2015 Chevrolet Sonic Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sonic years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic. That ranks 4th out of 10 Sonic model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (34 complaints, 30%), typically at around 50,000 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 3 fires, 19 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 114owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 Chevrolet Sonic problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 34 | 30% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 27 | 24% | 28,700 | — | — |
| Engine | 23 | 20% | 38,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 22 | 19% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 11% | 19,890 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 11% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 5% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 4% | 10,969 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 4% | 52,300 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 3% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 120,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 3% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 3% | 18,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 62,950 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 2% | 2 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | 24,600 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 800 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 193,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 Chevrolet Sonic recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:software; equipment:electrical:radio/tape deck/cd etc.
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208 "Occupant Crash Protection" and 114 "Theft Protection."
Risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
Electrical system:software; equipment:electrical:radio/tape deck/cd etc.
Problem: 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."
Risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
Fix: 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.
Equipment:electrical:radio/tape deck/cd etc.
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured April 30, 2014, to May 20, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured June 18, 2014, to June 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, equipped with the base radio and OnStar, the radio may lock up due to a software issue, causing the display to go blank and all audio functions to cease. Because of this, there may be no warning chimes such as the reminder to buckle the seat belt and the key being left in ignition when the driver goes to exit the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208 "Occupant Crash Protection", and 114 "Theft Protection."
Risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft. If a driver or front passenger does not buckle their seat belt, there would be no chime to remind them to fasten their seat belts. If a driver or passenger does not buckle their seat belt there is an increased risk that they will be injured in a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15504.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Passenger seat airbag shows that it is still off even when there is someone in the Passenger seat
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact purchased the vehicle from a dealer in March 2024. The contact stated that when the vehicle was purchased, the odometer at 60,000, and the advertisement stated 60,000. The contact recently acquired the Carfax report, which…
my recall is already completed, why on the your website still showing incompleted?
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the catalytic converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
I have had this vehicle for three years now and no matter of the repairs I had done to it by machanics the check engind light continue to turn on and the vehicle has shut down on the road and I can't find out what the solution is. I am afraid to drive it.Also the mylink radio which has all the…
Other Chevrolet Sonic years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Sonic | 10 | 0 |
| 2019 Sonic | 8 | 0 |
| 2018 Sonic | 14 | 1 |
| 2017 Sonic | 37 | 0 |
| 2016 Sonic | 48 | 2 |
| 2015 | 114 | 3 |
| 2014 Sonic | 150 | 4 |
| 2013 Sonic | 217 | 6 |
| 2012 Sonic | 354 | 7 |
| 2011 Sonic | 1 | 0 |
See all Chevrolet Sonic problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
Embed this 2015 Chevrolet Sonic badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic?
Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 34 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sonic model years, the 2015 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.