2014 Chevrolet Sonic Engine Problems

Around April of 2025, I noticed loud engine noises and cold start loud noises coming from the engine. My car has been in the shop multiple times since then and I opened a case with GM about multiple repair issues with my 2014 Chevy Sonic LT even though I take excellent care of the vehicle and perform all maintenance on the vehicle, and now this loud engine noise issue and leaking oil. I was driving home from a relative's home Saturday night Dec 27th late evening on the expressway when I noticed my car driving very sluggish and jerking and make extremely loud engine noises and continued burning oil smell in the cabin of the vehicle. No check engine light or oil light, now I had stopped by the service department earlier in the week when and oil pressure light came on, and they stated no issues. I made it home without incident, but the car was not running right. The car was brought to the dealership service department Monday Dec 29th, and they informed me they found broken plastic pieces of guard rails that secure the timing chains in the engine which may have caused serious damage to the engine. The dealership wanted 4k dollars to repair it after they could not properly diagnose a known online issue that I found out a lot of these Chevy drivers have found out about and having me repair other items on the car instead of fixing the leaking oil problem and whatever was going on in the engine. The manufacturer has not inspected this issue now only the service department at the local Chevy dealership has, however I had a case open with GM before this final incident occurred on Nov 1st after my last repair and complaint to the dealership about loud engine noises. GM would not take my concerns seriously and stated we are sorry, but your car is out of warranty even though this is a known issue of this plastic guard rail failing and other serious engine issues with Chevy. I would like the NHTSA to be involved in this matter and investigate this matter if possible.

The contact owned a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while his spouse was driving approximately 35 MPH she noticed smoke being emitted from under the hood. The contact stated his spouse saw no warning light being illuminated. The spouse pulled off to the side of the road and exited the vehicle safely when a fire began to burn from under the hood. The fire department was called and extinguished the flames with water. The police were also on the scene and wrote an incident report. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact was advised by his insurance provider that the vehicle would be listed as a total loss. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Car has no temperature gauge. Car had oil change. Then went to put gas. When I started in the highway. The temperature sensor turned on. This was terrifying as it was night time and I was on a highway on my way to visit family. The car could of caught on fire. Pulled over called a tow truck. Water pump was replaced and cylinder heads and gaskets. This was done through the warranty company. Car was returned to me on 14 December 2021 and was in a repair shop the following day because of the check engine light was on. Car now needs new motor as coolant was going inside the motor. Sensors had never gone off before that day. Currently car is in the chevy dealer for over a month trying to figure out who will pay for the repairs as I also had an extended warranty. Car had 57000 miles when it failed. Chevy repairs will be of about $7000.

THIS IS A 1.4 TURBO ENGINE. IT HAS A NOISE DUE TO THE FRONT CRANK SEAL WITH A VACUUM LEAK AS PER A GM SERVICE BULLETIN P11297B. I "THINK" THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN ON A RECALL FOR THE SAME ENGINE IN THE CRUZE MODEL. IF SO WHY IS THE SONIC MODEL INCLUDED? THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR A RETIRED PERSON. ALSO THIS CAR DOESN'T HAVE 34,000 MILES ON IT YET.

LOSING RADIATOR COOLANT SOMEWHERE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VALVE COVER, INTAKE MANIFOLD AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED BANKS CHEVROLET CADILLAC BUICK GMC LOCATED AT 137 MANCHESTER ST, CONCORD, NH 03301 (844) 511-2874, TO NOTIFY THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,200.

I'VE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE CAR. THE MAIN ONE BEING THAT MY ENGINE HAS WARPED AND THE CAR IS JUNK NOW AS I CAN'T AFFORD THE 5400 TO REPLACE IT. THE COOLANT KEPT LEAKING AND AFTER WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT REPAIRS DID NOTHING IT FINALLY BROKE DOWN. THE SHOP SAYS THE ENGINE IS SO BADLY WARPED THEY CAN'T EVEN IDENTIFY WHERE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN.

