VehicleVerdict

2012 Chevrolet Sonic engine problems

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic has 86 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 17% of the year's total, and the first year with meaningful reports in this category.

86

Engine complaints

17%

Share of year

3

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Sonic engine complaints by model year86 complaints2012: 86 complaints2013: 61 complaints2014: 38 complaints2015: 26 complaints2016: 15 complaints2017: 20 complaints2018: 4 complaints2019: 4 complaints2020: 2 complaints
Sonic engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

TAKATA RECALL I WAS DRIVING AND I TRIED TO BRAKE AT AN INTERSECTION DUE TO A RED LIGHT AND THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS UNABLE TO USE THE BRAKES BECAUSE THE PAD GOT STIFF AND IT DIDN'T ALLOW ME TO BRAKE, I HAD TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME .

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · May 13, 2016 · crash

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic have?

NHTSA has 86 complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic engine — 17% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.