2014 Chevrolet Sonic: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 149 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 4 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
149
Complaints
4
Recalls
11
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
9
Injuries
89.9
Severity index
Severity index 89.9 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 139 2014 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic ranks 46 of 139 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 67% of its model-year peers. See the full 2014 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 48 | 32.2% |
| ENGINE | 38 | 25.5% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 34 | 22.8% |
| AIR BAGS | 24 | 16.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 20 | 13.4% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 15 | 10.1% |
| STEERING | 13 | 8.7% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 8 | 5.4% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 48 of 149 complaints (32.2%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 13 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 3 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 14V543000 | 09/09/2014 | AIR BAGS | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured July 28, 2014, to August 1, 2014. Due to a loss of electrical connection in the steering column, in the event of a severe crash, the driver's frontal air bag deployment may be limi |
| 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 |
| 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. |
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.