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2015 Chevrolet Sonic

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sonic years

Owner complaints for the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic are substantially higher than the model-year median of 42.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

79 reports with mileage · 35 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

27 reports
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28,700 miles · Jun 8, 2016
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND LOWER BACK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUF…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND LOWER BACK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,700.

NHTSA ODI #10873197

13,000 miles · May 16, 2016
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, WHEN SHE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER BUMPED HER HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION LOT. THE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, WHEN SHE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER BUMPED HER HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. UPDATED 07/27/16*LJ

NHTSA ODI #10865107

3,646 miles · Sep 3, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HIT A DEER GOING ABOUT 60 MPH. THE DEER HIT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE FROM THE GRILL TO THE CORNER. AFTER THE IMPACT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DAMAGE COULD BE A TOTAL LOSS JUST WAITING ON THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER.

NHTSA ODI #10761416

2,000 miles · Aug 10, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DEER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DEER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI #10747406

26 miles · Apr 7, 2015
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26. UPDATED 6/8/15*CN …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26. UPDATED 6/8/15*CN UPDATED 10/05/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10704206

3,191 miles · Apr 7, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING STRAIGHT IN A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC LT AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER OF A 2002 TOYOTA COROLLA MADE A LEFT HAND TURN CAUSING A COLLISION. SIMPLY PUT WE T BONED THE OTHER VEHICLE. 2015 CHEVY SONICS ARE EQUIPPED WITH WEIGHT SENSING RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. I WAS THE PASSENGER AND WEIGH APPROXIM…

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MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING STRAIGHT IN A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC LT AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER OF A 2002 TOYOTA COROLLA MADE A LEFT HAND TURN CAUSING A COLLISION. SIMPLY PUT WE T BONED THE OTHER VEHICLE. 2015 CHEVY SONICS ARE EQUIPPED WITH WEIGHT SENSING RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. I WAS THE PASSENGER AND WEIGH APPROXIMATELY 142 LBS. BOTH DRIVER FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, KNEE AND STEERING WHEEL. THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. ALMOST ALL OF THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE FRONT END PASSENGER SIDE. TOTAL MILEAGE AT TIME OF COLLISION WAS 3,191. SO FAR INSURANCE HAS ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS TO BE $8,863.10, NOTE THIS IS BEFORE TARE DOWN. FINAL COST WILL RISE CONSIDERING THEY FAILED TO INCLUDE FRONT BUMPER AND RADIATOR. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CONTACTED GM CONCERNING THE AIR BAG FAILURE, AND THE REPORT HAS BEEN PASSED ALONG TO NOW THE THIRD PERSON. THE REPORT WAS "ESCALATED TO CENTRAL CLAIMS" ON 4/2/2015, I WAS TOLD THEN THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A CALL WITHIN 24-48 HOURS, IT IS NOW 4/7/215. I DID NOT RECEIVE A CALL, CALLED GM YESTERDAY AND WAS GIVEN CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE 3RD ASSIGNED PERSON, SENT AN EMAIL ASKING FOR A RETURN CALL, NO RESPONSE RECEIVED. IT HAS NOW BEEN 24 HOURS SINCE EMAIL. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN ALLOWING ADOLESCENTS/CHILDREN TO RIDE IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10704189

70 miles · Mar 30, 2015
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE F…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70.

NHTSA ODI #10702727

Official recalls

3

16V422000 · Electrical System:software; Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

Jun 10, 2016

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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

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."

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

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."

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: 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.

16V257000 · Electrical System:software; Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

Apr 28, 2016

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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

Remedy: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

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."

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

Remedy: 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.

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."

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

Remedy: 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.

15V416000 · Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

Jun 30, 2015

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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.