YearToAvoid

2015 Chevrolet Sonic Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

78/100

#3 most-complained of 10 Sonic years

The 2015 Chevrolet Sonic has 114 NHTSA complaints and a Complaint Index of 78, ranking 3rd worst of 10 model years. It carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Sonic years, driven mainly by Electrical System complaints (31% of total) and airbag non-deployment reports.

Complaints
114
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
15 / 3
Injuries / deaths
19 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
29
26 city / 34 hwy

Top 2015 Chevrolet Sonic problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System35 (31%)
  2. Airbags27 (24%)
  3. Engine27 (24%)
  4. Other26 (23%)
  5. Fuel System12 (11%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain12 (11%)
  7. Brakes9 (8%)
  8. Steering6 (5%)
  9. Structure & Body6 (5%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (4%)

What owners report

  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal and side-impact crashes, including deer strikes and intersection collisions at 20 to 60 mph.
  • Steering wheel reportedly locked up unexpectedly during turns or braking, leading to loss of control and crashes into ditches or poles.
  • Owners describe ABS brake failures that led to rear-end collisions, with brake pedal behavior described as unpredictable.
  • One report described a vehicle catching fire after a collision at 50 mph, resulting in a fatality.
  • A tire reportedly blew out on the highway at low mileage, with the dealer declining warranty coverage.
  • Owners noted smoke coming from the steering column area following a power steering warning light illumination.
2015 Chevrolet Sonic complaints: complaints filed per quarter112015 Q12016 Q22017 Q42019 Q12020 Q22021 Q32022 Q42024 Q3
169 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q1 to 2026 Q2; peak 2016 Q2 (11).

2015 Chevrolet Sonic recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V422000Jun 10, 2016Electrical System18,780 vehicles

    Electrical system:software

    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.

  2. NHTSA 16V257000Apr 28, 2016Electrical System317,572 vehicles

    Electrical system:software

    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.

  3. NHTSA 15V416000Jun 30, 2015Other45,785 vehicles

    Equipment:electrical:radio/tape deck/cd etc.

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured April 30, 2014, to May 20, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured June 18, 2014, to June 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, equipped with the base radio and OnStar, the radio may lock up due to a software issue, causing the display to go blank and all audio functions to cease. Because of this, there may be no warning chimes such as the reminder to buckle the seat belt and the key being left in ignition when the driver goes to exit the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208 "Occupant Crash Protection", and 114 "Theft Protection."

    Risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft. If a driver or front passenger does not buckle their seat belt, there would be no chime to remind them to fasten their seat belts. If a driver or passenger does not buckle their seat belt there is an increased risk that they will be injured in a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15504.

2015 Chevrolet Sonic fuel economy and fuel cost

City
26 MPG
Highway
34 MPG
Combined
29 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2015 compared with other Sonic years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Avoid89217629
2014Caution67150429
2015Avoid78114329
2016Caution5648229
2017Good4437029

All Chevrolet Sonic years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic reliable?
Compared to other Sonic model years, the 2015 ranks 3rd worst out of 10 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 78 and 114 NHTSA complaints. It carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Sonic years.
What is the biggest problem area for the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic?
Electrical System complaints are the largest category, making up 31% of all complaints (35 of 114), with a median failure mileage of 49,500 miles.
Does the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2015 Sonic, all related to radio software that could fail to provide audible chime warnings; none are do-not-drive recalls.
Are airbags a concern in the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic?
Airbags account for 24% of complaints (27 of 114) with 10 crashes reported and a median failure mileage of 28,700 miles, with owners describing non-deployment during crashes.
How does the 2015 Sonic compare to newer Sonic years?
Later Sonic years score much lower: the 2017 has a Complaint Index of 44, the 2019 has 11, and both carry better verdicts than the 2015's Avoid rating.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.