This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, and/or B3935. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. If unable to duplicate the concern ask if the customer uses any Radio Frequency Identification Devices when the concern is present. Dealer should also direct their customers to the appropriate section in the Owner manuals that references that the device complies.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Chevrolet Sonic airbags problems
severe 23 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
23
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
8crashes
13injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 23 airbags complaints filed for the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Chevrolet Sonic in our records for airbags problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Airbags accounts for 20% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 7 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This informational bulletin provides Information on Passenger Presence Sensing System (PPS or PSS) Concerns with Custom Upholstery, Accessory Seat Heaters or Other Comfort Enhancing Devices
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗BUICK/CHEVROLET: SOME VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT ON, INTERMITTENTLY. MODEL 2014-15 REGAL, 2015 MALIBU, SONIC. UPDATED 2/23/16.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 22 complaints for 2015 Chevy Sonic airbags break into two categories: deployment failures in crashes, and electronic malfunction of the airbag system.
Deployment failures show up in six crash narratives. Owners report that when their vehicles struck other cars, animals, or were struck themselves at speeds ranging 30–65 mph, airbags did not deploy or deployed selectively. One passenger-side airbag failed to deploy in a T-bone collision despite front-end damage. Side airbags failed to deploy in a side-impact crash at 30 mph. Two owners hit deer at highway speeds without airbag deployment. A rear-end collision at 40 mph also saw airbag failure. These incidents occurred at relatively low mileage—some under 15,000 miles, others under 30,000.
Electronic system faults are more common in the complaint set. Many owners report the passenger-side occupant sensor light is intermittent: it turns on and off unpredictably whether or not a passenger is seated, sometimes mid-trip while driving. Some dealers identified diagnostic trouble codes (C0186, C0196, C0287) and a premature SDM (Sensing Diagnostic Module) failure at 46,000 miles. One owner was quoted $1,100 for SDM replacement. Two owners report airbags deployed without any collision or impact while driving on the highway or immediately after starting the car.
A handful of owners noted GM acknowledged failures through escalated claims or service bulletins, while others said the manufacturer did not respond or repair attempts failed to resolve the intermittent faults.
Same Chevrolet Sonic airbags reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Passenger-side front airbag non-deployment in frontal crash
Passenger-side airbag failed to deploy in a T-bone collision at 35–40 mph with significant front-end damage on the passenger side. Vehicle was equipped with a weight-sensing restraint system; the passenger weighed 142 lbs. Driver-side airbags deployed normally.
When: 3,191 miles at time of collision
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side airbag did not deploy despite T-bone impact to front-end passenger side; Driver-side airbags deployed normally
Repairs/costs cited: Insurance estimated repair cost $8,863.10 before teardown; final cost expected to be higher due to additional damage (bumper, radiator). Vehicle likely a total loss.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reported GM escalated complaint to central claims on 4/2/2015 with promised callback within 24–48 hours; no follow-up occurred after multiple contact attempts.
Driver-side airbag non-deployment in side-impact crash
Driver-side airbag failed to deploy when another vehicle struck the driver-side door while owner was merging into the left lane. Vehicle was destroyed and towed.
When: 9,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side airbag did not deploy during side-impact collision; Vehicle destroyed
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle destroyed and towed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
Side-airbag non-deployment in side-impact crash with injury
Side airbags failed to deploy when another vehicle hit the driver side at an intersection at approximately 30 mph. Owner's head bounced off the window causing injury; child in backseat also hit head and sought medical attention.
When: Mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Side airbags did not deploy; Owner's head struck driver-side window; Child in backseat struck head
Repairs/costs cited: Entire driver side of vehicle destroyed; vehicle inoperable and had to be towed.
Airbag non-deployment in rear-end collision
Airbags failed to deploy when owner's daughter rear-ended another vehicle at 40 mph. Daughter bumped head on windshield but did not require medical attention.
When: 13,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy in rear-end impact; Head contact with windshield
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was not destroyed; towed to collision lot.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified of the failure.
Airbag non-deployment in high-speed frontal crash with injury
Airbags failed to deploy when vehicle was involved in a crash while driving at 65 mph. Owner sustained injuries to neck and lower back requiring medical attention.
When: 28,700 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy at 65 mph impact; Owner sustained neck and lower back injuries
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to independent mechanic and repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
Airbag non-deployment in frontal collision with animal
Airbags failed to deploy when vehicle struck a deer at highway speed (~60 mph), resulting in extensive front-end damage and head injury to driver. Damage could be a total loss.
When: 2,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy in frontal impact with deer at 60 mph; Head injury to driver; Extensive front-end damage
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle sustained extensive front-end damage; possible total loss.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
Second frontal collision with animal without airbag deployment
Wife and daughter hit a deer at approximately 60 mph. The deer struck the front driver side from the grill to the corner. Airbags did not deploy. Damage could be a total loss.
