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2016 Chevrolet Sonic electrical problems
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Owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See electrical across all vehicles →
Of the 11 electrical complaints filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic,
here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
0 (0%)
25-50k
1 (50%)
50-75k
1 (50%)
75-100k
0 (0%)
100-125k
0 (0%)
125-150k
0 (0%)
150k+
0 (0%)
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
Electrical accounts for 23% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 5 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
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
Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical 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.
Service Bulletin25-NA-087Apr 2025
This service bulletin provides information on the proper Reflective High Temperature Heat and/or Insulating Tape to use for certain repairs, such as Wiring Harness Repairs.
The intent of this service bulletin is to identify aftermarket ALDL or DLC interface devices as potential sources for causing multiple customer concerns that do not have other diagnostic methods to identify them.
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.
This service bulletin provides information to diagnose batteries that have set for a long period of time and/or cold weather climates and testing those batteries.
This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The electrical complaints break into distinct clusters. The most severe is infotainment system failure: one owner's head unit stopped booting at 30,000 miles, took 20+ minutes to start, then died completely by 75,200 miles. Once dead, it took out backup camera display, turn signal chimes, seat belt alerts, door ajar warnings, and lane-recognition sounds—all bus-dependent on that module. Another owner got an error message for a backup camera the car never had, which knocked out steering wheel controls and Bluetooth simultaneously.
Power delivery failures also appear: one owner lost motive power and stalled at 45 mph, couldn't restart easily. Another's engine jerked at 20 mph with check engine light on (ignition coil diagnosed but not replaced). A third had the dashboard click out mid-drive.
Smaller electrical gremlins pepper the rest: doors locking and unlocking by themselves, remote start working intermittently, new batteries losing connection, airbag light flashing for days then stopping, seat heater dead, heat blowing cool air after prior AC electrical repairs. Two owners each own multiple 2016 Sonics experiencing identical lock/battery issues, suggesting a systemic pattern rather than one-off failures.
Same Chevrolet Sonic electrical reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Infotainment System Malfunction
Head unit experiences prolonged or complete boot failures, intermittent operation, backup camera display failures, and eventual total shutdown. Radio continues playing after vehicle is turned off. Associated systems dependent on the infotainment bus (warning sounds, seat belt alert, door ajar alert, lane recognition) stop functioning once head unit fails completely.
When: 30,000–75,200 miles; reported onset March 2020 through August 2020 in narrative #1
Symptoms owners cite: Radio takes several minutes to boot up or fails to boot entirely; Backup camera guiding lines don't display or display intermittently; Radio continues playing after car is turned off until battery is disconnected; Head unit eventually becomes completely nonoperational; Associated audible warnings (turn signal, seat belt, door ajar, lane recognition, collision notification) cease functioning
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner notes that recalls exist for similar problems but none are currently open
Backup Camera Error Message with Secondary Electrical Failures
Center display shows error message for backup camera system (vehicle not originally equipped with one). Coincident failure of steering wheel controls and Bluetooth connectivity.
When: Unspecified mileage; error occurring for many months at time of complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Error message displayed on center display for backup camera system; Steering wheel radio and phone controls become inoperative; Bluetooth disconnects frequently and fails to fully connect
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner notes warranty coverage no longer applies
Airbag Warning Light Illumination
Airbag indicator light illuminates intermittently for several days, then self-resolves without repair intervention.
When: Unspecified mileage; illuminated for approximately three days then ceased for at least two weeks
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates immediately upon vehicle startup; Light persists for three days then spontaneously stops illuminating
Ignition Coil Failure
Ignition coil requires replacement; vehicle jerks and loses power during operation with check engine light illumination.
When: 75,200 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle jerks while driving at 20 mph; Loss of power during operation; Check engine indicator illuminates
Repairs/costs cited: Ignition coil replacement diagnosed at Barber Chevrolet but not performed
Dashboard Clicking/Power Loss
Dashboard cuts out briefly during city street driving. Reported alongside seat heater failure and blurred rear camera.
When: Unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard clicks out (cuts power) briefly while driving on city street
Loss of Motive Power and Stalling
Vehicle loses power and stalls without warning during normal driving. Multiple restart attempts required.
When: Mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of motive power while driving at 45 mph; Vehicle stalls without warning; Multiple restart attempts necessary before vehicle starts
Door Lock/Unlock Malfunction
Doors lock and unlock spontaneously without user input. Remote start operates intermittently.
When: Unspecified mileage; reported in two separate 2016 Sonics
Symptoms owners cite: Doors lock and unlock without button activation; Remote start functions intermittently
Battery Disconnection Issue
Battery loses electrical connection intermittently despite being new. Reported in multiple vehicles.
When: Unspecified mileage; occurring in two separate 2016 Sonics
Symptoms owners cite: Battery loses connection intermittently; Issue occurs even with brand new battery installed
Climate Control Malfunction
Heat system blows cool air instead of warm. AC also had prior electrical issues. Dealership attributed one problem to electrical fault.
When: Unspecified mileage; heat issue current, AC issue from prior summer season
Symptoms owners cite: Heat system blows cool air instead of warm air; AC did not function during prior summer season
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership repaired AC as electrical issue
Seat Heater Failure
Driver seat heating element does not function.
When: Unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Driver seat heater does not operate
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
3 most recent
electrical · 45,000 mi
· filed 12/26/2020
Turn signal indicators do not make sound when active
electrical · 56,000 mi
· filed 12/26/2018
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…
electrical
· filed 08/28/2023
My car lock and unlocks when I did not hit any buttons. The remote start does not work sometimes. The battery loses connection from time to time with a brand new battery. I own 2 of these cars and the same exact thing is happening. There needs to be a recall on this
Had electrical trouble with your 2016 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 electrical problem on the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 46,868 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
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/2016/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.