A new EverStart Maxx lead-acid battery (Group Size H5/47, 12V, 650 CCA) was bought at Walmart on 07/14/2026 and installed the same day in a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. It was installed correctly: correct polarity, both terminals tight and free of corrosion, hold-down secured. The car ran normally for about eight weeks, with no warning lights or electrical symptoms. On 09/10/2026 at about 12:00 p.m., the car caught fire while parked. It had not been driven or started since about 5:00 p.m. the day before (about 19 hours), so the engine and charging system were off. The fire appears to have started at the battery. It stayed in the engine compartment but melted the underhood fuse box and the engine wiring harness. The local volunteer fire department responded, and a police report was filed. No one was hurt, but a battery fire in a parked, unattended car could easily spread to a home, garage, or other vehicles. The car had an earlier front-end repair after hitting a deer. It had been driven for more than a year since that repair with no electrical problems. The vehicle and the battery remains have been left in place and are available for inspection. The retailer and manufacturer have not inspected them yet.
The worst 2014 Chevrolet Sonic problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical49
- Engine38
- Airbags24
- Transmission20
- Fuel system16
- Steering13
- Driver assistance8
- Brakes6
- Lights5
- Acceleration3
- Body3
- Seat belts2
- Seats2
- Suspension2
- Wheels2
- Tires1
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
Check engine light 21Stalling 13Airbag light 8No deployment 6Fire or smoke 6Overheating 6Won't start 6Headlights 5
Trouble codes owners of the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic mention
P2138 3
Recalls 4
Equipment: electrical: radio/tape deck/cd etc.
- What is wrong
- 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."
- Risk
- Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
- 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 number for this recall is 17130.
Recall number 16V257000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 14V543000 · Recall details
Equipment: electrical
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
- 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 customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.
Recall number 14V417000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
- 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 campaign number is 13296.
Recall number 13V464000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic 1,506
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
- Unknown or other
- This service bulletin provides information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities.
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced...
- Unknown or other
2014 Chevrolet Sonic fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 25-28 | 33-38 | 28-32 |
| 1.8L 4‑cyl | FWD | 24-26 | 34 | 28-29 |
What 2014 Chevrolet Sonic owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Power steering light came on while Driving and lost power steering assist control. Almost crashed while turning down the street.
Electric My coolant And leaking issues My car door look when keys are inside ignition
It gets hot fast when idle Radiator leaks , leaks coolant burns oil
Around April of 2025, I noticed loud engine noises and cold start loud noises coming from the engine. My car has been in the shop multiple times since then and I opened a case with GM about multiple repair issues with my 2014 Chevy Sonic LT even though I take excellent care of the vehicle and perform all maintenance on the vehicle, and now this loud engine noise issue and leaking oil. I was driving home from a relative's home Saturday night Dec 27th late evening on the expressway when I noticed my car driving very sluggish and jerking and make extremely loud engine noises and continued burning oil smell in the cabin of the vehicle. No check engine light or oil light, now I had stopped by the service department earlier in the week when and oil pressure light came on, and they stated no issues. I made it home without incident, but the car was not running right. The car was brought to the dealership service department Monday Dec 29th, and they informed me they found broken plastic pieces of guard rails that secure the timing chains in the engine which may have caused serious damage to the engine. The dealership wanted 4k dollars to repair it after they could not properly diagnose a known online issue that I found out a lot of these Chevy drivers have found out about and having me repair other items on the car instead of fixing the leaking oil problem and whatever was going on in the engine. The manufacturer has not inspected this issue now only the service department at the local Chevy dealership has, however I had a case open with GM before this final incident occurred on Nov 1st after my last repair and complaint to the dealership about loud engine noises. GM would not take my concerns seriously and stated we are sorry, but your car is out of warranty even though this is a known issue of this plastic guard rail failing and other serious engine issues with Chevy. I would like the federal safety agency to be involved in this matter and investigate this matter if possible.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the A/C failed to function as intended. The contact stated that there was hot air blowing from the vents at all time. In addition, the contact stated there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine, with an abnormal fuel burning odor on the interior and exterior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V417000 (EQUIPMENT). The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Factory Radio. It will turn on and there is sound, but the screen is frozen. You can see everything on the screen, but if you press something on there it doesn’t do anything. Also, you can’t control it from the steering wheel either. I already removed the battery cables for 30 minutes and that didn’t correct the issue. It’s my opinion that the radio needs a software update. I have seen where other Chevy Sonic models and different years have had this exact issue with the radio, because you recalled and fixed them. This issue needs to be corrected.
Vehicle keeps throwing error code P2138 there is a current known issue that GM is aware of see notice 070604019F. Water gets in the electrical connections of sensors and is an issue as it causes check engine light and can decrease power of the acceleration of the vehicle which is a safety hazard. My vehicle has been with the dealer now for a third time for same issue. They’ve had it for 3 weeks and 2 days total. Still an issue.
The pretensioner cable that secures the end of the seatbelt to the seat frame had severed. I am told the pretensioner has a small explosive inside its barrel that I assume releases some sort of spring internally upon impact of a collision. The release of this spring is supposed to pull the pretensioner cable downwards and by extension pull the seatbelt end tighter. This in conjunction with the seatbelt retractor would then keep the driver or passenger tight to the seat in the event of an accident. I notice the cable for the driver side pretensioner over the last few months had strands of steel breaking until it had finally completely severed. I have kept both halves of the severed cable if inspection is requested. This is an extremely unsafe situation to occur. Had I gotten into an accident with the cable partially or completely broken it would have rendered the seatbelt essentially useless. There were no warning lights or associated codes ever displayed from the vehicle’s computer. There were no inspections done by insurance, police, manufacturer, dealership or any others. I ended up ordering the part online to fix myself. I used all manufacturers torque specs and procedures to replace. I fixed it myself because it was my daily driver vehicle and I needed to have it working safely as soon as possible. When I noticed the cable had completely broken I drove my vehicle home and did not drive it again until I had the new part and it was replaced which was about two weeks later. I had asked the dealer and searched for recalls for my vehicle and neither the dealer nor the federal safety agency recall search showed anything regarding issues with the pretensioner cable. I did end up seeing GM had issued a recall for a similar pretensioner cable (about 2500 vehicles) for a few of their full sized trucks and SUVs. The claim was based on where the cable was in the vehicle it had abnormal amounts of metal fatigue from drivers exiting and entering. I believe the same issue happened to me.
"off" remains illuminated on my passenger airbag light whether or not someone is sitting in the passenger seat. It's actually somewhat rare to see "on" illuminated. There was a recall on this model for airbag issues but my vehicle specifically was not recalled. My vehicle was recalled for catalytic converter but I'm still getting codes. Most of the problems the Sonic has been recalled for, my vehicle has symptoms of but I get cannot afford to pay repair cost up front and I cannot find a mechanic who would be willing to take the steps to report my vehicle should've been apart of the recall.
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Other model years
Questions about the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
Is the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic reliable?
Owners have filed 150 complaints about the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic, 3.1 times a typical Sonic model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic year score?
The 2014 Chevrolet Sonic scores 32 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chevrolet Sonic: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic?
Electrical system, with 49 complaints, typically around 50,300 miles. Next is engine (38).
How many recalls does the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic have?
4 recalls, covering equipment, air bags and fuel system, gasoline.
What year does the Chevrolet Sonic have the most electrical problems?
The Chevrolet Sonic model years with the most electrical complaints are 2012 (59 complaints), 2013 (56 complaints) and 2014 (49 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic get?
Official estimates for the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic range from 28 to 32 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.4L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 25-28 city and 33-38 highway.
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