When: Mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy in frontal impact with deer at 60 mph; Severe driver-side front damage
Repairs/costs cited: Damage could be a total loss; awaiting insurance adjuster.
Passenger-side front airbag non-deployment with injury
Passenger-side front airbags failed to deploy during a front-end vehicle crash. All other airbags in the vehicle deployed. Injury occurred to the passenger as a result.
When: Mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side front airbags did not deploy; All other airbags deployed normally; Passenger sustained injury
Intermittent passenger-side occupant sensor malfunction
Passenger-side airbag occupant sensor light turns on and off unpredictably. With a passenger seated, the 'ON' light does not stay on consistently; it may come on temporarily then turn off again. Occurs whether or not vehicle is in motion. Many owners report similar concerns online.
When: Reported across various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side occupant sensor light inconsistent; Light turns on and off unpredictably with passenger seated; Light may turn on temporarily then off again mid-trip
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported dealership could not find the cause and would not repair it.
Passenger-side airbag system turns off while occupied
Passenger-side airbag system turns off unexpectedly even when an adult is seated in the passenger seat. Sometimes it turns on and then turns off mid-trip while vehicle is in motion with no explanation. System works sometimes and does not work other times for no apparent reason.
When: Mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side airbag system turns off with passenger seated; System turns off mid-trip while driving; Intermittent operation with no pattern
Airbag warning light illumination with diagnostic trouble codes
Airbag warning light illuminated without warning when vehicle was started. Dealer diagnosed failure codes C0186, C0196, C0287. No recall was available for this problem. A GM service bulletin (SB-10059177-1527) was found for the issue.
When: Mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated on startup; No physical damage or crash
Codes mentioned: C0186, C0196, C0287
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM service bulletin SB-10059177-1527 available; no recall issued.
Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) premature failure
Airbag warning light illuminated and dealer diagnosed a premature failure with the SDM (Sensing Diagnostic Module). Another owner reported four codes in the SDM due to an internal fault in the sensing diagnostic module, requiring replacement at approximately $1,100.
When: 46,000 miles (for coded failure); another at 30,000 miles after warranty expiration
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated; Multiple diagnostic codes in SDM; Internal fault in SDM
Repairs/costs cited: SDM replacement cost quoted at approximately $1,100 to repair and clear codes. One owner reported repair request was made after warranty expiration (warranty ended 5/26/2018 at ~30,000 miles).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of SDM failure.
Airbag warning light illumination at very low mileage
Airbag warning light illuminated immediately or very shortly after vehicle startup at extremely low mileage (26 miles, 70 miles). Vehicle taken to dealer but not diagnosed or repaired.
When: 26 miles; 70 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated on startup; Occurred at brand-new vehicle mileage
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer did not diagnose or repair the issue.
Unexpected airbag deployment without collision
Airbags deployed while vehicle was in motion with no collision or impact. In one incident, owner started car and drove one block before airbag light came on; another incident involved airbags deploying on the freeway with police and GM inspector unable to find any physical cause. Another incident reported airbags deployed while driving down freeway with no collision.
When: 30,000 miles (one incident); various (others)
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deployed without any impact or collision; Deployment occurred while driving on freeway or immediately after startup; No physical indication of cause found by police or GM inspector
Repairs/costs cited: One owner awaiting response from GM.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM inspector was unable to find cause; owner still waiting to hear back from GM.
Passenger-side airbag sensor light intermittency affecting resale
Passenger-side airbag sensor light goes on and off all the time. Dealership attempted repair but could not find the cause. Vehicle now shuts off without warning while driving, causing safety concerns. Owner unable to reliably sell vehicle due to this persistent issue.
When: Present since purchase from dealership
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side airbag sensor light intermittent; Vehicle shuts off without warning while driving; Problems present since purchase
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership would not fix it; owner cannot afford continued repairs.
Synthesized from 23 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The passenger side (occupant sensor) air bag switch is inconsistent. It will not always turn on when a passenger is in the seat. Sometimes it does sometimes is does not.
We owns a 2015 Chevrolet sonic. When the vehicle was started, we noticed that the air bag warning sensor illuminated without warning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer (Chevrolet -5925 us 90/ milton, fl 32583) where it was diagnosed that the failure codes (DTC c0186, c0196, c0287) appeared. We was informed that isn't a recall for this problem on this models.( air bags and seat belts are a…
Had airbags trouble with your 2015 Chevrolet Sonic?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic?
It's a meaningful issue. 23 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 9,000 and 51,900 miles, with the median around 28,700. A quarter of owners report trouble before 9,000; a quarter make it past 51,900. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Chevrolet/Sonic.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.