ChevroletAveo2012Overview/chevrolet/aveo/2012/base/

2012 Chevrolet Aveo

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Aveo.

The 2012 Chevrolet Aveo marks the lowest point in the model's complaint history across its 2004–2012 run, logging just a single owner complaint — a dramatic drop from the 235 complaints recorded in 2005, the model's worst year. Zero recalls accompany this final model year, and the top complaint areas spanning the Aveo's history — Electrical System, Air Bags, and Engine — are essentially silent here. For researchers, this positions the 2012 as the most reliability-favorable year in the Aveo's tracked lifespan, offering the strongest ownership proposition within the model's generation.

Model year202520242023202120202019201420132012

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Aveo of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

10.2–11.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.20 sec — 2004 LS 5-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20095 2LT 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-411.80 sec16.00 sec106 hpFWD
2007LT Sedan 1.6L I-410.80 sec18.10 sec103 hpFWD
2007LT Sedan 1.6L I-411.80 sec18.60 sec103 hpFWD
2004LS 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-410.20 sec17.40 sec103 hpFWD
2004LS 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-410.20 sec17.60 sec103 hpFWD
2004LS Sedan 1.6L I-410.40 sec17.90 sec103 hpFWD
2004LS 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-410.90 sec17.56 sec103 hpFWD

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Across the Aveo generation, federal complaints trended sharply downward from a peak of 235 in 2005 to a low of just 1 in the 2012 model year, while recalls dropped to zero for both 2011 and 2012. Sitting at the absolute bottom of this declining arc, the 2012 model reflects the maturity of the platform, benefiting from the drastic reduction in reported issues and an absence of federal investigations or recalls. The sole 2012 complaint encompasses the electrical system, air bags, and engine, though the data does not specify a root cause, and there are zero reported crash or fire incidents. Furthermore, while Technical Service Bulletins dropped from a high of 1,078 in 2011 to 358 in 2012, this decline typically indicates the resolution of known issues as the generation concludes. As the most statistically stable year in the federal record, the 2012 Chevrolet Aveo stands as a strong, low-risk used buy compared to its more problematic earlier siblings.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
358
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Electrical System,Air Bags,Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 358 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
16-NA-1582023-06-14EquipmentThis service bulletin describes the U.S. Dealer Special Tool Loan Program process.
23-NA-1032023-06-08EquipmentThis service bulletin provides information on submitting quality Photos of Various…
04-07-30-013E2023-06-07Power TrainThis service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel on automatic…
02-00-89-002V2023-06-01EquipmentThis service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to…
08-07-30-026H2023-05-30Power TrainThis service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Aveo. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2012 Aveo have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.