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AUTOS: Sonics Recalled - Brake Pads Missing
Critical parts left off at Michigan assembly plant prompts Chevrolet to call back its new subcompact for inspections.
Bengt Halvorson  | http://thecarconnection.com  |  Posted December 30, 2011   Detroit, MI
Some 2012 Chevrolet Sonics left the Michigan assembly plant missing front disc-brake pads, prompting a recall. (Photo: Chevrolet)
If you’re one of the early buyers (or renters) of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and plan to head over a mountain pass for the holiday weekend, you might just want to get a quick brake inspection.

GM is recalling 4,296 U.S.-market Chevy Sonic models, all assembled at the automaker’s Orion Township, Mich., plant, for a possible assembly issue that leaves the subcompact lacking either an inner or outer front disc-brake pad.

According to General Motors, a rental Chevrolet Sonic was brought into a dealership in late November for brake noise and found to be missing an inner or outer brake pad during warranty service. While this sounds hard to believe, given that vehicles receive test drives after assembly, those who brake lightly might not notice that anything is wrong right away. The issue would cause much longer stopping distances during emergency braking or harder brake application, however.

Through the effort, dealerships will inspect the front brakes (the Sonic has drum brakes in back), installing pads as necessary and installing a new caliper and rotor if a pad had been missing. GM is sending out notification letters for the recall beginning January 14, and the effort affects vehicles that were manufactured from June 2 through November 21, 2011.

This story originally appeared at The Car Connection.
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