There are 5 stored owner reports matching the brakes leading-label group for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 5 of 5 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)INTERMITTENTLY, APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD IS UNRESPONSIVE - LIKE PRESSING ON A BOARD. I NEARLY STRUCK 2 KIDS ON BIKES THE OTHER DAY. SCARY. THE DEALER STATED, "TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE VEHICLE AND VERIFIED CUSTOMER'S CONCERN. INSPECTED BRAKE SYSTEM, FOUND CHECK VALVE FOR BRAKE BOOSTER STUCK OPEN AND BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM PUMP SEIZED." I CONTEND THAT THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR TYPE OF ISSUE, BUT RATHER A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. IN RESEARCHING THIS MATTER, I FOUND MESSAGE BOARDS AND FORUMS THAT DESCRIBE THE SAME ISSUE. HERE IS ONE SUCH DISCUSSION: HTTP://WWW.SONICOWNERSFORUM.COM/FORUM/HANDLING-BRAKING-SUSPENSION-DISCUSSION/18313-BRAKE-PEDAL-GETS-ROCK-HARD-IMMEDIATELY-OFF-BOOST-VAC-PUMP-GOING.HTML CHEVROLET WILL NOT REMEDY THIS PROBLEM UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AND THE DEALER WANTS $700 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE FIXED FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE IT IS APPARENTLY A COMMON AND VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE.
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.
MY BRAKES TREMBLE, WHEN STOPPING.. I HAD THEM CHECK OUT. 07/24.2013.... THE MECHANIC STATED: THE BRAKES ARE NEW. IT MIGHT BE ROTORS. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? IS THERE A RECALL? IF NOT THERE SHOULD BE!! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 327.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 32 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD AS THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8000.
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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.