AI Damage2020 Chevrolet Sonic: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Chevrolet Sonic filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. The maker issued 523 service bulletins for this year. We found 4 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 523
- YouTube repair videos
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 60% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 30% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 20% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 10% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 10% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (60% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 103.
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (30% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 46.
- Engine: 2 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 46.
- Steering: 1 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 10.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.4 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 10 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 103 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 46 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 46 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 191 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 81 |
| Wheels | 0 | 0 | 34 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 13 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
A sudden, catastrophic loss of engine coolant under normal driving conditions puts the vehicle at immediate risk of severe engine overheating and sudden engine stalling or seizure while in motion.
Nine days after purchase came out to a dead battery took it to the authorized dealer and they said the battery was a bad cell battery. Replace the battery. Six days after they replaced the battery it was dead again. This time they had it in the shop for two weeks before they found the issue.
The stuck seat presents a safety hazard because it is positioned too far back, which can prevent proper seating posture or seatbelt positioning for a passenger. This could increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash, as the passenger may not be secured properly or may be too far from the airbag deployment…
1st occurence at approximately 37k miles on Vehicle has issue based on climate temperature sensor triggers a computer code 84 vehicle goes into limp mode to prevent engine failure however, this happens instantly no time to react and more than one occasion creating a hazardous driving situation in heavy traffic,…
There was an instance a couple months ago where I was driving and my ignition stopped. To my luck, I was in a safe area to stop but it is dangerous for this to be happening with my car while I am driving.
UNKNOWN -- During driving the vehicle the radio and power steering will stop working, locks and key for occasionally have issues, and the car shuts down and has to be re-started. Sometimes will take a minute or two to be able to be re-started.
The vehicle was not involved in a crash before the air bags deployed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,486 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 29% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Sonic has 24 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 10, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it
- This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size…
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a…
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
- This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic…
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss
- This PI advised dealer technicians of possible causes of diesel fuel contamination in gasoline powered…
This PI advised dealer technicians of possible causes of diesel fuel contamination in gasoline powered vehicles and advises of warranty direction.
- This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic…
- This service bulletin provides information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced…
This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have…
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions…
- The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle…
The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal for the delay.
NHTSA lists 523 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Sonic?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, engine. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: overheating, coolant loss (20%), stalls while driving (20%), steering or power steering problems (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Chevrolet Sonic?
NHTSA lists 523 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 Chevrolet Sonic from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.