Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND WAS COMING UP TO AN INTERSECTION I HAD TO TURN AT. I PUSHED THE BREAK PEDAL, BUT IT WAS REALLY STIFF AND DIDN'T DO MUCH. MY CAR SLID ACROSS THE ROAD INTO A WOODEN ELECTRIC POLE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT STOP. MY CAR IS TOTALED AND NOW I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO GET A DIFFERENT VEHICLE.
FOR ALL BLACK 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC'S HAVE A BAD PAINT JOB.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE'S DOORS AND BECAME LOCKED OUT OF THE VEHICLE FOR HOURS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS WERE FINALLY ABLE TO OPEN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SHORTAGE DUE TO A FAILING DOOR SENSOR. THE CONTACT CALLED JENNINGS CHEVROLET BUICK GMC AT (717) 496-4158 (LOCATED AT 916 NORLAND AVE, CHAMBERSBURG, PA 17201) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
CHEVY IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A WORKING SOLUTION. THEIR RELATED BULLETIN IS PI0826. I PARK MY CAR ON AN INCLINE WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE LEFT BY APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES WHEN IT RAINS, WATER COMES IN THROUGH THE LOWER WINDSHIELD AREA, DOWN AN AIR VENT, THROUGH AND AROUND AN AIR FILTER, THROUGH AND AROUND A FAN ASSEMBLY AND DRIPS ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED, I THOUGH IT WAS ME, LEAVING THE WINDOW AJAR, OR A WATER BOTTLE LEAKING, OR ACCIDENTLY LEAVING DOOR UNLOCKED AND SOMEONE DOING SOMETHING. I DRIVE MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, SO BY THE TIME I FOUND THE PROBLEM, THE CAR SMELLED REALLY BAD. IT WAS A FISHY TYPE SMELL. I HAD CHECKED WINDOWS, THEY WERE UP. I HAD TO UNLOCK, SO IT WAS NO ONE GETTING IN. LUCKILY, THE MAT HAD A PLASTIC BOTTOM AND IT HELD MOST OF THE WATER, BUT THE CARPET BELOW DID GET WET AS WELL. I HADN'T USED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS, AND THE FLOOR MAT WAS STILL SOAKED 3-4 DAYS AFTER THE ACTUAL RAIN. IT TOOK 3 DAYS TO REMOVE THE SMELL FROM THE MAT ALONE. LAUNDRY DETERGENT DIDN'T WORK. I FINALLY GOT IT BETTER WITH WHITE VINEGAR. I HAD TO SPRAY IT AFTER THAT WITH LYSOL AND COLOGNE. SO MUCH FOR THE "NEW CAR SMELL". 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED I KNEW IT WASN'T ANYTHING I DID. LUCKILY, I WENT OUT TO CHECK IT THE DAY AFTER A STORM. IT WAS SOAKED AGAIN, AND AGAIN I HAD TO CLEAN IT AND DRY IT UP. THIS IS WHEN I SEARCHED AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BULLETIN. IT WAS APPLIED BY A DEALER, BUT IT DID NOT WORK. 2ND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE LOWER TRIM ON WINDSHIELD. THERE IS LESS WATER, BUT IT'S STILL COMING IN. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY HOW I PARK. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MOLD FROM THE WET FILTER & FLOOR PADDING, PREMATURE RUSTING WHEN THE FLOOR GETS WET AND PREMATURE FAILURE IF THE FAN GETS WET. I HEARD SAME ISSUE ON ANOTHER MODEL HAS A SPECIFIC PART FOR THE FIX. *TR
WE STARTED HEARING A RATTLING COMING FROM THE RIGHT TRUNK AREA TOOK IT TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THIS ISSUE CANNOT BE FIXED TRUNK LID IS RUBBING SIDE OF CAR CHIPPING PAINT IT IS UNABLE TO BE ALIGNED BECAUSE BODY IS BENT MOST OF THE BODY LINES ON THE VEHICLE ARE NOT LINED UP
