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Chevrolet Sonic Recalls

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Recall Date Problem Area Recall Text
07/22/16 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."

Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

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.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
05/26/16 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."

Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

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.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
08/11/15 General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 chevrolet spark vehicles manufactured april 30, 2014, to may 20, 2015, and 2015 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured june 18, 2014, to june 10, 2015. in the affected vehicles, equipped with the base radio and onstar, the radio may lock up due to a software issue, causing the display to go blank and all audio functions to cease. because of this, there may be no warning chimes such as the reminder to buckle the seat belt and the key being left in ignition when the driver goes to exit the vehicle. as such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) no. 208 "occupant crash protection", and 114 "theft protection."

Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft. if a driver or front passenger does not buckle their seat belt, there would be no chime to remind them to fasten their seat belts. if a driver or passenger does not buckle their seat belt there is an increased risk that they will be injured in a crash.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. the recall began on august 11, 2015. owners may contact chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. gm's number for this recall is 15504.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
11/07/13 General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured august 2, 2013, through august 12, 2013. due to insufficient welds, the front fuel tank strap bracket may separate from the vehicle.

If the front fuel tank strap bracket separates, the increased load may lead to the failure of the other tank support. as a result, the fuel tank may come loose from the vehicle causing a fuel leak. a fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, may result in a fire.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front fuel tank strap bracket, and repair it as necessary, free of charge. the recall began on november 7, 2013. owners may contact gm at 1-800-521-7300. gm's recall campaign number is 13296.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
01/23/12 General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured from june 2, 2011, through november 21, 2011. on some of these vehicles, the front brake inner or outer pad may be missing.

A missing pad could result in reduced brake system performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brakes for a missing inner or outer pad. if a brake pad is missing, dealers will install new inner and outer pads, a new brake caliper, and a new rotor. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall is expected to begin on or before january 14, 2012

Gm?s safety recall campaign number is 11354.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov .
08/08/14 Transmission and Drivetrain General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured march 1, 2012, to june 29, 2012, and equipped with a 6 speed automatic transmission and 1.8l four cylinder engine. in the affected vehicles, the transmission turbine shaft may fracture.

If the transmission turbine shaft fracture occurs during vehicle operation in first or second gear, the vehicle will not upshift to the third through sixth gears, limiting the vehicle's speed. if the fracture occurs during operation in third through sixth gear, the vehicle will coast until it slows enough to downshift to first or second gear, increasing the risk of a crash.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission turbine shaft, free of charge. the recall began on august 8, 2014. owners may contact chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. gm's number for this recall is 14234.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
07/22/16 Electrical and Air Conditioning 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."

Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

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.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
05/26/16 Electrical and Air Conditioning 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."

Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

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.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
10/21/14 Electrical and Air Conditioning General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2014 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured july 28, 2014, to august 1, 2014. due to a loss of electrical connection in the steering column, in the event of a severe crash, the driver's frontal air bag deployment may be limited to the first-stage deployment only instead of the intended first-stage and second-stage deployments.

If only the first-stage of the driver's frontal air bag deploys without the additional second-stage, the driver has an increased risk of injury during a crash.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will test the terminals in the ip harness clock spring coil connector and replace any loose terminals, free of charge. the recall began in october 2014. owners may contact chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. gm's number for this recall is 14537.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
08/29/14 Electrical and Air Conditioning General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 buick encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured august 23, 2012, to september 9, 2013; verano vehicles manufactured august 8, 2012, to june 20, 2013; chevrolet cruze vehicles manufactured august 7, 2012, to august 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured may 10, 2011, to august 16, 2012 equipped with a calix oil pan/block heater. in cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree celsius. the recall began in august 2014. owners may contact buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. gm's number for this recall is 14257.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
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06/13/13 Electrical and Air Conditioning General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2013 cadillac ats and model year 2013 cadillac xts; model year 2014 chevrolet impala; and 2013 chevrolet sonic vehicles. originally, in may 2013, gm recalled 1,627 model year 2013 cadillac ats and model year 2013 cadillac xts; and model year 2014 chevrolet impala vehicles. in october 2013, gm informed the agency that it was adding model year 2013 chevrolet sonic vehicles to this campaign , representing an additional 8,050 units. the total number of vehicles being recalled is now 9,677. on the affected vehicles, the brake lamps may intermittently flash without the brakes being applied and the cruise control may disengage. thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."

If the brake lamps flash when the vehicle is not slowing, a following driver may not adjust vehicle speed when the vehicle is in fact braking, and the brake lamps are illuminating as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module. the recall began on june 13, 2013. owner's may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. gm's recall number is 13158.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
10/02/12 Electrical and Air Conditioning General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2013 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured from may 29, 2012, through august 29, 2012. when a turn signal lamp fails to operate, the body control module (bcm) in these vehicles does not detect this condition and will not indicate the condition to the driver. thus, these vehicles fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."

If the driver is not aware that the turn signal is not functioning and does not have the light repaired, other drivers may not be alerted that the vehicle is turning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the bcm and the vehicle's key fobs, free of charge. the safety recall began on october 3, 2012. owners may contact the chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

Gm's campaign number is 12209.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
09/07/12 Other General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet sonic vehicles manufactured from may 5, 2011, through february 24, 2012. these vehicles fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 104, "windshield wiping and washing systems." the windshield wiper washer hose on these vehicles may separate from the washer fluid reservoir. if this occurs, washer fluid will not be available to the windshield.

A lack of washer fluid could impede the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will secure the windshield washer hose to prevent separation, free of charge. the safety recall began on september 7, 2012. owners may contact the chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

Gm's recall campaign number is 12176.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
12/31/69 Other General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain 2018 chevrolet sonic vehicles. a joint in the driver's seat-back frame may not be properly welded, reducing the strength of the seat-back frame.

In the event of a rear-impact crash, the seat-back may fail, increasing the risk of injury.

Gm will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat-back, 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 18178.

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

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Chevrolet Sonic Recalls

Some things are often misunderstood about recalls and technical service bulletins (TSBs). Plus a disclaimer.

  1. Recalls do not have to be issued only because something is prone to failure. NHTSA (a government agency) can only require a recall if a failure will affect safety, emissions, fuel economy, or compliance with some other regulation or law. Manufacturers can voluntarily recall cars for problems that do not affect these, though.
  2. Recalls often apply to only some cars of a specific model year, rather than all of them. You should receive a letter from the manufacturer if your car has been recalled. You can also check with the dealer, which will know which (if any) recalls pertain to your car.
  3. The primary purpose of TSBs is to inform dealers about known problems with a car and how to fix them. They are not the same as recalls. As with recalls, TSBs often only apply to some cars, not the entire model year.
  4. Dealers often will not provide a preventive repair just because a problem described in a TSB might happen to your car. They'll usually want to observe symptoms that the problem is already affecting your car.
  5. Even if there are symptoms, a manufacturer doesn't have to pick up the cost of a TSB repair if the car is out of warranty, though sometimes they do.

We provide the text of recalls and TSBs as provided by NHTSA. There can be errors in the text. If you sign up for notifications in My Garage, we will try to get these to do, but for various reasons (some beyond our control) cannot guarantee you will receive them. When in doubt about a recall or TSB, contact the dealer.