2013 Chevrolet Sonic- Common Problems

Chevrolet is someone’s competitor regardless of the year and model released. The 2013 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan layout is, however, a basic model that offers nothing that’d make any company bring up a competing car. Nonetheless, you may grab impressive features on a great deal if you opt for the higher trims.

Reliability

The 2013 Chevrolet Sonic has won people’s trust and scores 4 out of 5 stars on most websites. However, there are always a few downsides to a model, no matter how good of a model an automobile manufacturer releases. Similarly, the 2013 Chevy Sonic also had some reliability issues that you better know before you buy it since they may contradict your top requirements.

Check Engine Light Troubles:

Engine light issues aren’t bigger and won’t take any toll on the car’s safety. Therefore, it has short-term consequences, but it may be a big issue in the long run. Your car engine could still work fine if the engine lights go off while driving, but overlooking this issue for a longer span is not wise.

Costs of Engine Light Issues

However, the users that went to the Chevy outlets didn’t get any help since the root cause of this issue remained a secret. It won’t cause any substantial harm to you or your automobile, but you may undergo various investigations, and getting the engine lights fixed will cost you around 100$ to 200$. This issue started arising after the car had run 52,000 miles in most cases.

Vehicle Stops and Refuses to Run:

Some users faced an issue where the car stopped and refused to start for some moments or till the repair. It happened differently for different people; Some faced this issue while driving the car, and some found it out when they tried to start the car parked in the parking lot.

Similarly, the resolution was different for everyone. Some people fixed it partially or completely in a few minutes with a repair manual without any recurrence; contrarily, the problems reappeared for others. The root cause of this transmission issue is the car’s spark, which results in repeated stalling. The spark issue may be a dead battery, clogged fuel filter, broken or faulty spark plug, battery corrosion, clogged fuel filter, broken alternator, or weak key fob battery.

Regardless of the spark issue that resulted in stalling, it stopped the car and cost around 1400$ to get the issue fixed. However, this issue usually arises after the car has covered a substantial distance, I.e., 70000 miles.

Transmission Problems:

Transmission problems are the major and most common problems of the Chevy Sonic series. The transmission problems are diverse; thus, the repair can be either minor and cheap, or you may have to sell your leg for it.

Most Common Transmission Issue

The most common transmission issue as the car has run for 30000 miles is the hesitation while shifting gears. That being said, the car seemed to put a great effort into slowing down or speeding up the car, which predicted that the gears were not shifting smoothly. It wasn’t a big issue, and people got it sorted for around 100$ in most cases.

Another Transmission Issue- Turbine Shaft Failure

The second transmission problem occurs with the turbine shaft failure. The turbine shaft conveys energy from the engine to the tires. It occurs in two phases; if the turbine shaft brakes when the car runs in first to second gear, it refuses to shift above the second gear. The car slows down gradually; luckily, the driver gets enough time to get off the busy roads. The second case is comparatively dangerous in that the car is already running between the third and sixth gear. If the turbine shaft fails in this phase, the car suddenly stops, which may lead to a dangerous accident. If you feel it happening as the loss on the gas pedal diminishes, get ready for an emergency brake.

Costs of Turbine Shaft Failure

The whole transmission line needs a replacement in turbine shaft failure costs around 3000$ to 4000$. This problem usually shows up after the car has run 70,000 miles.

Difficult Shifter Issue

Yet another trivial transmission problem that won’t cost you a lot is the difficult shifter. The shift button on the stick becomes hard to press, and you may feel it has hardened over time.

Although it won’t damage your car, you can expect a loss of time and energy while getting the car into or out of the reverse.

In certain consequences, this issue can be dangerous as the stickshift could be caught mid-gear, activating the reverse option when the car runs at a higher speed.

The Chevy Sonic repair manual may help you fix many issues on your own; however, it is better to see a mechanic if you see any of these issues arising. In addition to the repair manual, you can also purchase the owner’s manual online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic Reliable?

RepairPal gives it a 4 out of 5

What is the yearly cost to service and maintain the Chevy Sonic?

$536

What is the life expectancy of the Chevrolet Sonic?

150K-200K miles