2013 Chevrolet Sonic Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic, and owners have filed 217 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 Volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2023.…
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Radio/tape deck/cd etc. (equipment) and software (electrical system)
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Electrical (equipment)
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Mounting (fuel system)
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.
Remedy: 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…
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Brake lights (exterior lighting) and electrical system
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…
Remedy: 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.
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Turn signal (exterior lighting) and electrical system
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…
Remedy: 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.
217 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic have filed 217 complaints with NHTSA; 24 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Reports cite 20 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 57,101 miles. Complaints peaked in 2016 with 35 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owned a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously sustained undercarriage damage while driving at 20 MPH and hitting a pothole. The undercarriage was repaire”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 8, 2026 · Engine and engine cooling
“Vehicle enters into catalyst monitor too early. Monitor Fales indicating that the catalyst is below efficiency threshold. A vehicle is run for a significant amount of time before being allowed to ente”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 10, 2025 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic (Sonic 5, Sonic RS). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 28–32 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 24–28 / 33–38 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.4/1.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6); Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd |
Compare Chevrolet Sonic model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Sonic model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Chevrolet Sonic | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 Chevrolet Sonic | 7 | 354 |
| 2013 Chevrolet Sonic | 6 | 217 |
| 2014 Chevrolet Sonic | 4 | 150 |
| 2015 Chevrolet Sonic | 3 | 114 |
| 2016 Chevrolet Sonic | 2 | 48 |
| 2017 Chevrolet Sonic | 0 | 37 |
| 2018 Chevrolet Sonic | 1 | 14 |
| 2019 Chevrolet Sonic | 0 | 8 |
| 2020 Chevrolet Sonic | 0 | 10 |
Checking a specific 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
How do I know if my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 12V454000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Chevrolet models
- Malibu19,364 complaints
- Silverado 150018,029 complaints
- Impala10,434 complaints
- Tahoe10,032 complaints
- Equinox9,161 complaints
- Silverado8,799 complaints
- Blazer8,192 complaints
- Suburban8,164 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.