Powertrain complaints and recalls from NHTSA
Summary
The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic has 150 NHTSA powertrain complaints and 1 powertrain-related recall.
150
Complaints
1
Recalls
2
Injuries Reported
Data source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) · Last updated April 9, 2026
14V315000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, to June 29, 2012, and equipped with ...
| Date ↓ | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 25, 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that on several occasions, while coming ... |
| Feb 1, 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission shaft malfunction. Doesn't shift out of 1st gear. Transmission does not engage into gea... |
| Apr 10, 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle lost p... |
| Dec 30, 2023 | POWER TRAIN | While driving on the highway late at night, at approximately 60 mph my 2012 Sonic began to lose powe... |
| Jan 24, 2023 | POWER TRAIN | 01.24.2023 Purchased Chevy Sonic 2012 three weeks ago (12.27.22) w odometer at 33,688 and manuf. dat... |
| Nov 26, 2022 | POWER TRAIN | THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. YES, IT WAS CONFIRMED ... |
| Sep 27, 2022 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while coming off the freeway at app... |
| Sep 17, 2022 | POWER TRAIN | My vehicle will not shift out of 1st or 2nd gear. This appears to be part of a recall I just found o... |
| Sep 17, 2022 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | A few months after this car was purchased, we received the notice regarding recall 14234 for our 201... |
| Nov 7, 2021 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | Driving 2012 Chevrolet Sonic approximately 50mph, car down shifted on its own to 20mph nearly gettin... |
| Aug 18, 2021 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I have a 2012 Chevy Sonic giving a P2138 error code. I have replaced the Throttle Position Sensor an... |
| Jul 1, 2021 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 - 60... |
| Apr 12, 2021 | POWER TRAIN | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT VAN... |
| Dec 25, 2020 | POWER TRAIN | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ... |
| Oct 22, 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | FIRST PROBLEM STARTED WHEN RADIO REMAINED ON AFTER KEY REMOVED FROM IGNITION. RADIO WOULD TURN ON AN... |
| Sep 14, 2020 | POWER TRAIN | I OWNED MY 2012 CHEVY SONIC LT FOR EXACTLY 8 YEARS, WITH ONLY 81.3K MILES ON IT. AFTER ABOUT 2016, I... |
| Aug 26, 2020 | POWER TRAIN | TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD AND NOW IT WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE AND WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST. ENGINE REV... |
| Jul 23, 2020 | POWER TRAIN | CAR HAS 52,000 MILES, AND THE TRANSMISSION BLEW. |
| Jul 17, 2020 | POWER TRAIN | DURING STOP-AND-GO CITY TRAFFIC, THE CAR WILL STRUGGLE TO CHANGE GEARS, AND HAS (BETWEEN 5-10 TIMES)... |
| Jun 27, 2020 | POWER TRAIN | AT 94000 MILES THE CAR STOPPED SHIFTING PERIOD. IT WOULD START AND THEN GO NOWHERE NOT FORWARDS BACK... |