Air Bag Problems of Chevrolet Sonic - part 1

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that, while driving at 40 mph, another vehicle failed to yield at a stop sign. As a result, the contact was unable to stop in time and collided with the driver's side b pillar center region of the other vehicle. The air bags did deploy, which the contact held responsible for the injuries she sustained. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact reported sustaining injuries to her head and face, which she characterized as a bubble on her forehead, as well as bruising to the torso, but refused medical treatment. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 16v349000 (air bags), but the VIN was not included. The contact also stated that this was the second of two collisions where the air bags failed to deploy. The failure mileage was unknown.

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic 🔎.

On 7-27-2023 general motors issued a recall on 2013 models of Sonic, my VIN was not included in this recall. However on 4-16-2025 my Sonic was involved in a impact incident in which the air bags should have deployed, and did not. It is my opinion that chevy, knowing of the issues with the model of car, should have issued a recall for my vehicle as well, but did not. As a result I suffered additional strain and injury during my impact as no airbags deployed.

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The Sonic rear ended a stationary vehicle going close to 50mph. No airbags deployed.

The air bags deployed while the vehicle was in motion. No collision or impact occurred.

See all problems of the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic 🔎.

Car accident November 3, 2023. A dear ran in front car while traveling 55mps. As the impact took place causing front and of the car to be smashed air bags in the car did not deployed. Causing head to hit steering wheel.

Air bag light on. There are 4 codes in the sdm, due to an internal fault in the sensing diagnostic module. The dealership states that it has to be replaced and will cost close to $1100 to have repaired and to clear all of the codes.

I was driving my 2012 Chevrolet Sonic on April 26 and was rear ended my seatbelt did not engage and I was injured. I was rushed to the hospital for a concussion and on may 4th I got dizzy from my concussion from the accident suffered on April 26 and lost control of my vehicle and struck a concrete barrier on i20 west then bounced of the barrier and struck the barrier yet again. My seatbelt never engaged and my airbags never deployed either time striking the barrier nor the prior accident.

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Passenger side front airbags did not deploy during a front end vehicle crash. All other airbags in vehicle did deploy. Injury did occur due to this.

Passenger airbag not active even though an average sized (160 pound) adult is sitting there. This is very very dangerous. Apparently a pressure sensitive monitor in the passenger seat is not working correctly. I have read many many complaints about this on the Chevrolet Sonic on this website. This started out as a sporadic problem,but now is constant.

See all problems of the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being driven approximately 30 mph the driver crashed into a parked vehicle. During the crash the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged but the airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained a head laceration and right and left knee injuries which required medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were no yet notified. The failure mileage was 120,000.

"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.

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.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic 🔎.

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds approaching a parking lot the contact slow down to turn in. The vehicle be hide the contacts vehicle crashed into her rear. The vehicle then flew forward and crashed into a pole. No airbags deployed. The passenger in the driver side rear seat sustained whiplash. The contact and her daughter sustained minor injuries to the right hip and right knee and right shoulder. There was a police report made. No medical attention contacted however the contact went to the hospital the next day to treat her inquires. The police towed the vehicle to a lot where it was deemed a total loss. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that no recalls were under the VIN. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and as started an investigation. The failure mileage was approximate 88,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving approximately 40 mph, the front driver’s and passenger’s side air bags erroneously deployed causing the driver to lose control of the steering wheel and the vehicle drove off the roadway. 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.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Sonic 🔎.

My airbag on the passenger side goes on and off all the time, dealership wouldnt fix it couldnt find why it was doing that. Now while driving it just shuts off with out a warning ,scard to take it to dealership cant afford to keep putting money into it. I have had problems since the car was bought from the dealership. Now do not know how to be able to sell if it is doing this.

I was experiencing issues with the transmission on my vehicle. I lost control and when it stop abruptly in a ditch after hitting a fallen limb of a tree the airbags did not deploy. Since this incident I have extreme pain in neck, dizziness, and weakness in both my arms. My vehicle is not listed as part of the recalls and the violent stop of my vehicle upon hitting the object was severe enough to snap both tierod ends yet airbags did not deploy. I have significant injuries as a result and a wrecked car that I feel was hard to control due to the problematic acceleration of transmission.

The passenger air bag system turns off even with an adult in the passenger seat. Sometimes it turns on and then turns off midway through a trip, while the vehicle is in motion, with no explanation. It works sometimes and other times does not for no rhyme or reason.

While someone is sitting in the passenger seat, it does not always show "on" on the display for the airbag. At least once it has displayed both "on" and "off" at the same time and did not recognize if the seatbelts was latched or not.

There is a problem with the passenger presence module according to our mechanic. When an adult is seated in the passenger seat with the car turned on and stationary, sometimes, the airbag system does not turn on as if it does not recognize a person there. If the car is then put into drive, the airbag system still remains off. Other times, the air bag system will turn on at the beginning of the drive and then turn off randomly during the drive while someone is still sitting in the passenger seat. This seems to be an obvious issue as the airbag may not activate in an accident when there is indeed someone in the passenger seat.

Air bags on &off (driving) thermostat not working causing engine light on.