I HAD A RECALL ON A COMPONENT OF MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT WAS CAUSING IT TO MOVE AT A LOW EFFICIENCY. I TOOK IT IN TO MOSS BROTHERS CHEVROLET TO BE REPAIRED. IT SEEMED FINE UNTIL 1-2 DAYS LATER WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I CALLED MOSS BROTHERS TO INFORM THEM OF THIS SITUATION, HOWEVER, THEY TOLD ME THAT IF I WANTED TO GET IT DIAGNOSED AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE DIAGNOSTIC FEES. HOWEVER, I DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES WITH MY CAR BEFORE TAKING IT TO THEM. IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTERWARDS. SO IF SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE RECALL IS WRONG, I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THAT IT WAS DUE TO NEGLIGENCE ON THEIR PART. I TOOK IT INTO AUTOZONE TO RUN A DIAGNOSTICS AND IT SAID 'CATALYST SYSTEM LOW EFFICIENCY' WHATEVER THEY DID, DID NOT FIX MY CAR BUT ONLY MADE IT WORSE. I CALLED GMC TO SEE IF THERE WAS A WAY AROUND THE FEE SHOULD IT BE A DIFFERENT CAUSE(IF IT IS, I BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY MOSS BROTHERS) AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL TO ME AT ALL.

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2014 CHEVY SONIC WITH 70,000 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN DROPPING COOLANT WHILE STATIONARY OVERNIGHT AFTER BEING DRIVEN DURING THE DAY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WATER PUMP. AFTER THE REPAIR, IT STARTED TO LEAK AGAIN. THIS TIME, THE DEALER'S REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF A LEAK, DESPITE MY SHOWING EVIDENCE OF A LEAK (PHOTOS AND COLLECTED COOLANT). SEVERAL INTERNET POSTINGS FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES INDICATED POSSIBLE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY DEXCOOL COOLANT SPECIFIED BY GENERAL MOTORS. MY OWN MECHANIC RECOMMENDED REPLACING THIS COOLANT BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM.

VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER. RECALL WAS SERVICED BY DEALER AND PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST FOR 3 MONTHS THEN SAME ISSUE BEGAN AGAIN WITH SAME CODES BEING GIVEN BY THE VEHICLE AND EXACTLY THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS AS BEFORE.

THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. ONE OF THE ENGINE COOLANT OUTLETS WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND CRUMBLED INTO PIECES WHERE THE HOSE CONNECTS TO IT. THE BOLTS WERE ALSO BROKEN OFF INTO THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THIS REPAIR COST $1,200 AND WAS DONE TWICE WITHIN 2 MONTHS TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE FAILURE CODE FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER APPEARED. THE CODE WAS CLEARED, BUT IT RE-ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER (DEPAULA CHEVROLET, 785 CENTRAL AVE, ALBANY, NY, 12206) WAS CONTACTED AT 518-278-6036 AND STATED THAT THEY SERVICED THE VEHICLE FOR THE SAME FAILURE IN JUNE OF 2017. NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT STATED TO THE DEALER THAT SHE WAS UNAWARE THAT HER VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE TIME FOR THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 19,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SENSOR AND TEMPERATURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO EMIT SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A LONG, STEEP BRIDGE AT A CAUTIOUS SPEED AND REACHED OVER TO ADJUST THE RADIO VOLUME. WHEN I PLACED MY RIGHT HAND BACK ON THE STEERING WHEEL SOMETHING DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT SO I QUICKLY VERIFIED THAT I HAD BRAKES AND LIGHTS, BUT NO ENGINE POWER. I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE ONLY REASON FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE THAT I COULD FIGURE OUT AT THE TIME WAS THAT I HAD JARRED THE KEY CHAIN WITH MY COAT SLEEVE, INADVERTENTLY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR AND THE TWO SETS OF KEYS HAD BEEN PERMANENTLY CRIMPED TOGETHER BY A CABLE. I HAD CALLED THE RENTAL COMPANY A FEW HOURS AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR AT THE AIRPORT TO FIND OUT HOW TO SEPARATE THE KEYS AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS INTENTIONALLY DONE TO KEEP THE SETS TOGETHER IN CASE THE CAR WAS DROPPED OFF AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. A MONTH OR SO LATER I LEARNED OF THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION OF THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH IN GM VEHICLES THAT COULD TURN OFF THE CAR IF JOSTLED OR WEIGHED DOWN BY A HEAVY KEY RING. THE CAR WAS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. FORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL AND WAS MADE EVEN MORE FRIGHTENING DUE TO THE POSITION ON THE BRIDGE. FROM NOW ON I WILL NOT RENT ANY GM CARS AND WILL INSIST THAT THE KEY CHAINS BE SEPARATED. *TR