There are 27 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonicin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I was driving my 2012 chevrolet sonic on April 26 and was rear ended my seatbelt did not engage and I was injured. I was rushed to the hospital for a concussion and on may 4th I got dizzy from my concussion from the accident suffered on April 26 and lost control of my vehicle and struck a concrete barrier on i20 west then bounced of the barrier and struck the barrier yet again. My seatbelt never engaged and my airbags never deployed either time striking the barrier nor the prior accident.
I WAS DRIVING AND TURNING LEFT INTO A PLAZA PARKING LOT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT MINE VERY HARD AS THEY WERE GOING REALLY FAST. THEY HIT THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY DAMAGING THE GRILL, FRONT BUMPER AND ALL OF THE SUPPORTS FOR THEM. EVEN THOUGH MY CAR TOOK A HARD IMPACT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I, AS WELL AS THE COPS THAT WERE ON DUTY, WERE VERY CONCERNED BY THIS FACT.
ENGINE IS RUNNING ROUGH WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ALSO AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON WITH NO COLLISIONS FOR IT TO APPEAR.
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM ON TO OFF FOR A FEW WEEKS, AS WELL AS THE AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT ON HE DASH, NOW THE LIGHT STAYS ON THE DASH AND THE THE AIRBAG STAYS IN THE OFF POSITION.
***TAKATA RECALL*** WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT OTHER CAR RAN A STOP SIGN & I TBONE THE OTHER CAR @ ABOUT 25 MPH & THE AIR BAGS DIDNT DEPLOYED
SEAT BELT TENSIONER CABLES FRAYED AND BROKE OFF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE REVERSING FROM A DRIVEWAY AND PULLED FORWARD AT THAN 2 TO 3 MPH AND HIT AN OBJECT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN VEHICLE WAS STILL AND CONSUMER WAS INJURED. THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE CONTACT'S MOUTH, CHIN, AND ARMS, AND CAUSED MINOR BRUISING TO THE BODY. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED. A DEALER HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DEPLOYMENT PRODUCED AN ODOR AND SUBSTANCE FROM THE AIR BAGS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A TOW YARD AND DECLARED IT DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAULT WITH THE SYSTEM CONCERNING THE EDR BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN AN AIR BAG RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF *TR
I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, TRAFFIC WAS CONGESTED DUE TO ANOTHER ACCIDENT AND CONSTRUCTION. ME AND THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME WERE AT A COMPLETE STOP AS WAS EVERYONE ELSE, WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED PRETTY FORCEFULLY AND TO THE POINT THAT AFTER SLAMMING HARDER ON MY BREAKS, MY VEHICLE WAS STILL SHOVED INTO THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT MY AIRBAG NEVER EVEN DEPLOYED. I WAS STRUCK PRETTY HARD AS WELL AS SHOVED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THAT CRUNCHED MY CAR AT BOTH ENDS. I FIND THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD THAT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT PROTECT ME FROM IF I WOULD HAVE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL.
AIRBAG PROBLEMS: ABOUT 1YR AGO, HAD CAR LOOKED AT BECAUSE PASSENGER SEAT WAS NOT SENSING OCCUPANTS, AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF FOR FEW WKS ABOUT 2 MTHS AGO, NOW IT'S CONTINUOUSLY ON, WAS TOLD AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN ACCIDENT IF PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR NOT REPLACED. WAS ALSO SIDE SWIPED ABOUT 1YR AGO GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, HAVE PICS FROM ACCIDENT BUT NO POLICE REPORT FILED
MY 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN INJURY TO ME BECAUSE MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE SEVERAL RECALL CAMPAIGNS ON THE VEHICLE THAT DID NOT COME UP UNDER MY VIN.CAMPAIGN ID 12V52200, CAMPAIGN ID 13V023000, CAMPAIGN ID14V315000, CAMPAIGN ID 14V317000 CAMPAIGN ID 11V599000, CAMPAIGN ID, 12V408000. I COLLIDED WITH A VEHICLE THAT HAD BLEW A STOP SIGN AS I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. MY VEHICLE T-BONE THE OTHER VEHICLE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY THE OTHER VEHICLES AIR BAGS DID. MY CAR HAS BEEN SERVICE AT MODERN CHEVROLET UNIVERSITY PARKWAY IN WINSTON SALEM NC SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN NOV. 2012 FROM THAT DEALERSHIP. THE ONLY RECALLS THE DEALERSHIP OR GM HAS NOTIFIED ME ABOUT WERE ONLY GM CAMPAIGN ID 12172 REPLACE SWAYBAR LINKS AND GM CAMPAIGN ID12176. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED WITH AN ADULT WHO WEIGHED 145 POUNDS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V300000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,985.