Tl- the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while reversing from a driveway less than 5 mph, the air bags deployed suddenly which had impacted the contacts arms, caused minor bruising to the body as well as further medical treatment was required. A dealer had not diagnosed the cause of the air bag deployment. The contact indicated that there was an odor and substance that had emitted. The insurance company towed the vehicle to a yard, indicated the vehicle as a total loss and the manufacturer indicated no fault with the system concerning the edr box which was not acceptable to the contact. The manufacturer had issued 3 air bag recalls, 14 TSB on the air bag system however, the vehicle was not included. The vehicle was claimed as a total loss. The approximate failure mileage was not available. Dyd.

While I was driving down the road. The whole airbag compartment on the steering with the horn became unattached and fell into my lap causing me to almost wreck.

Was driving about 30 mph , air conditioning was on recirculate I blacked out and totaled the car . Hospital ran a carbon monoxide test and it was high ,was the cause of blackout. Now have memory problems and severe back pain.

Car was in motion going down the highway. Stopped at a redlight. Continued qhen light turned green but not fast as the next light was turning red. Brake failure resulted in a car accident. Upon collision the air bags malfunctioned and did not deploy. Many others are experiencing the same issues with the Chevrolet Sonic starting from the 2015 model. Gm was made aware of the issue and has yet to fix it or recall it.

Tl- the contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Sonic. While driving out of the parking lot at approximately 20 mph, the vehicle crashed into a pole without warning. All the air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The driver sustained an injury (chemical burn) that required a medical attention. The vehicle was totaled and was towed by the insurance company. The dealer was not called. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was about 55,000. Fe.

Went to pass an eighteen wheeler on an interstate and as I accellerated, the vehicle began to fishtail, when I ran over a bumpy part in the road due to a bridge that fell , I lost all stability control and control over the vehicle. We slammed into the cab of the rite entrance wheeler on the front passenger side in the front. No air bags were released. When we hit the eiteen wheeler it pushed our car towards the construction zone wire railing, the back of our vehicle on the passenger side hit the trailer. No air bags released. We then grinned across the wire railing and ran over a few cones on the drivers side. On all three impacts, no air bags were released.

Passenger airbag on/off light is almost always off with the passenger seat occupied whether its someone that weighs 100lbs up to 225lbs. This happens while stationary and while driving. Rarely, with a heavier occupant of 200lbs or more, the airbag on/off light will say on. But most of the time, with any occupant, the airbag on/off remains off.

Tamara recall.

The contact owned a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. While the contact's husband was driving 35 mph in inclement weather, the condition went from rain to snow and the vehicle started to fishtail. The contact stated that the all terrain traction control system activated and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that her husband lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The driver's side frontal air bag and the passenger frontal air bag deployed; however, the driver's frontal air bag only partially deployed. The driver sustained a fractured sternum, a fractured hip, a fractured pelvis, and internal bleeding. The contact's husband died from his injuries. The passenger suffered a mild concussion, kidney failure, and burns from the seat belts and air bag deployment. The driver and passenger were transported by separate ambulances for medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent facility. A police report was filed. Lithia Chevrolet of redding (200 e cypress Ave, redding, CA 96002, (530) 410-6002) was contacted as to what may have caused the vehicle to lose control. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 85,560.

Takata recall, my car has been hit in the front end 3 times and the last time was a hard hit, none of the times have I had an airbag come out.

My passenger air bag does not work.

Has burning smell of anti freeze and wires melting. Air bags don't work on front passenger side.

The shifting gear gets stuck, and it cannot be moved from park to drive. To move the gear from park to drive and have to use a lot of strength to make the gear change. But sometimes it gets so stuck I have to wait to make the change. When the car is turn off I have to wait 2-3 minutes to remove the key. This happens on and off for no reason. This happens when the car is parked, it does not matter where.

Air bags deployed while driving down the freeway. No collision once so ever, police and I agreed there was no physically indication on why they went off. As well as the gm inspector could not find anything either. Still waiting to hear back from gm.

On 1/31/2016 a vehicle pulled out in front of me. The first and biggest issue was the airbag never went off and the seat belt tensioners did not lock the belts either. I went forward and hit my head on the steering wheel rendering me unconscious!!! almost the whole front end had to be replaced e. G. : grill and front panel, left and right front quarter panels, radiator, both wheel wells, suspension on both sides and everything that goes with those plus a whole lot of other things like the radiator, coolant and washer tanks etc. Etc. . . . This was a full-frontal wreck and not a single airbag went off!!! secondly are the abs and traction control. The roads were a little slick so I had the tc on. When I hit my brakes all they did, have done since I bought the car, and continue to do to this day, is immediately lock up! I had zero control of my car. This car has, by far, the worst abs system I have ever used. The tc is complete shit, too!!! thirdly, every time I start the car the engine seems to misfire or something! it rattles and shakes the whole car, hard!!! after a few seconds it seems to find it's groove and idles normally. I have brought the car in to the local chevy dealership where I purchased the car to address these problems. All they tell me is they are design and/or manufacturing flaws. They said I can pay to fix these issues with my own money or wait and see if the issues become recalls. Which, according to my research, have not yet. To me, these are some pretty big safety issues the manufacturer should be addressing!!! and why aren't they????? I have photos of the accident, but can't seem to find them anywhere. I'll come back if I find them.