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Research · Compact Cars

2012 Chevrolet SonicRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 354 owner complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. Most complaints involve power train (154) and engine (83). The EPA rates it 28–32 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
28–32mpg
EPA · 8 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
7campaigns
Latest Jul 2014
Owner complaints
354
Top: power train
Fuel cost / yr
$2,000est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

7 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Equipment: electrical

Free remedy

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

EquipmentReported Jul 2, 2014NHTSA 14V417000

Power train: automatic transmission

Free remedy

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, to June 29, 2012, and equipped with a 6 speed automatic transmission and 1.8L four cylinder engine. In the affected vehicles, the transmission turbine shaft may fracture.

Power trainReported Jun 12, 2014NHTSA 14V315000

Air bags

Free remedy

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Air bagsReported Jun 6, 2014NHTSA 14V300000
See all 7 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 29, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

354 complaints filed with NHTSA · Feb 2012 – Aug 2026
  1. Power train154
  2. Engine83
  3. Electrical system59
  4. Air bags34
  5. Suspension19
  6. Vehicle speed control16
  7. Fuel/propulsion system16
  8. Service brakes15
  9. Steering14

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Sonic model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2012354
2013217
2014150
2015114
201648
201737
201815
20198
202010
Crashes reported
27
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
18
Deaths reported
1
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Power train

154 reports3 crashes
“The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that on several occasions, while coming to a stop, the vehicle unexpectedly remained in second gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that several attempts were needed for the vehicle to shift into another gear. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2026Power trainODI 11720417

Engine

83 reports2 crashes3 fires
“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. Someone spray painted the rust black but Firestone was still able to see the covered up rust. Firestone has deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2026Structure, Service brakes, EngineODI 11758358

Electrical system

59 reports3 crashes1 fire
“Reviving the p2138 code for throttle/accelerator sensor. Still getting code after replacing 3 accelerator peddles. Possible manufacture issue with wiring that water gets into connectors shorting out that system”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2025Electrical systemODI 11671614
All 2012 Sonic problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

8 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Compact Cars, Midsize Cars
Engines
1.4L 4-cyl turbo · 1.8L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Manual 6-spd · Automatic (S6) · Manual 5-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 29, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Sonic
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
283832$2,000278
Sonic 5
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
283832$2,000278
Sonic
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
273630$2,150296
Sonic 5
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
273630$2,150296
Sonic
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263429$2,200306
Sonic 5
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263429$2,200306
Sonic
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
243428$2,300317
Sonic 5
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
243428$2,300317
  • Sonic
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    28 city · 38 hwy · $2,000/yr
    32
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    28 city · 38 hwy · $2,000/yr
    32
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    27 city · 36 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo
    27 city · 36 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    26 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    26 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    24 city · 34 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • Sonic 5
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    24 city · 34 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 29, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Chevrolet Sonic 5 DR FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
12.6%
Overall
5 / 5
Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
12.6%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 29, 2026Vehicle 6506Vehicle 6505
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2012 Sonic questions

How many recalls does the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic have?

7 safety recalls as of Oct 29, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2012 Chevrolet Sonic problems?

Owners filed 354 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are power train (154), engine (83), electrical system (59). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic at 28–32 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (8 versions rated).

How safe is the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 29, 2026