This page covers 3 recalls, 113 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic.
28–32 mpg combined
7.4–8.4 L/100km
Compact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 4 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Complaints filed for the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic cluster most heavily around airbags, the electrical system, and the engine. The airbag category draws the highest volume of reports, with owners describing warning lights activating and concerns about whether the system would deploy correctly. Electrical complaints cover a range of symptoms, owners report malfunctioning infotainment and MyLink systems, inoperative steering wheel controls, and communication failures between modules, including the transmission control module going unresponsive. Engine complaints frequently involve a persistent check engine light, with catalytic converter failure coming up as a diagnosed cause, and some owners describing the vehicle stalling or shutting off while driving. A handful of reports also mention the MyLink radio losing vehicle settings or becoming unresponsive, which owners note requires reaching for the display rather than using wheel-mounted controls.
113
Total Complaints
15
Crash-Related
3
Fire-Related
11
With Injuries
By System
The 2015 Chevrolet Sonic has 3 recalls, all tied to radio software faults that can silence warning chimes and disable audio functions in vehicles equipped with specific radio configurations.
All three recalls affect Sonics with either the Bring Your Own Media radio or the base radio with OnStar. Two of the recalls involve missing audible warning chimes: the radio can fail to sound a seatbelt reminder when the driver hasn't buckled up, and it can also fail to alert the driver that the key has been left in the ignition, either at startup or after the car has been off for ten minutes or more with the key still in the cylinder. The seatbelt chime issue raises the risk of injury in a crash, while the key-in-ignition chime failures leave the car more vulnerable to theft. The third recall covers a separate software fault where the radio can lock up entirely, causing the screen to go blank and cutting off all audio output, which also removes any warning sounds the system would otherwise produce.
At a glance
What can fail
The radio may not produce an audible warning chime when the driver hasn't fastened their seatbelt or has left the key in the ignition.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the radio software at no cost to restore the warning chime function.
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The radio may not sound a warning chime if the driver leaves the key in the ignition, turns off the engine, waits 10 minutes or more, and then opens the door.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the radio software at no cost to restore the warning chime function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The radio may freeze due to a software issue, causing the display to go blank and stopping all audio functions, including safety warning chimes for seat belt reminders and key-in-ignition alerts.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the radio software at no cost to restore normal operation and safety alerts.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
