acthegiant
New member
My 2012 Sonic's automatic shift button started sticking recently, and after looking over the forum and at NHSTA it appears to be a fairly common problem.
As a side note, on NHSTA of 80 some complaints concerning the powertrain of the Sonic, fully 30+ (got tired of counting) were associated with this problem.
Anyway before I start to rant, I wanted to relay my fix. I saw on You Tube another owner recorded replacing the button using the GM kit (about $15) and decided what the heck (search and you can find the part number) I can fix that. When all is said and done, its not really the button that is the problem, there is nylon/plastic sleeve thingy that the button presses to depress the shifter itself that seems to hang up. I used some lubricant (Not WD40, that's too thin and will evaporate), on that part and it seems to have fixed the problem for now.
I suspect that part is the culprit, but its not in the $15 kit. If you take the shift knob apart, you'll see what I am talking about. Lubrication will fix the problem, probably just temporarily. I can't tell you if a NEW full shifter ($400?) has a redesign to address what appears to be the problem.
Ideally this should be a TSB type item and considered a safety recall; but, I don't know the magic number that gets the NHSTA folks of their butts into gear. Suggest all of you file your complaint and help the cause before some kid (its my daughter's first car) gets killed when shifter gets knocked into park or reverse or gear accidentally cause the shifter button sticks and the shift lever doesn't park properly.
Oops, starting my rant. Here it is now...
Based on feedback here on the Forum, owners are getting new shifter's if they are fortunate enough to still be under warranty. In my case, at 30k mile well under the 36Kmileage limit; however, having purchased in July 1012 over the 36 month time limit. We can't exhibit any flexibility here now can we (are you listening Chevy Forum Monitor people?)?
No help from our the friendly folks from Chevrolet who monitor our Forum - really, you'll help me make an appointment with my dealer? [/I
]Maybe a quick email to Mary Barra on another version of the ignition key fiasco is warranted. Or lets just wait for a few folks to be killed or have their cars stolen and have an sharp litigation attorney put together a class action lawsuit. So much for the 'new' GM. Mary if your listening can you say 'Deja Vu' all over again? SHAME ON YOU!
Get that complaint into NHSTA - and if any of your moms/dads/relative/friends are litigation attorneys, tell them to take a look at what is happening in the Sonic automatic shifting world right now!
As a side note, on NHSTA of 80 some complaints concerning the powertrain of the Sonic, fully 30+ (got tired of counting) were associated with this problem.
Anyway before I start to rant, I wanted to relay my fix. I saw on You Tube another owner recorded replacing the button using the GM kit (about $15) and decided what the heck (search and you can find the part number) I can fix that. When all is said and done, its not really the button that is the problem, there is nylon/plastic sleeve thingy that the button presses to depress the shifter itself that seems to hang up. I used some lubricant (Not WD40, that's too thin and will evaporate), on that part and it seems to have fixed the problem for now.
I suspect that part is the culprit, but its not in the $15 kit. If you take the shift knob apart, you'll see what I am talking about. Lubrication will fix the problem, probably just temporarily. I can't tell you if a NEW full shifter ($400?) has a redesign to address what appears to be the problem.
Ideally this should be a TSB type item and considered a safety recall; but, I don't know the magic number that gets the NHSTA folks of their butts into gear. Suggest all of you file your complaint and help the cause before some kid (its my daughter's first car) gets killed when shifter gets knocked into park or reverse or gear accidentally cause the shifter button sticks and the shift lever doesn't park properly.
Oops, starting my rant. Here it is now...
Based on feedback here on the Forum, owners are getting new shifter's if they are fortunate enough to still be under warranty. In my case, at 30k mile well under the 36Kmileage limit; however, having purchased in July 1012 over the 36 month time limit. We can't exhibit any flexibility here now can we (are you listening Chevy Forum Monitor people?)?
No help from our the friendly folks from Chevrolet who monitor our Forum - really, you'll help me make an appointment with my dealer? [/I
]Maybe a quick email to Mary Barra on another version of the ignition key fiasco is warranted. Or lets just wait for a few folks to be killed or have their cars stolen and have an sharp litigation attorney put together a class action lawsuit. So much for the 'new' GM. Mary if your listening can you say 'Deja Vu' all over again? SHAME ON YOU!
Get that complaint into NHSTA - and if any of your moms/dads/relative/friends are litigation attorneys, tell them to take a look at what is happening in the Sonic automatic shifting world right now!
