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."
Safety risk
Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
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."
Safety risk
Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
Manufacturer remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17130.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Engine
14
65,000 mi
Electrical system
9
45,000 mi
Unknown or other
9
16,700 mi
Air bags
8
50,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
5
85,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
36,299 mi
Power train
3
78,456 mi
Steering
3
116,000 mi
Suspension
3
9,248 mi
Engine and engine cooling
2
38,000 mi
Latches/locks/linkages
2
116,000 mi
Seats
2
10,000 mi
Service brakes
2
32,847 mi
Vehicle speed control
2
80,000 mi
Electrical system: ignition
1
75,200 mi
Electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash
1
—
Seat belts
1
30,008 mi
Structure
1
—
Structure: body
1
15,000 mi
Wheels
1
10,000 mi
The 2015 model has about half as many complaints as this one. The 2017 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.