BumperScan
Powered byNHTSA|EPA|Community Reports
Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%
Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Free Preview

#BS-2016-CHESON-631B

2016 Chevrolet Sonic

Based on reports from 69 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
69
Crashes
11
Fires
2
Recalls
2
TSBs
1,078
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 69 complaints, 11 crashes, 2 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

coolant leak

4 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
2

extremely uncomfortable seats

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

brakes lock up

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

15 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 48K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

10
0–30K
20
30–60K
10
60–90K
5
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (20 reports) • Median: 48K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (15 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine15 (22%)
Electrical9 (13%)
Other8 (12%)
Airbags8 (12%)
Fuel System5 (7%)
Suspension3 (4%)
Stability Control3 (4%)
Drivetrain3 (4%)

2016 Chevrolet Sonic: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 22% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, with 15 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 48,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 48K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

3
16
10
17
10
18
13
19
17
20
6
21
2
22
2
23
2
24
2
25
2
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

Get Report — From $1.20

Recall History (2 recalls)

16V257000May 2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer to open the door. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114 "Theft Protection."

16V422000Jul 2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

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. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208 "Occupant Crash Protection" and 114 "Theft Protection."

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

The worst model year for the Chevrolet Sonic is the 2012 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

69

Class avg

92

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other compact cars vehicles from 2016.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 69 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Chevrolet Sonic Model Years

2020201920182017201620152014201320122011
View all Chevrolet Sonic years →

2016 Chevrolet Sonic: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic is related to the engine, with 15 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic reliable?
The 2016 Chevrolet Sonic has 69 complaints, 11 crash reports, and 2 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2016 Chevrolet Sonic problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic have any recalls?
Yes, the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Chevrolet Sonic problems start?
Based on 45 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 48,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
RaccoonEagleRoverCat

Get the Full 2016 Chevrolet Sonic Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 69 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Get Full Report — From $1.20Money-back guarantee
Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees