2012 Chevrolet Sonic Engine Problems
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 49,000 miles.
- 83engine complaints
- 49,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 21%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 62 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 83 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Sonic engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Sonic | 2 | 20% | — |
| 2019 Sonic | 2 | 25% | — |
| 2018 Sonic | 4 | 29% | 56,500 |
| 2017 Sonic | 19 | 51% | 54,136 |
| 2016 Sonic | 13 | 27% | 65,000 |
| 2015 Sonic | 23 | 20% | 38,500 |
| 2014 Sonic | 38 | 25% | 37,200 |
| 2013 Sonic | 55 | 25% | 74,000 |
| 2012 Sonic | 83 | 23% | 49,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Unknown
I purchased this car 2 years ago and it has caused me absolutely nothing but trouble. We have replaced the fan 4 times (twice due to the resistor thats part of the fan failed), headgasket job, intercooler punctures (once inward, once outward), failed valve cover, intake maniford, turbo seals twice…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Chevrolet Sonics have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 83 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic (23% of the 354 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 49,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
Other 2012 Chevrolet Sonic problems
See all 2012 Chevrolet Sonic problems or engine problems across all Sonic years.