2016 Chevrolet Sonic

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.

AS I WAS DRIVING ON A STREET, POSSIBLY TWO MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING MY HOME, IS WHEN I'D REALIZED THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. EVERYTIME FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS, THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AS SOON AS THE CAR TURNED ON. IT FINALLY SHUT OFF AFTER I WENT OUT TO SHOP. IT WAS ILLUMINATED ON MY WAY TO THE SHOPS. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, SHOPPED AND WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON, THE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE AND HAS NOT SINCE THEN. NOW, IT HAS BEEN AROUND TWO WEEKS SINCE IT TURNED OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED, STALLED, AND COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JEFF WYLER DIXIE CHEVROLET (5340 DIXIE HWY, LOUISVILLE, KY 40216, (502) 448-2820) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000.

THE UPPER DASH PANEL (CLOSEST TO THE WINDSHIELD) HAS BEGUN TO MELT. IT HAS AN OBVIOUSLY STICKY OR TACKY FEEL TO IT AT ALL TIMES. THE STICKINESS IS MOST NOTICEABLE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING ON WARM, SUNNY DAYS. AFTER SITTING IN THE DARK ALL NIGHT LONG, THE STICKINESS IS LESS PROMINENT ALTHOUGH STILL NOTICEABLE. THIS DASH PANEL PIECE HAS BEGUN TO "SPARKLE" AT NIGHT BECAUSE IT HAS HUNDREDS OF SMALL, MELTED SPOTS ALL OVER IT. THE SAME MATERIAL USED FOR THIS DASH PANEL HAS ALSO BEEN USED FOR THE GLOVE BOX DRAWER, PART OF THE INTERIOR CENTER CONSOLE, AND SOME OF THE INTERIOR DOOR TRIM. THE GLOVE BOX HAS A VERY FAINT STICKY FEELING AT TIMES; NONE OF THE OTHER AREAS HAVE SHOWN ANY OBVIOUS SIGNS OF MELTING. THIS SEEMS LOGICAL BECAUSE NONE OF THESE OTHER AREAS RECEIVE DIRECT HEAT AND SUNLIGHT IN THE SAME WAY THE UPPER DASH PANEL DOES. THIS ISSUE WAS FIRST NOTICED ON OCTOBER 4, 2018; HOWEVER, IT HAS PRESUMABLY BEEN AN ISSUE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD SINCE THE MELTING DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE DUE TO A SINGLE EVENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD, NECK, AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO CARMAX (2550 ROOSEVELT BLVD, CLEARWATER, FL 33760, (727) 507-0790). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 900227. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

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.

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG INDICATOR SHOWS "OFF" WHEN A NORMAL SIZED ADULT IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT CONDITION I.E DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME.. MOVING IN THE SEAT, CONNECTING OR DISCONNECTING SEAT BELT, OPENING AND CLOSING PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT CHANGE THE INDICATION. INDICATOR REMAINS "OFF" AS CAR IS DRIVEN. BOTH DEALER AND CHEVY CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE WERE CONTACTED WITHOUT A FIX. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE CAR WAS NEW.. I HAVE A COUPLE OF VIDEOS OF THE OCCURRENCE, SHOWING ENGINE RUNNING, AIRBAG INDICATOR SHOWING OFF, NO SRS WARNING LIGHTS AND AN ADULT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS CONDITION LEAVES THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AT HIGHER RISK FOR INJURY OR DEATH DURING AN ACCIDENT.

THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR FOR THE AIR BAGS INTERMITTENLY TURNS THE AIR BAG ON FOR AN ADULT SITTING IN THE SEAT. MY WIFE WEIGHS 93 # AND SHOULD ACTIVATE THAT SENSOR BUT DOES NOT DO SO CONSISTENTLY. DEALER CLAIMS IT IS SET FOR 95 # BUT EVEN WHEN MY WIFE HOLDS AN 8# WEIGHT IN HER HAND AND SITS DOWN IT DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY ACTIVATE. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM GOING BACK TO THE PREDECESSOR VEHICLE TO THE SONIC, THE AVEO, BUT CHEVROLET DOES NOTHING TO SOLVE OR RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE. SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET SHOW A PROBLEM WITH THIS SENSOR FOR OCCUPANTS CONSIDERABLY HEAVIER THAN MY WIFE. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE PASSENGER INITIALLY SITS DOWN IN THE SEAT.