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2013 Chevrolet Sonic problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 6safety recalls
- 217owner complaints
- 24crash reports
- 4fire reports
- 43%fail the UK MOT
217 complaints, against an average of 92 for the other 8 Chevrolet Sonic model years.
Every Chevrolet Sonic model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic?
The components named most often in the 217 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2013 Chevrolet Sonic owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 217 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic?17 owners · 7.8%
- Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic stall, lose power or shut off while driving?14 owners · 6.5%
- Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic idle rough, misfire or hesitate?10 owners · 4.6%
- Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic overheat?8 owners · 3.7%
Has the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic been recalled?
6 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 Volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232413120.
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 off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer to open the door. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114 "Theft Protection."
Risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17130.
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 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.
Risk: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.
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.
Risk: If the front fuel tank strap bracket separates, the increased load may lead to the failure of the other tank support. As a result, the fuel tank may come loose from the vehicle causing a fuel leak. A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, may result in a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front fuel tank strap bracket, and repair it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13296.
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 XTS; and model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. In October 2013, GM informed the agency that it was adding model year 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles to this campaign , representing an additional 8,050 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 9,677. On the affected vehicles, the brake lamps may intermittently flash without the brakes being applied and the cruise control may disengage. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If the brake lamps flash when the vehicle is not slowing, a following driver may not adjust vehicle speed when the vehicle is in fact braking, and the brake lamps are illuminating as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module. The recall began on June 13, 2013. Owner's may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. GM's recall number is 13158.
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 indicate the condition to the driver. Thus, These vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the driver is not aware that the turn signal is not functioning and does not have the light repaired, other drivers may not be alerted that the vehicle is turning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the BCM and the vehicle's key fobs, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 3, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.
How often does the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2013, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2013 Chevrolet Sonic owners report?
12 of the 217 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
Vehicle enters into catalyst monitor too early. Monitor Fales indicating that the catalyst is below efficiency threshold. A vehicle is run for a significant amount of time before being allowed to enter the driving conditions for the catalyst monitor, monitor will pass. This indicates that there is a programming failure, not an actual component failure. Theory has been tested multiple times. Catalyst had also been tested by temperature sensor as well as by taking readings with a gas analyzer before and after the catalyst. Everything indicates the catalyst is well within operating parameters…
On 7-27-2023 General Motors issued a recall on 2013 models of Sonic, my VIN was not included in this recall. However on 4-16-2025 my sonic was involved in a impact incident in which the air bags should have deployed, and did not. It is my opinion that Chevy, knowing of the issues with the model of car, should have issued a recall for my vehicle as well, but did not. As a result I suffered additional strain and injury during my impact as no airbags deployed.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that upon turning off the vehicle, the ignition key remained stuck in the ignition switch. Additionally, the contact noticed that the gear shift indicator was indicating that the transmission was in park(P) and in drive(D) simultaneously. The contact stated that upon moving the gear shifter in and out of park(P) several times, and shifting back to park(P), the contact was able to release the key. The contact stated that the failure had recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the gear shifter was replaced…
The Sonic rear ended a stationary vehicle going close to 50mph. No airbags deployed.
Was driving in heavy rain when car suddenly cut power and decelerated showed code 84 and the CEL came back with P2138. It is a known issue that rain gets up into the connector and causes a malfunction.
Last week when I was driving my car on the street, and wanted to make a left the steering wheel was very hard to turn. And the next day It happened again , steering hard to turn and it’s been intermittent but not driving my car right now, thanks for your attention
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that there was fluid leaking from underneath the hood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a water pump and the thermostat housing failure. The contact discovered Technical Service Bulletin: 14371B; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was…
2013 Chevrolet Sonic 1.8 L , fuel system lean ,mass airflow sensor, in limp mode preventing acceleration, gas tank when added gas....shuts down after start up-fuel system/gasoline; may cause possible fuel leak and could combust, alarm system and locks don't properly function - electric system equipment, insufficient welds...around fuel tank and front of vehicle on bottom by driver's side could also cause combustion, bcm codes that came up were communication, electrical, fuel, windows, and airbags! AutoZone codes were po171 and co561-77,I looked up recalls , several came up for my make and…
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the rear windshield suddenly imploded, causing glass shards to be propelled inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that it sounded as if a shotgun had been fired. As a result of the implosion, the contact sustained injuries to the left eye. The contact sought medical attention. The contact stated that there was an abnormal electrical humming sound coming from the rear windshield prior to the failure. The contact stated that the defroster was not activated at the time of the failure. The…
My car is a lemon , brought from Arizona and they sold me a car that has a rusted chassis so if repairs are needed I will have to spend more money to get fixed because things are very fragile because everything is rusted and then I’m lease the car for a price a car isn’t worth for .
CODE 84 WHILE DRIVING ON REGULAR ROAD AT NORMAL SPEED. CAR GOES INTO POWER REDUCTION MODE. IT'S DIFFICULT TO ACCELERATE AND THE "SEE MECHANIC" SYMBOL ON THE DASH. TOOK IT TO MIDAS, HAD THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND ELECTRICAL WIRES GREASED. NEXT WEEK SAME THING, REPLACED PEDAL ASSEMBLY AGAIN. SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY. DRIVING IN NICE WEATHER GOING UNDER 45MPH. STABILITRACK LIGHT COMES ON AND POWER REDUCTION TURNS ON. TURN CAR OFF, SIT A MINUTE, TURN BACK ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND POWER REDUCTION OFF. WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. EVERY DAY FOR THE LAST 3 WEEKS AFTER ABOUT A YEAR AGO HAVING…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR FAILED TWICE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,889. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
2013 Chevrolet Sonic: questions owners ask
Is the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 217 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic; the most common categories were electrical system (56, 25.8%), engine (55, 25.3%), power train (38, 17.5%). There are 6 safety recalls. 24 complaints mention a crash, 4 mention a fire, 20 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic?
Across 217 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (25.8% of complaints), engine (25.3% of complaints), power train (17.5% of complaints), air bags (11.5% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (6% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic; the most recent (campaign 23V516000, 2023-07-27) concerns Air Bags: Frontal: Driver Side: Inflator Module. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic?
17 of the 217 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic (7.8%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet sonic. when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning indicator illuminated." (NHTSA complaint 11203047, April 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
14 of the 217 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic (6.5%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Car was taken to a mechanic. The diagnosis is that the 16186 Catalytic Converter Internal Damage. This forces the car to keep stalling. Upon further research, certain models had this recall." (NHTSA complaint 11508590, February 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
10 of the 217 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic (4.6%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "Tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet sonic. the contact stated that when the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle hesitated and ceased to move. the manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired." (NHTSA complaint 11133591, October 2018). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic overheat?
8 of the 217 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic (3.7%) describe the engine overheating or coolant loss. One owner wrote: "2013 chevrolet sonic turbo has issue with coolant system. car is constantly triggering the 'check engine' light and may cause damage to car due to overheating and coolant leak. coolant leaks after call is not in motion and trying to cool." (NHTSA complaint 11206126, May 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Sonic
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2013 only.