2012 1.8L Coolant Leak
- Thread starter Mad*Max
- Start date
JTee2017
Well-known member
I would keep and eye on it. The 2014 Sonic I worked on a few months ago was like that. It was using a bit of coolant. . then ok. . then started getting low again. Then finally could see the leak and we just replaced the T-stat housing complete.
It isn't going to "get better" by itself. . . right?
My 2012 1.8L sedan was leaking from all those O-rings and the oil cooler. It was a mess of fluid under there. Fortunately, the CAC GM warranty I have covered it.
Hey all,
My 2012 sonic also had a leaking coolant issue. I had to have my water pump replaced and my radiator. I hear that the radiators are not that dependable any more because of the cheaper materials they use to make them. You may want to check that if you have issues in the future.
My 2012 sonic also had a leaking coolant issue. I had to have my water pump replaced and my radiator. I hear that the radiators are not that dependable any more because of the cheaper materials they use to make them. You may want to check that if you have issues in the future.
There's no shortage of bottom barrel Korean and other foreign made parts on the Sonic, that's for sure....
Virtually every part that has failed on my Sonic has been made overseas:
The cylinder head
The cylinder head gasket
Three sets of stabilizer bar links
Coolant recovery tank
etc, etc, etc. So while it might not be 1970 anymore, the game hasn't changed with cheap foreign parts being bottom barrel and failing.
carsNskis
New member
They would have failed no matter where they are produced. US parts are certainly NOT any better than any made elsewhere.
You've experienced failure due to GM design, not the vendors materials or production. They plan failure into components (always have, always will)
[emoji593][emoji809][emoji472]
Mad*Max
Member
I totally disagree with you.
I've experienced GM putting price cutting/bottom barrel quality over keeping jobs in the US with US suppliers that produce a quality product.
The head gasket, heads, coolant reservoir, shifter assembly and stabilizer bar links on my 2009 G6 are original to the car. They are made in the United States of America.
2009 Pontiac G6: 85% US content.
2012 Sonic: 47% US content. The one major component that has not had any failures is the transmission. It is made in the United States of America.
I said it once, I'll say it again: The Sonic is plagued with bottom barrel quality, Korean and other foreign made parts. That is the source of its main problems.
carsNskis
New member
Same kind of idiotic thinking that says the Gates timing kits people use up repair Subarus are inferior because they replaced one idler bearing with a part produced by Gates in China.
A bunch of jerkoffs are now running around saying Gates is garbage,blah blah blah..
The G6, yfkmrm?? THAT is your example of quality American production... you're a sad little man. Quick go hide... the immigrants are coming for you. Build a wall and buy a gun, hurry hurry
[emoji593][emoji809][emoji472]
A bunch of jerkoffs are now running around saying Gates is garbage,blah blah blah..
The G6, yfkmrm?? THAT is your example of quality American production... you're a sad little man. Quick go hide... the immigrants are coming for you. Build a wall and buy a gun, hurry hurry
[emoji593][emoji809][emoji472]
Tormach
Member
To be quiet honest, the G6 v6 3500 my GF has has been an utter PoS (It is fun to drive if it isnt breaking). It is a 2008 and only 72k miles. My 1.4t Sonic is 500 miles shy of 70k and it is a 1000 time more reliable and I beat the piss out of my little car.
Its had the ECU and BCM replaced, full steering column replaced (from steering wheel to rack) once and guess what the entire damn thing is shot again and not wasting time to fix it this time around, endlinks, t-stat twice, water pump (I replaced with a Gates), lower control arm (was take out by a pot hole), almost the entire exhaust system is disintegrating 2-1 collector to flex is gone (working on that now), turning signal stalk, gasket failure at the oil filter housing, front struts are starting to go now as well.. there is alot more that i have not listed but I would have to be home to open the folder with the parts and repair slips.
edit: I check out the 1.8 sonic discussions because my pop's has a 2014 1.8 and I like to stay up to speed on it and problem area's everyone is running into on it so I know what to look at when something comes up. What I hate is when i check out something like this coolant leak issue and it devolves into a stupid ass rant that is worthless, and I do apologize because I just did the same thing in this post but I felt is was prevalent due to someone mentioning the G6.
Its had the ECU and BCM replaced, full steering column replaced (from steering wheel to rack) once and guess what the entire damn thing is shot again and not wasting time to fix it this time around, endlinks, t-stat twice, water pump (I replaced with a Gates), lower control arm (was take out by a pot hole), almost the entire exhaust system is disintegrating 2-1 collector to flex is gone (working on that now), turning signal stalk, gasket failure at the oil filter housing, front struts are starting to go now as well.. there is alot more that i have not listed but I would have to be home to open the folder with the parts and repair slips.
edit: I check out the 1.8 sonic discussions because my pop's has a 2014 1.8 and I like to stay up to speed on it and problem area's everyone is running into on it so I know what to look at when something comes up. What I hate is when i check out something like this coolant leak issue and it devolves into a stupid ass rant that is worthless, and I do apologize because I just did the same thing in this post but I felt is was prevalent due to someone mentioning the G6.
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I have the 3.9L, not the 3.5L. The 3.9L has hydraulic steering and no such problems with the steering. It's also an easy car to fix. I've had to do very little to it in nearly 10 years.
Got news for you. Buy some coolant hoses for your Sonic. They are made in India and everywhere else by Gates. You might as well go aftermarket if that's the case.
OEM is supposed to be better and in most cases it is. Some Gates stuff is garbage, some is not. Some stuff they are buying from suppliers that are well, bottom barrel. Some stuff they are not.
The reality is that the US made parts on both my G6 and Sonic have not failed. The foreign, cheap, bottom barrel stuff has. Who does a head gasket and cylinder head on a car with 35k miles on it?
I'm not worried about immigrants or anyone else for that matter. I live in NYC, if you're not willing to co-exist with all people of all cultures, I don't know who would be. I've been living here for all of my 47 years, never a problem with anyone.
What I am worried about is the quality of the parts GM is using in the Sonic. They ain't workin' well. Time for GM to start looking at the top of the barrel for parts suppliers, not the bottom.
The track record for the foreign made parts on the Sonic isn't good.
Honda stated after moving the Accord production here that the quality of the USA assembled Accords (and later Civics) was BETTER than in Japan. Some parts are sourced from different vendors and of course, there is different labor putting them together.
So, to say "it doesn't matter where it's made", is not accurate. It matters where it's made and what labor is putting it together. Thus far the Korean made parts and labor aren't cutting it.