2015 Chevrolet Sonic Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year write most often about the airbag system: warning lights that stay on, a passenger-seat sensor that switches the airbag off with an adult seated, and several crashes in which the airbags did not deploy. Electrical faults are the next common theme, with complaints of the engine cutting out while the door locks cycle and dash lights flicker, alongside coolant leaks from the thermostat housing, water outlet or water pump. A shift-lever button that sticks and traps the key in the ignition is another repeat item.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbags not deploying; airbag light and seat sensor

   • 26 complaints (23%)
   • median 29,350 mi at 1.9 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2026

   Complaints describe crashes at city and highway speeds in which the front or side airbags did not deploy, including impacts with a deer, a pole and another vehicle. Other owners report the airbag warning light staying on, with dealers pointing to the sensing and diagnostic module or its software. Several also describe the passenger airbag indicator turning off with an adult seated, sometimes switching on and off during a trip. Reported from delivery mileage up to about 70,000 miles, with several no-deployment crashes below 30,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag warning light has ever been on and whether the sensing module was checked or its software updated, and confirm the passenger airbag indicator stays on with an adult seated before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Our vehicle was hit while in motion at approximately 30 MPH on a city street on the driver side by another vehicle that didn't yield at a stop intersection. Side airbags did not deploy. Entire driver side of our the vehicle was destroyed. My head bounced off the driver side window causing injury that I didn't seek medical attention for. Child in backseat driver side hit head as well, and did seek medical attention. Our vehicle was inoperable, and had to be towed from the scene.”

   NHTSA complaint #11001671, filed 2017-06, 23,816 miles

   “My wife was driving on a straight road with cruise control set at 60 MPH when she saw a deer in the road - she swerved and braked hitting the deer in the drivers headlight area above drivers front tire and both driver side doors. The air bag did not deploy and the seat belt did not lock in place and hold her in place.”

   NHTSA complaint #11245012, filed 2019-08, 48,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Stalling with door locks and dash lights cycling

   • 14 complaints (12%)
   • median 46,720 mi at 5.1 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2024

   Owners describe the engine shutting off at speed or at a stop while the door locks cycle, the dash lights flicker and power steering assist drops away, sometimes restarting on its own and sometimes needing a jump start. Some complaints point to the body control module or an anti-theft issue, and several say the dealer could not reproduce the fault. Reported from about 11,000 to nearly 200,000 miles, most commonly between 25,000 and 100,000.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the car has ever stalled, cut out or needed a jump start, and whether any body control module or anti-theft work was done; a scan for stored codes before purchase is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car starting killing on me I had to leave it and get a ride home a couple off times the last time I had it towed to a dealership were they found out the car was sold to me with a lock out device on it the car has been in the shop since 1-29 I got fired because of no transportion”

   NHTSA complaint #11317647, filed 2020-03, 10,969 miles

   “While driving my car gliches the lights go on and off, the power steering stops the locks go up and down and all electronics in the dashboard go on and off. Last week, it shut down in the middle of the road and I could not start it for about 5 minutes or so. Got it home and it did it again the next day while it was parked. This started years ago. Brought it to dealer they said well it's not doing it now . I was not educated at the time to push for anything to be done. The stopping completely while driving that happened last week.”

   NHTSA complaint #11386393, filed 2021-01, 100,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Coolant leaks (thermostat, water pump, outlet)

   • 7 complaints (6%)
   • median 56,500 mi at 5.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2023

   Owners report a sweet coolant smell, low coolant, antifreeze boiling out of the reservoir and occasionally white smoke or steam from under the hood. Complaints name the thermostat, its housing, the water pump, the rear water outlet, the radiator and, in one case, a head gasket, with several saying the leak returned after parts were replaced. Reported from a few thousand miles up to roughly 110,000, often recurring after earlier repairs.

   What to check: Check the coolant level and look for residue or staining around the thermostat housing, water outlet and under the reservoir, and ask whether coolant repairs have already been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased my car about a year a half ago and it has been giving me non stop engine and leak issues. I have a 2015 chevy Sonic turbo and so far I have taken it to the mechanic 8 times to fix coolant leaks, fix my fuel thermostat as well as replace a head gasket after having it blow.”

   NHTSA complaint #11300613, filed 2020-01, 112,000 miles

   “I have had my vehicle in the shop multiple times since I had it. First there was a smell of coolant in the cabin. Although misdiagnosed initially, the meachanic later found that there was truly an issue with the car. But in the last year I have had to have the thermostat replaced, the housing of something was replaced a month later (I do not remember the name of the part). And a third repair was also done. All for thecoolant that continues to find a way toleak out. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11383777, filed 2020-12, 90,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Radio and warning chime software faults

   • 10 complaints (9%)
   • median 67,600 mi at 4.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2024

   Complaints describe the radio or MyLink screen freezing, blanking or switching itself on, sometimes at high volume, and the seatbelt and key-left-in-ignition chimes going silent. Some owners say the dealer found the radio software needed updating, and several reference the chime and radio campaigns. Reported across the mileage range, from a nearly new vehicle to one past 160,000 miles.

   Recall 16V422000Recall 16V257000Recall 15V416000

   What to check: Ask whether the radio software updates from the chime and radio campaigns were applied, and test the seatbelt and key-in-ignition chimes and the screen during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The radio will freeze sometimes and the seatbelt chime will never come on if it's not buckled, as well as the vehicle locking itself with the car keys in the ignition even if the vehicle is on”

   NHTSA complaint #11387468, filed 2021-01, 99,000 miles

   “2015 hatchback 'my link'/infotainment system just 'froze'/pushing on screen to activate usual functions became unresponsive. The vehicle was stationary.”

   NHTSA complaint #11353245, filed 2020-09, 50 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Shift lever button sticks; key stuck in ignition

   • 9 complaints (8%)
   • median 26,500 mi at 2.9 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2022

   Owners describe the button on top of the automatic shift lever sticking down so the lever cannot be moved into park, or the car can be knocked out of gear after parking; the key then will not release from the ignition. Some report the button breaking outright and a replacement lever being fitted, and a couple note a redesigned part. Mostly reported between about 22,000 and 70,000 miles.

   What to check: With the engine off, press the shift button and confirm it springs back, the lever locks in park and the key releases cleanly; ask whether the shift lever has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Stationary. 2015 chevy Sonic. The gear shift button/knob was sticking and finally broke. I've had to fiddle with it (for the last seven months or so) to get the car in and out of gear using a screwdriver. When the button was stuck in the in position, the gear shift did not lock in place and when in park I could not get the key out of the ignition. When the button was in the out position, it was difficult to push in at times. It finally broke. I've got the casing completely off and the broken button out. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11265276, filed 2019-09, 25,000 miles

   “We own a chevy Sonic at roung 28000 miles the button on the gear shift would get stuck and not pop out; one leaving the car in gear, two not allowing you to remove the key after you have parked and turn off the engine. Because the button does not pop out the car stays in gear and thus even after parking and turning the engine off the car can shift and roll out of gear. I have read numerous complaints about this problem on all year sonics. The button stuck, while we drove, and parked. We then had the park replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11032821, filed 2017-10, 28,000 miles

Buying note. The sampled complaints centre on the airbag system and on electrical faults that can shut the car down, so a code scan and confirmation that the airbag and radio software updates were applied are worth the effort. Coolant leaks and the shift-lever button are the other repeat items, and both leave visible signs a careful inspection can catch.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.