ChevroletSonic2012Overview/chevrolet/sonic/2012/base/

2012 Chevrolet Sonic

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

As a passenger car requiring 5.5 quarts of 5W-30 engine oil, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic presents researchers with a distinct mechanical baseline overshadowed by notable reliability concerns. The model is anchored by 353 total owner complaints predominantly focused on the power train, a figure further complicated by 7 separate recalls. Sitting as the absolute peak of the model's complaint history across the 2011-2020 span, this year dwarfs the single complaint logged in 2011, marking the 2012 Sonic as the most problematic chapter in the vehicle's lineage and a clear indicator of potential long-term ownership risks.

Model year202020192018201720162015201420132012

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 55593191. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeSONIC P195/65R15; P205/55R16; P205/50R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6, 6, na inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter55593191 alt 25199750
Engine air filter96950990
Spark plug12681655 alt 12681656
Front wiper blades42495284 alt 95228810
Serpentine belt55565302 alt 55567574
Thermostat25189205 alt 55565619
Cabin air filter13271190 alt 13503677

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length173.2 in
Overall width68.5 in
Overall height59.8 in
Wheelbase99.6 in
Curb weight2727 lb
Track (front / rear)59.4 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.8–8.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.80 sec — 2012 LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-47.80 sec16.20 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.10 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.40 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.20 sec16.50 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.50 sec16.60 sec138 hpFWD
2013RS Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.30 sec138 hpFWD
2013RS Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.40 sec138 hpFWD
2014RS Turbo Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-48.20 sec16.40 sec138 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.5 qt of 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.7-5.8
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt
Manual Transmission FluidGM part number 19259104

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts5.9 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts6.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.10 lbs
Oil Capacity3.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)40-65
RPM40-47 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-94
RPM43-58 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J93, J94 / WITH RPO JPW, J97
Torque Caliper to Bracket21 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle74 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.055 in
Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J93, J94 / WITH RPO JPW, J97
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0008 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
170 ft. lbs., step 2: 45 degrees, step 3: 1570 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
545 degrees45 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEmission Control System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic stands out as the most problematic year in this generation, with 353 complaints and 7 recalls—both the highest figures in the dataset. Complaints drop sharply to 217 in 2013 and continue declining through 2020, while recalls also fall after 2012, suggesting that early production years suffered from teething issues that were gradually addressed. The 2012 model also had two investigations and a high number of technical service bulletins (1,588), with the top complaint area being the powertrain (106 reports), though the data does not specify root causes. Given that the 2012 year sits at the peak of the complaint and recall arc, it represents the highest-risk choice in the lineup. For a used purchase, later model years (2013–2015) offer a significantly better reliability profile with far fewer reported issues.

7
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1588
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
353
Owner complaints
27 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 353 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train106
Unknown Or Other27
Engine24
Air Bags20
Electrical System17
Power Train,Engine12
Electrical System,Engine9
Suspension8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V417000Equipment:ElectricalReported 02/07/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in…

14V315000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 12/06/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, to June 29, 2012, and equipped with a 6 speed automatic transmission and 1.8L four cylinder engine. In… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission turbine shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1588 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

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 Sonic. 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.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 Sonic take?

5.5 qt of 5W-30 MEETING GM DEXOS 1 SPECIFICATION, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 Sonic have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.