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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns and 354 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Chevrolet dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2012 Chevrolet Sonic owner complaints

Owners have filed 354 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, describing incidents dated May 6, 2011 to August 3, 2026.

Most-cited components

  • Power Train 154 complaints
  • Engine 87 complaints
  • Electrical System 59 complaints
  • Unknown or Other 46 complaints
  • Air Bags 34 complaints
  • Suspension 19 complaints

Of the 354 complaints on file, 27 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 354 complaints, owners report 18 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11758358 · Filed

    I purchased a 2012 Chevy Sonic with 65k miles on it from Carvibe LLC earlier this month. When I took it into Firestone for a full inspection, they found that the car has severe rusting to the mechanical parts along with the body of the vehicle - the entire structure of the vehicle is compromised…

  • ODI #11720417 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that on several occasions, while coming to a stop, the vehicle unexpectedly remained in second gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that several attempts were needed for the vehicle to shift into another gear…

  • ODI #11715161 · Filed

    Transmission shaft malfunction. Doesn't shift out of 1st gear. Transmission does not engage into gear.

Read all 354 complaints

Owner-reported

2012 Chevrolet Sonic mileage at failure

276 of the 354 complaints on file for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Power TrainMedian 50,000 milesMiddle half 35,000–80,000 milesBased on 119 complaints
EngineMedian 45,000 milesMiddle half 20,000–65,000 milesBased on 62 complaints
Electrical SystemMedian 40,000 milesMiddle half 20,000–55,000 milesBased on 45 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Most complaints NHTSA received since May 17, 2021 give no mileage. So that they aren't undercounted, each one received since then that gives a mileage also stands in for those that gave none, which can put a component's median above most of the mileages it is based on.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Engine Block Heater Power Cord Damage

NHTSA #14V417000 · Equipment — Electrical · NHTSA notice

Reported July 2, 2014 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 2,990 vehicles

Repair completion: 78.83% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 14257 · Owners notified August 29, 2014 · Vehicles built May 10, 2011 – August 2, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Transmission Turbine Shaft Fracture

NHTSA #14V315000 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission · NHTSA notice

Reported June 12, 2014 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 21,567 vehicles

Repair completion: 85.59% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 14234 · Owners notified August 8, 2014 · Vehicles built March 1, 2012 – June 29, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, to June 29, 2012, and equipped with a 6 speed automatic transmission and 1.8L four cylinder engine. In the affected vehicles, the transmission turbine shaft may fracture.

Safety consequence

If the transmission turbine shaft fracture occurs during vehicle operation in first or second gear, the vehicle will not upshift to the third through sixth gears, limiting the vehicle's speed. If the fracture occurs during operation in third through sixth gear, the vehicle will coast until it slows enough to downshift to first or second gear, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission turbine shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14234.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Not Deploy

NHTSA #14V300000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported June 6, 2014 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 31,520 vehicles

Repair completion: 81.71% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 12261 · Owners notified July 25, 2014 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Driver Side Frontal Air bag may not Deploy

NHTSA #13V023000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported January 24, 2013 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 4,167 vehicles

Repair completion: 86.44% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 12261 · Owners notified February 13, 2013 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

This is General Motors recall number 12261 and is an expansion of NHTSA recall 12V-522.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Driver Side Frontal Airbag may not Deploy

NHTSA #12V522000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported October 31, 2012 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 2,949 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign 12261 · Owners notified January 11, 2013

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

This is General Motors recall number 12261.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Windshield Wiper Hose/FMVSS 104

NHTSA #12V408000 · Visibility — Windshield Wiper/Washer · NHTSA notice

Reported August 20, 2012 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 44,668 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign 12176 · Owners notified September 7, 2012 · Vehicles built May 5, 2011 – February 24, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured from May 5, 2011, through February 24, 2012. These vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems." The windshield wiper washer hose on these vehicles may separate from the washer fluid reservoir. If this occurs, washer fluid will not be available to the windshield.

Safety consequence

A lack of washer fluid could impede the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will secure the windshield washer hose to prevent separation, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 7, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

Notes

GM's recall campaign number is 12176.Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

MISSING BRAKE PAD

NHTSA #11V599000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Disc — Pads · NHTSA notice

Reported December 28, 2011 · GENERAL MOTORS LLC

Potentially affected: 4,296 vehicles

Owners notified January 23, 2012 · Vehicles built June 2, 2011 – November 21, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 2, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 21, 2011. ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, THE FRONT BRAKE INNER OR OUTER PAD MAY BE MISSING.

Safety consequence

A MISSING PAD COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT BRAKES FOR A MISSING INNER OR OUTER PAD. IF A BRAKE PAD IS MISSING, DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW INNER AND OUTER PADS, A NEW BRAKE CALIPER, AND A NEW ROTOR. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 14, 2012

Notes

GM’S SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS 11354.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

Other Chevrolet Sonic model years

Check your 2012 Chevrolet Sonic VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Chevrolet Sonic at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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