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Exterior lightingPart report

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Exterior lighting Problems

Complaints
6about this part
Share
2%of 354 total for the year
Median mileage
29,484miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, 2% of the 354 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 29,484 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“My car keeps shutting completely off even while driving, the radio come on and off by itself and no one can tell me why, this is very dangerous I be driving with my children in the vehicle and the car shuts off while driving in traffic”

NHTSA complaint #11279699, filed 2019-11, 74,000 miles

“My radio will turn itself on hours after my car has been turned off. I've had to take out the fuse everytime I exit the car so the battery won't drain. I don't know where to begin with fixing this problem. It's been going on for a few weeks now. I've called to the dealership where the car was purchased and they said it was a manufacturing problem. Please don't tell me I have to pay for this out of pocket. From what I've seen there's a lot of these cases on the internet. So it's not just a random problem.”

NHTSA complaint #10723537, filed 2015-06, 40,120 miles

“This car has so many problems. I have had it to the dealership on 4 separate occasions and it is getting ready to go in for the 5th time. Each time so far I have been told the same thing.... …”

NHTSA complaint #10516109, filed 2013-06, 10,357 miles

“After purchasing my chevy Sonic 2012, I went to get my first oil change 3 months later. And the engine light came on. I have gone back multiple times, and have been told that it was the gas cap which by the way had a recall on it. The light came back on a week later. Took it back they said that the one they replaced it with had a bad seal. They ordered the part replaced the cap. Drove for another two weeks and the engine light came back on. Took it back, this time they told me that the car needed a thermostat replacement done the light came back on again. …”

NHTSA complaint #10724518, filed 2015-06, 12,361 miles

“Was driving and smelt something burning and thought someone was burning something and I drove thru the smoke and so I kept driving and a mile down the road I kept smelling something burning so I pulled over and looked around in my car then got out and checked under the hood and nothing so I went ahead and drove home then looked around again and didn't find anything so I just went inside then the next day after it rained I seen that both my fog lights had moisture in them and when I got down and looked both my fog lights are all burnt and melted inside, I guess it got so hot it melted the…”

NHTSA complaint #10508509, filed 2013-04, 21,967 miles

Related service bulletins

Exterior lighting: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201817%
201713%
201533%
201453%
201331%
201262%

Other parts of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Transmission and drivetrain
154 complaints
Engine
83 complaints
Electrical system
59 complaints
Other or unknown
49 complaints
Air bags
34 complaints
Suspension
19 complaints
Fuel system
18 complaints
Brakes
17 complaints
Vehicle speed control
16 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
16 complaints
Steering
14 complaints
Body and structure
12 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology