Chevrolet · Sonic · 2016
2
Recalls
48
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic has 2 recalls and 48 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: air bags (6 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is air bags with 6 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
12.6% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208 "Occupant Crash Protection" and 114 "Theft Protection."
Remedy Status
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
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."
Remedy Status
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.
This car overheated and a head gasket blew. I am on a Facebook forum, and it seems like all of these cars have these problems. The Chevy Sonic ltz turbo 1.4 2016 is known for coolant issues and head gasket failures. My car only had 104,000 miles on it. It should last a lot longer...
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The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that the driver's side door was stuck, and extra force was needed to open the door. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the power locks ...
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The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The ESC and oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic w...
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My car lock and unlocks when I did not hit any buttons. The remote start does not work sometimes. The battery loses connection from time to time with a brand new battery. I own 2 of these cars and the same exact thing is happening. There needs to be a recall on this
My car lock and unlocks when I did not hit any buttons. The remote start does not work sometimes. The battery loses connection from time to time with a brand new battery.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact indicated that the RPMs increased but the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. Additi...
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My vehicle malfunctioned Driving on my way to work entering a large parking area connected stores. I saw a available parking spot in between 2 cars I drove in the spot lined up car and put my car in park completely stopped.I looked to my right then to my left to be sure I wasn't ...
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Hello, I need you guys help. I got into a car wrecked which wasn’t my fault. The airbags they deployed and my child car seat was damage. I got a police report stating that the car accident wasn’t my fault and it’s the fault of a 16 year old. He merge straight into my Car and I ha...
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THE HEAT DOESNT WORK. KEEPS BLOWING OUT COOL AIR. THIS PAST SUMMER THE AC WOULDN'T WORK. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT THEY FIXED IT. I BELIEVE THE TWO ISSUES ARE RELATED.
MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER STOPPED WORKING. I CLICK THE BUTTON, THE LIGHT COMES ON, AND THEN SHUTS RIGHT BACK OFF. I'VE TRIED TURNING THE CAR ON AND BACK OFF AND IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING.
Showing 10 recent complaints from 48 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2016 Chevrolet models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic has 2 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 48 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic.
The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic are air bags (6 reports), unknown or other (6 reports), electrical system (6 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 2 recalls on record for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.