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2016 Chevrolet Sonic electrical problems

11 complaints (23% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 56,000.

owner complaints
11
of this car's complaints
23%
typical mileage
56,000
crashes
0
recalls
2

Which part fails

  • Wiring: interior/under dash
    1
  • Ignition
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Chevrolet Sonic electrical problems in other years

201220132014201520162017201820192020

Related recalls

Electrical system: softwareReported June 10, 2016 · 18,780 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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."
Risk
Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy
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.

Recall number 16V422000 · Recall details

Electrical system: softwareReported April 28, 2016 · 317,572 vehicles affected
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

What 2016 Chevrolet Sonic owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Aug 28, 2023 · Electrical · MO

My car lock and unlocks when I did not hit any buttons. The remote start does not work sometimes. The battery loses connection from time to time with a brand new battery. I own 2 of these cars and the same exact thing is happening. There needs to be a recall on this

Filed Aug 28, 2023 · Electrical · MO

My car lock and unlocks when I did not hit any buttons. The remote start does not work sometimes. The battery loses connection from time to time with a brand new battery.

Filed Feb 4, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · NC

The heat doesnt work. Keeps blowing out cool air. This past summer the AC wouldn't work. When I took it to the dealership they said it was an electrical issue but they fixed it. I believe the two issues are related.

Filed Dec 26, 2020 · Electrical · 45,000 miles · IL

Turn signal indicators do not make sound when active

Filed Aug 4, 2020 · Electrical, Seat belts · 30,008 miles · CO

I bought a 2016 chevy sonic lt in january of 2020. It has only has 30,000 miles on it and has been well maintained. Initially, I believed that the computer was just slow. In march, 2020 I noticed that when I would turn the car on the radio/computer would sometimes take several minutes to boot up. Then once booted, the back-up camera lines would not show up. Only occasionally would the guiding lines appear on the screen. Then, a problem developed where after I turned the car off and locked the doors, the radio would continue playing until the vehicle was restarted or the battery was disconnected. This first occurred in may 2020 and would occur periodically over the next several months. In june 2020, the radio would randomly not boot when started or boot even more slowly than usual. Sometimes I could drive ten or twenty minutes before the computer would finally turn on. Other times the computer would never turn on. Yet again, the only solution was to restart the car or disconnect the battery. On august 1, 2020, the radio will not turn on at all, even after restarting the car or reconnecting the battery. Now that the radio is completely nonoperational, other systems have been effected, too. For example, the blinkers do not signal properly. Although they blink, I do not receive a notification that they are engaged (no blinking sound). The seat belt, door ajar, and key in ignition warning do not sound anymore either. Additionally, the collision notification and lane recognition no longer produce an audible warning. It does not matter whether the car is stationary or in motion, the radio and all related sound components do not work at all. I have not found any solution yet. There have been recalls for problems such as these for this vehicle, but none of them are currently open.

Filed Jul 30, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 chevrolet sonic. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled without warning. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Jun 9, 2019 · Electrical · 65,000 miles · KY

My car was bought in oct of 2015. It did not come with a rear camera back up system, however the center display (radio & controls panel) started displaying an error message about this back up system. At the same time the phone & radio controls located on the steering wheel also stopped working. When blue toothing a phone (have tried with more than one type) it often disconnects & when it does connect, it doesn't fully connect. Both the steering wheel control & blue tooth problems started at the time the rear back up error began showing up. This error has been displaying for many months & I no longer have a warranty that would cover this expensive repair. The date selected is an estimation.

Filed Mar 21, 2019 · Electrical · 75,200 miles · AL

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 chevrolet sonic. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle jerked, lost power, and the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to barber chevrolet (205‑631‑2669, located at 90 barber blvd, gardendale, al 35071) where it was diagnosed that the ignition coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,200.

Filed Mar 6, 2019 · Electrical, Seats · 10,000 miles · NY

Takata recall . One tire has already been replaced at the owners expense in february 2019.. It was defective at the time of purchase and taken back to the dealership for replacement before the warranty expired. The other problem was electrical, the driver seat wasn't heating and the infotainment center rear camera was blurring causing a unsafe driving condition.. The dashboard was clicking out for a second while driving on a city street.

Filed Feb 26, 2019 · Electrical · GA

2016 chevrolet sonic. Consumer writes in regard to defective dashboard wiring. Consumer believes it can be a manufacturing defect and would like assistance to resolve safety issue and repair cost. *as

Questions about the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic electrical

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic have electrical problems?

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the electrical of the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, 23% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Sonic electrical problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 56,000 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic electrical?

Yes, 2 recalls: 16V422000, 16V257000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

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).

Other 2016 Chevrolet Sonic problems

Engine 14Airbags 8Fuel system 5Driver assistance 3Suspension 3Transmission 3Acceleration 2Body 2Brakes 2Seats 2Steering 2Locks 1Seat belts 1Wheels 1

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