HAS BURNING SMELL OF ANTI FREEZE AND WIRES MELTING. AIR BAGS DON'T WORK ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE.
THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. STARTED IN JUNE 2016, TOOK IT TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED MY CAR FROM. THEY RAN A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC ON THE CAR AND SAID THAT THE SENSOR FOR THE AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT ABOUT A COST OF $500. SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT, THEY MAKE IT SO THE WARNING LIGHT WAS OFF AND SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE BAD SENSOR, THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. THE WARNING LIGHT HAD COME ON AGAIN. SINCE IS NOT A NORMAL "WEAR AND TEAR" PART ON THE VEHICLE, I FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED.
ON 1/31/2016 A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. THE FIRST AND BIGGEST ISSUE WAS THE AIRBAG NEVER WENT OFF AND THE SEAT BELT TENSIONERS DID NOT LOCK THE BELTS EITHER. I WENT FORWARD AND HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL RENDERING ME UNCONSCIOUS!!! ALMOST THE WHOLE FRONT END HAD TO BE REPLACED E.G.: GRILL AND FRONT PANEL, LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANELS, RADIATOR, BOTH WHEEL WELLS, SUSPENSION ON BOTH SIDES AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH THOSE PLUS A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER THINGS LIKE THE RADIATOR, COOLANT AND WASHER TANKS ETC. ETC.... THIS WAS A FULL-FRONTAL WRECK AND NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG WENT OFF!!! SECONDLY ARE THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL. THE ROADS WERE A LITTLE SLICK SO I HAD THE TC ON. WHEN I HIT MY BRAKES ALL THEY DID, HAVE DONE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND CONTINUE TO DO TO THIS DAY, IS IMMEDIATELY LOCK UP! I HAD ZERO CONTROL OF MY CAR. THIS CAR HAS, BY FAR, THE WORST ABS SYSTEM I HAVE EVER USED. THE TC IS COMPLETE [XXX], TOO!!! THIRDLY, EVERY TIME I START THE CAR THE ENGINE SEEMS TO MISFIRE OR SOMETHING! IT RATTLES AND SHAKES THE WHOLE CAR, HARD!!! AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT SEEMS TO FIND IT'S GROOVE AND IDLES NORMALLY. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. ALL THEY TELL ME IS THEY ARE DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING FLAWS. THEY SAID I CAN PAY TO FIX THESE ISSUES WITH MY OWN MONEY OR WAIT AND SEE IF THE ISSUES BECOME RECALLS. WHICH, ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH, HAVE NOT YET. TO ME, THESE ARE SOME PRETTY BIG SAFETY ISSUES THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ADDRESSING!!! AND WHY AREN'T THEY????? I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THEM ANYWHERE. I'LL COME BACK IF I FIND THEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT LATCH THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT BELT TO THE VEHICLE SEAT FRACTURED ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND BECAME DETACHED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FRACTURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,573.
AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF - AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY (PER THE MECHANIC). TOOK TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE AIR BAG MODULE WOULD NOT UPDATE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $750.00. HOW CAN A PART THAT HAS NEVER BEEN USED NOT BE ABLE TO BE UPDATED WITHOUT HAVING TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE. I SEE ALL THE RECALLS ON THIS CAR / THIS MODEL / THIS YEAR REGARDING AIRBAGS. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
I WAS GOING DOWN DENTON ROAD AND HIT A DEER GOING 55 MPH. THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS DAMAGED REALLY BAD ALMOST $5,000.00 OF DAMAGE. I HAVE TWO SLIPPED DISK IN MY BACK BECAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG OFF LIGHT SPORADICALLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRONIC INTERFERENCE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CELL PHONE IN THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG "OFF" LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN A PASSENGER WAS OCCUPYING THE SEAT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
Showing 1–20 of 27 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026