YOU CANT PUT ANYTHING IN THE TRUNK OR HAVE PASSENGERS ON BACK SEAT WITHOUT CAR BOTTOMING OUT. IF YOU EXCEED 300 POUNDS IN TRUNK THE BACK WHEELS GO ALL THE WAY UP IN CAR, RIDE IS TERRIBLE. *TR
ON MARCH 12, 2014 AROUND 8:00 P.M I HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH MY VEHICLE AT MY HOME. MY CAR IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION SO WHEN I WENT TO TURN IT ON, ONLY HALF OF MY BODY WAS IN THE VEHICLE TO TURN IT ON. BEFORE TURNING IT ON I DID NOTICE THE E-BRAKE ENGAGED AND THE CAR WAS IN FIRST GEAR. I PROCEEDED TO TURN IT ON KNOWING THAT I COULD STILL TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR BEFORE ENGAGING THE CLUTCH AGAIN. AT THE MOMENT OF IGNITION THOUGH, THE CAR TOOK OFF FORWARD AND TOOK ME WITH IT. FROM THE PANIC THAT I HAD, I HELD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND PULLED IT TO THE LEFT AND THE VEHICLE RAN INTO ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE TO THE LEFT FRONT OF ME. THE IMPACT OF THE VEHICLE LED TO THE DOOR OF THE CHEVY SONIC TO CLOSE ON MY RIGHT LEG AND THE DOOR STAYED SHUT ON MY LEG SINCE THE CAR HAD RAN ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT ONTO THE OTHER VEHICLE, I NOTICED AN ODD SMELL THAT SEEMED LIKE BRAKES. THE CAR HAD STOPPED DUE TRASH CANS THAT WERE AT THE FRONT OF IT. WHEN THE CAR IMPACTED THE TRASH CANS , THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING YET THE CAR WAS STILL WANTING TO GO ON AHEAD AS IF SOMEONE WAS ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE. DURING THIS TIME WHILE THIS HAPPENED AND I WAS STILL PINNED BETWEEN THE DOOR OF THE CHEVY SONIC AND HAVING THE DOOR KEPT SHUT ON ME DUE TO THE SIDE IMPACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE, I SMELLED SOMETHING THAT SEEMED LIKE BRAKES TO ME. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, I FINALLY MANAGED TO TURN IT OFF. I THEN PUT IT TO NEUTRAL AND DISENGAGED THE E-BRAKE AND HAD FAMILY MEMBERS ROLL THE CAR BACK. UPON BEING UNPINNED FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE AND HAVING MY LEG FREED FROM THE CHEVY SONIC, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO TRY OUT THE E-BRAKE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY. THE E-BRAKE DID NOT FAIL TO ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE. I HAVE REPEATED THIS SAME SITUATION OVER AND OVER. THE ONLY RESULT HAS BEEN THE CAR JERKING FORWARD ABOUT 2 FEET THEN STALLING DUE TO THE E-BRAKE BEING ENGAGED. *TR
2013 CHEVY SONIC LOUD VIBRATION NOISE FROM ENGINE BAY AREA WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED OR IN THE DRIVE POSITION WHEN STOPPED, IT ALSO OCCURS WITH OR WITHOUT A HEAVY LOAD (MEANING RADIO ON/OFF, AC ON/OFF). AS A CONSUMER I WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION, NORMAL OPERATION WOULD MEAN EITHER AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE OR SOMETHING THAT ARISES AFTER HIGH MILEAGE ON THE AUTO. PER TECH NOTES "CASE [XXX], ADVISED A NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC OF 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. COMPARED TO SIMILAR VEHICLE MADE THE SAME SOUND. WAS ABLE TO DEADEN NOISE BY APPLYING PRESSURE TO FRONT BUMPER.*** - TECH COMMENTS: NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC - INTERNAL" INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .