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2017 Chevrolet Sonic

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 42.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

21 reports with mileage · 16 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.

  • Engine. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

Engine complaints

19 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 2022
EngineFuel/propulsion System

Purchased this vehicle in February 2022 with 105,000 miles. Oil sticker indicated recent oil change and oil color was light and clear. The day after purchase the check engine light came on. Diagnostic scan indicated bad thermostat assembly and 2 oil sensors needed replacement. Radiator fluid was low. AC didn't cool. Repairs comp…

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Purchased this vehicle in February 2022 with 105,000 miles. Oil sticker indicated recent oil change and oil color was light and clear. The day after purchase the check engine light came on. Diagnostic scan indicated bad thermostat assembly and 2 oil sensors needed replacement. Radiator fluid was low. AC didn't cool. Repairs completed almost $900. The check engine light came on again the next day. The check engine and check oil lights/alarms need to be actual gauges. The vehicle overheated 3 times due to low coolant and faulty fan sensor fuse. Where is all the coolant going? A leaky hose was replaced but it didn't fix the coolant leak. Of course the car will easily overheat so I keep coolant with me to avoid being disabled during rush hour traffic on the Interstate in 105 degree temperatures. The engine continues to run hot and the check engine light stays on. The oil light/alarm is something new that started last Monday after driving 20 miles to Yukon, OK. No warning of any problem until I exited onto the service road to wait for a green light. The oil alarm/light turned off upon acceleration but returned again when the idle RPM went below 1000. Repairs were estimated at over $2200 for a new oil pump. I requested an engine flush and oil change instead since an oil pump could NOT be located. The oil filter was found to have collapsed but a new oil filter did not fix the low oil pressure at idle. So many defects with this vehicle!!! What the heck???? Odometer reading today is 107,364. It seems Chevy has manufactured a car that will barely make it past 100,000 miles and repair parts aren't available? Something isn't right with this picture. This car isn't safe to drive. Sincerely, NOT-Okay in OKC, OK.

NHTSA ODI #11473132

54,136 miles · Jan 4, 2021
EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNED A 2017 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 25 MPH, A FELLOW MOTORIST HAD HONKED AT HER AS SHE NOTICED FLAMES FORMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE RADIO INSIDE HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER INITIALLY ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A CUP OF WATER BUT TO NO…

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TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNED A 2017 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 25 MPH, A FELLOW MOTORIST HAD HONKED AT HER AS SHE NOTICED FLAMES FORMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE RADIO INSIDE HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER INITIALLY ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A CUP OF WATER BUT TO NO AVAIL. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE AND THEN CALLED THE AUTHORITIES WHO ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW YARD. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. HER DAUGHTER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND ALAN WEBB CHEVROLET( 3712 NE 66TH AVE, VANCOUVER, WA 98661) TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED FOR A DEFECTIVE PURGE VALVE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,136.

NHTSA ODI #11386453

45,000 miles · Dec 12, 2020
Engine

MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON , SO I HAD IT RAN FOR A TEST WHICH P2076 HAS CAME UP AS 1 OF THE CODES. PRIOR TO FINDING THIS OUT MY CAR HAS CUT OFF ON ME 3 TIMES JUST BEING STROPPED AT A RED LIGHT. LAST TIME WAS ON THANKSGIVING 2020, I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. I HAD TO PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND SHUT IT OF…

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MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON , SO I HAD IT RAN FOR A TEST WHICH P2076 HAS CAME UP AS 1 OF THE CODES. PRIOR TO FINDING THIS OUT MY CAR HAS CUT OFF ON ME 3 TIMES JUST BEING STROPPED AT A RED LIGHT. LAST TIME WAS ON THANKSGIVING 2020, I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. I HAD TO PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF, BUT IT DID CUT BACK ON. THE OTHER 2 TIMES THAT MY CAR SUDDENLY CUT OFF ON ME, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT VISIBLE AT THE TIME WHICH IS VERY SCARY IF A CAR IS CUTTING OFF

NHTSA ODI #11383134

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2020
Engine

THE COOLANT HAD LEAKED OUT MY CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHOM I PURCHASED IT FROM. IT'S ONLY BEING FIVE MONTHS AND I AM HAVING THESE ERRORS AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE COOLANT HAS LEAKED OUT AND I HAD TO REFILL THE COOLANT.

NHTSA ODI #11362828

58,000 miles · Aug 7, 2020
Engine

MY COOLANT HAS CONTINUOUSLY LEAKED SINCE I GOT THE CAR. IT MAY BE A HOSE ISSUE, BUT MY "ENGINE OVERHEATING- IDLE ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON, AND MY COOLANT RESERVOIR KEEPS EMPTYING QUICKLY. I HAVE READ MANY SIMILAR INSTANCES WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR OF THE CHEVY SONIC. MY AIR ALSO GETS WARM VERY OFTEN, WHICH IS …

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MY COOLANT HAS CONTINUOUSLY LEAKED SINCE I GOT THE CAR. IT MAY BE A HOSE ISSUE, BUT MY "ENGINE OVERHEATING- IDLE ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON, AND MY COOLANT RESERVOIR KEEPS EMPTYING QUICKLY. I HAVE READ MANY SIMILAR INSTANCES WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR OF THE CHEVY SONIC. MY AIR ALSO GETS WARM VERY OFTEN, WHICH IS LINKED TO THE COOLANT ISSUE. MY CAR IS IN MOTION WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON.

NHTSA ODI #11343977

28,395 miles · Aug 4, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFuel/propulsion System

LIGHTS COME ON AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 12 MILES, THE ENGINE LOOSES POWER BAD , WHEN YOU LET UP ON GAS FOOT IT TAKES VERY LONG TO GET IT GOING SLOW TO BUILD UP POWER.REGULAR ROADWAY, NO HILLS .LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN PARKED A WHILE THEN COME BACK ON AFTER 12 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11343185

65,000 miles · Apr 2, 2020
Air BagsEngineCrash

I WAS HIT HEAD ON AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IT COULD HAVE BEEN WAY WORSE THAN IT WAS BUT IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND MY ENGINE IS JUNK. HAVING ISSUES WITH IT AND ITS LESS THAN 70000 MILES

NHTSA ODI #11320007

50,000 miles · Jan 26, 2020
Engine

CAR HAS GONE THROUGH 4 VALVE COVERS IN 5 MOTHS. ITS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND GM HAS AND WILL NOT EXTEND WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #11302113

48,500 miles · Aug 2, 2019
Engine

CAME TO A STOP AT A CONTROLLED SIGNAL LIGHT AND MY CAR DIED AND REFUSED TO START. I HAD TO GET HELP TO PUSH MY CAR OUT OF THE TRAFFIC. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES AND 30 MINUTES LATER THE CAR STARTED. AT LEAST 40 OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THIS SAME ISSUE TO CAR COMPLAINTS.COM AND LEMON LAWS.COM

NHTSA ODI #11241239

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.