2013 Chevrolet Sonic: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 217 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 6 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
217
Complaints
6
Recalls
24
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
20
Injuries
129.0
Severity index
Severity index 129.0 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 145 2013 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic ranks 19 of 145 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 87% of its model-year peers. See the full 2013 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 56 | 25.8% |
| ENGINE | 55 | 25.3% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 45 | 20.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 38 | 17.5% |
| AIR BAGS | 25 | 11.5% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 13 | 6.0% |
| STEERING | 13 | 6.0% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 12 | 5.5% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 56 of 217 complaints (25.8%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 28 |
| 2015 | 30 |
| 2016 | 35 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 25 |
| 2019 | 26 |
| 2020 | 22 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16V257000 | 28/04/2016 | 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 |
| 14V417000 | 02/07/2014 | EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL | 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 Augu |
| 13V220000 | 24/05/2013 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala; and 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. Originally, in May 2013, GM recalled 1,627 model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac X |
| 12V454000 | 17/09/2012 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured from May 29, 2012, through August 29, 2012. When a turn signal lamp fails to operate, the Body Control Module (BCM) in these vehicles does not detect this condition and will not in |
| 13V464000 | 26/09/2013 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING | General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured August 2, 2013, through August 12, 2013. Due to insufficient welds, the front fuel tank strap bracket may separate from the vehicle. |
| 23V516000 | 27/07/2023 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.