2016 Chevrolet Sonic problems and complaints
Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The most-reported areas: Engine (13), Electrical System (11), Unknown Or Other (8).
Key takeaways
- 48 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 8 involve a crash, 1 a fire, 6 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 13 | 27% |
| Electrical System | 11 | 23% |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 | 17% |
| Air Bags | 8 | 17% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 5 | 10% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 6% |
| Power Train | 3 | 6% |
| Suspension | 3 | 6% |
| Steering | 2 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 | 4% |
| Seats | 2 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Chevrolet Sonic 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2016 Chevrolet Sonic 5 DR FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-02-18
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 than that, but this is a common issue. ...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-01-26
Radio malfunctions. Channels automatically change and touch screen doesn't work all the time. I believe 2015 Sonic has a recall for this issue , but not 2016. It appears to be the same issue.
Steering,latches/Locks/Linkages - filed 2025-08-26
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 functioned as designed. Additionally, th...
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More for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.