 years ago but it would still shift so i wasn't too concerned. since then it's gotten gradually worse until tonight where it took me 5 minutes to put it into park. i couldn't released the key or get it out of reverse and it was terrifying. mine and others safety was put at risk because my car not going into park means it can roll anywhere and cause an accident. i haven't taken it to a dealer to get checked and it hasn't been inspected by anyone else. there never have been any warnings from the car that there is an issue."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2019-05-05
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2012 chevrolet sonic. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 - 60 mph, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. the failure nearly caused a collision. upon investigation, the contact related the failure to nhtsa campaign number: 14v315000 (power train) however, the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and della chevrolet of plattsburgh (5101 u.s. ave, plattsburgh, ny 12901). both dealers informed the contact that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2021-01-07
Complaint:
"during stop-and-go city traffic, the car will struggle to change gears, and has (between 5-10 times) "stopped responding," meaning that the car is unresponsive to pressing the brake or gas, although the electrical system continues to run. the only solution we have found to this is putting the car in park, turning it off, and turning it back on again, but this is very scary in the middle of traffic. this happened most recently on 5/8/21 but has happened at least 5 times in the past 18 months."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2021-05-07
Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2012 chevrolet sonic. the contact stated that the vehicle was serviced at van buick gmc (8585 e. frank lloyd wright blvd, scottsdale, az 85260) for a serpentine and timing belt replacement. after retrieving the vehicle from the dealer, the contact was driving at 55-60 mph, the vehicle decelerated independently. the check engine and drive warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel and automatically shifted from drive to first gear inadvertently. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer who informed the contact that the failure was transmission related. the vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vin was not under recall. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 14v315000 (power train) however, the vin was not included. the approximate failure mileage was 127,000. *dt"
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2021-12-04
Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2012 chevrolet sonic. the contact stated that while his daughter was driving 55 mph, the vehicle independently downshifted into second gear as the d on the transmission indicator began to flash on the instrument panel. due to the failure, his daughter immediately pulled over and called the contact. upon arriving at the scene, the contact stated that the vehicle would not move forward when placed in drive. the contact drove the vehicle to his home in reverse. the contact called autonation chevrolet west amarillo (7300 i-40, amarillo, tx 79106) and was informed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v315000 (power train). the manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that he had to pay out of pocket for any repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 130,000."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2022-01-12
Complaint:
"i owned my 2012 chevy sonic lt for exactly 8 years, with only 81.3k miles on it. after about 2016, ironically, when it was paid off, it started to 'nickel & dime' me; with everything from electrical issues, to battery replacement several times, it seemed i was constantly taking it to the shop. i was always very timely with regular oil changes and maintenance but regardless, unbeknownst to me, the 2012 models of the sonic have transmission/power train issues that the manufacturer made sure were addressed in the 2013 models but failed to recall or pay for the faulty transmission for the 2012 models. i had no indication my transmission would fail on me so suddenly. on sept. 14th, 2020, i was backing out of my driveway, and when i started down my street, i noticed my car wasn't accelerating properly. i thought it was my imagination at first, but it continued getting worse to the point where a high-pitched whine started and i immediately pulled over - my check engine light came on at that time also - and that was the beginning of the end. i had my car towed to my auto shop and they wrote me a quote for $5200 to have my transmission completely replaced. it was then they told me about the 2012 sonic faulty power train issues. i think it's completely unethical to not address a known issue that could've been taken care of by the company since it was the first year the car was sold, it should be their duty. i had no choice but to sell the car for parts as it wasn't worth the resale value with such a major issue."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2021-02-09

Recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet SONIC

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"general motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 buick verano vehicles manufactured december 2, 2011 to july, 16, 2012, chevrolet cruze vehicles manufactured december 7, 2011 to july 25, 2012, chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured december 5, 2011 to august 2, 2012, and chevrolet camaro vehicles manufactured december 1, 2011 to june 11, 2012. the driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals."
Consequence:
If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy:

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2014-06-06
Recall:
"general motors is recalling certain model year 2012 buick verano, chevrolet cruze, and chevrolet sonic vehicles. the driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals."
Consequence:
If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy:

General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2012-10-31
Recall:
"general motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet camaro, cruze and sonic, and model year 2012 buick verano vehicles. the driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals."
Consequence:
If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy:

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2013-01-24

CHEVROLET Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

CHEVROLET ranks 2 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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