2016 Chevrolet Sonic Safety Report
2016 Chevrolet Sonic Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | Moderate (2) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (48) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 9 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Unknown Or Other | Compare unknown or other issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2019 | Compare against the 2019 Chevrolet Sonic with 8 complaints and 0 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2015 | Check the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic before buying across this generation. |
Chevrolet Sonic Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Chevrolet Sonic years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Chevrolet Sonic | 36 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2015 Chevrolet Sonic | 113 | 3 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2018 Chevrolet Sonic | 14 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2019 Chevrolet Sonic | 8 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Chevrolet Sonic | 9 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2016 Chevrolet Sonic Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Unknown Or Other
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Chevrolet onlyElectrical System
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Chevrolet onlyAir Bags
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Air Bags issues Chevrolet onlyEngine
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Chevrolet onlyElectronic Stability Control (Esc),Engine
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electronic Stability Control (Esc),Engine issues Chevrolet onlyElectrical System,Engine
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System,Engine issues Chevrolet onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
Reliability Score
The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic receives a reliability score of 8 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates below-average reliability. Significant issues have been reported by owners and should be carefully evaluated before purchase.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Overheating Multiple owners have reported engine overheating and head gasket issues, which can lead to engine failure and require costly repairs. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Electrical System Malfunctions Common issues include radio malfunctions and touch screen failures, which can affect the driving experience and safety. |
High | Common | All miles |
| Airbag Deployment Issues Owners have reported airbag deployment in non-collision events and frequent airbag warning light malfunctions, indicating potential safety risks. |
Medium | Common | All miles |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) And Oil Pressure Loss ESC and oil pressure loss have been reported during driving, which can affect vehicle stability and safety. |
Medium | Common | All miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic:
Engine issues, including overheating and head gasket problems, are a common concern.
Electrical system malfunctions, such as radio and touch screen issues, are frequently reported.
Airbag deployment issues and warning light malfunctions have been reported.
ESC and oil pressure loss have been reported during driving.
Recall Details for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
The following 2 recalls have been issued for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic by NHTSA:
Summary: 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 Protect...
Consequence: 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.
Summary: 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...
Consequence: 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.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 8 complaints involved crashes. 1 involved fires. 5 reported injuries or fatalities.
This car overheated and a head gasket blew. I am on a Facebook forum, and it seems like all of these cars have these problems. The Chevy Sonic ltz turbo 1.4 2016 is known for coolant issues and head gasket failures. My car only had 104,000 miles on it. It should last a lot longer than that, but this is a common issue. For some reason there was a recall but they stopped fixing cars with 1.4 engines...
Radio malfunctions. Channels automatically change and touch screen doesn't work all the time. I believe 2015 Sonic has a recall for this issue , but not 2016. It appears to be the same issue.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that the driver's side door was stuck, and extra force was needed to open the door. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the power locks functioned as designed. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel would unlock from the normal position a...
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The ESC and oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the Intake Plenum Gasket and other unknown parts needed to be sealed. The manufacturer was no...
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
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.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact indicated that the RPMs increased but the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the cruise control would erroneously activate. The cause of the failure was not yet...
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle began to stall inadvertently. The engine overheating warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact's friend came on the scene and provided her with engine coolant, and she added the coolant to the vehicle. The contact continue...
My vehicle malfunctioned Driving on my way to work entering a large parking area connected stores. I saw a available parking spot in between 2 cars I drove in the spot lined up car and put my car in park completely stopped.I looked to my right then to my left to be sure I wasn't to close to the other two vehicles then I opened my drivers door to check if I was within the line.I was just on the lin...
Hello, I need you guys help. I got into a car wrecked which wasn’t my fault. The airbags they deployed and my child car seat was damage. I got a police report stating that the car accident wasn’t my fault and it’s the fault of a 16 year old. He merge straight into my Car and I have all these expeensives that I cannot pay for.
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.
TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS DO NOT MAKE SOUND WHEN ACTIVE
MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER STOPPED WORKING. I CLICK THE BUTTON, THE LIGHT COMES ON, AND THEN SHUTS RIGHT BACK OFF. I'VE TRIED TURNING THE CAR ON AND BACK OFF AND IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING.
THE CAR STARTED SPUTTERING EVERY TIME I HAD TO PUT GAS IN IT THEN IT WOULDN'T CRANK AT ALL AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DETREMINE THAT THIS FUEL SYSTEM ISSUE HAS CREATED AN INABILITY TO KEEP THE CAR RUNNING AND EVERY TIME WE GET IT RUNNING IT REPEATEDLY CUTS OFF TILL WE REV IT UP MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEN IT TRIES TO CUT OFF EVERY TIME WE STOP AT A LIGHT.
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS GOING ON AND OFF. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR APPROX 2 MONTHS.
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 ...
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.
RAZOR SHARP PEELING CHROME FROM INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES CUTS FINGERS AND HANDS, SAFETY HAZARD TO A DRIVER AWAY FROM HOME OR NOT NEAR BANDAGES. COMMON GM PROBLEM FROM SONIC, CRUZE, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, EQUINOX, SILVERADOS. ALL GM MODELS
CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY DURING STOP LIGHTS. I'VE RESEARCHED IT AND HAVE FOUND IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MY MODEL. WHEN IDLING IT WILL RANDOMLY SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND WON'T TURN BACK ON FOR A FEW SECONDS TO MINUTES. IT WILL DO IT AT STOP SIGNS STOP LIGHTS. EVEN IN IM JUST PARKED.
EMISSIONS (EVAP) CODE. LOSING POWER, FEELS AS IF ENGINE IS SLIPPING/DRAGGING WHEN ACCELERATING. ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS & TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ONLY WHEN REACHING HIGH RPMS. *TR
Showing 20 of 48 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
Has the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC been recalled?
Yes, the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC has 2 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC have?
The 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC has 48 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 8 involved crashes. 6 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
The 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 5/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC involve unknown or other (6 complaints), electrical system (6 complaints), air bags (6 complaints). Other affected components include engine, electronic stability control (esc),engine, electrical system,engine.
How many crash reports does the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC have?
There are 8 crash reports associated with the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC out of 48 total complaints (16.7% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC have?
There are 1 fire reports for the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC out of 48 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC.
How many injuries are reported for the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
6 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC is generally recommended. It has 48 complaints, 2 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
The components with the most failures on the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC are: 1. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (6 complaints), 2. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (6 complaints), 3. AIR BAGS (6 complaints), 4. ENGINE (4 complaints), 5. ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE (2 complaints). UNKNOWN OR OTHER is the single most-reported problem area with 6 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
Be cautious of engine overheating and head gasket issues, as well as electrical system malfunctions and airbag deployment problems. Consider the recall information for your specific model year. The 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC has 48 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
The 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC receives a reliability score of 8/100, indicating below-average reliability. This is based on 48 owner complaints, 2 recalls, and 9 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Engine Overheating and Electrical System Malfunctions.
What are the known issues with the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC?
Known issues with the 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC include: Engine Overheating, Electrical System Malfunctions, Airbag Deployment Issues, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Oil Pressure Loss. These are based on patterns found across 48 NHTSA complaints. 2 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic?
Engine overheating, electrical system malfunctions, and airbag deployment issues are the most common problems reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic?
Yes, there are recalls for electrical system issues, including radio malfunctions, and airbag deployment problems.
What should I do if I experience engine overheating?
Pull over safely, turn off the engine, and seek professional assistance to avoid engine damage.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of engine overheating and head gasket issues, as well as electrical system malfunctions and airbag deployment problems. Consider the recall information for your specific model year.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. The data includes 48 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 2 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 8 reported crashes, 1 fire incidents, 6 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 5 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-14