Problems with unintended acceleration and buffeting

[Cyric]

Firstly, I hate to ask, but are the resident customer service reps on the forum legit? I ask only due to the volume of scams out there.

The last time I went to the dealership was last week. The service manager took it out for another hour and a half and told me he's done the last of the testing within his arsenal and still was not able to recreate the issue.

So unfortunately I'm stuck with the unknown, and I can only hope it doesn't happen again, and if it does, that nothing catastrophic happens.

My initial plan was to trade up to the sonic I initially wanted after I bolstered my credit, but I'm rethinking it at the moment.

As far as an in car camera goes, I am barely paying my bills as it is, and I can't afford it.

 

[SonicQueen]

Yes.

 

[Certifried]

Wow, good luck on this, I hope you can get resolution. That's so scary!

Yes, the reps on the forum are legit, they've been on here for a while. Chevy has reps on quite a few boards to watch them and help put out fires. The one that replied to your post, in particular has been on here a while

 

[JimmyQ]

lemon car?

 

[TIEfighter]

lemon car?

If this car was a lemon car, is there a certain time/mileage period before he isn't allowed to return the vehicle? I've heard the term lemon car before but don't know too much about what it means.

 

[AngelM]

Lemon car as far as I know means a unreliable unsuccessful production like ford pony was considered a lemon car


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ypsi-sonic]

I test drove an automatic and manual transmission Sonic before I bought. I do have to be honest I did not like how the automatic behaved. To put this in context, though...I have never found an automatic that I have liked on an engine less than 2.2L. I found the automatic on my Cobalts tolerable.

I fell in love with the manual transmission model immediately. My only complaint now is the position of reverse gear right on top of first. On 5-speeds it should be all the way over and down, where 6th gear would be on a 6 speed. I do understand that it may be a production kinda issue, but it is awkward.

I hope your issues get resolved. Generally I think this is a very good car and look forward to buying another in 2015.

 

[SteveSonic]

Lemon car as far as I know means a unreliable unsuccessful production like ford pony was considered a lemon car


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are now national(?) criteria that define an individual, specific car as a "lemon." I don't know the criteria exactly, but they have to do with how many times the new owner has to return to a dealership for a (significant?) problem or problems that the dealership/manufacturer can't resolve. Its not a specific period of time, but a minimum number of dealer visits. Then the car must be bought back or the buyer offered a new replacement (as if they want another, after going through such an ordeal with the first one ..).

 

[Cyric]

Well, yesterday was the final straw with my sonic. Vanessa, if you see this, PLEASE CALL ME.

I was pulling into a parking spot, When I park I idle roll in. Unfortunately, the car took off on me, and I let my gaurd down just long enough to not hit the brake in time.

The car nailed the stone curb pretty damn hard, but it didn't set the airbag off.

Front fascia is wrecked, and I can't drive it because the air dam is dragging on the ground and the wheel wells now scrape the tires.

I called the dealership, and unsirprisingly, no one cared. I called my insurance company to start the claim process, and will hopefully hear back from them soon.

Right now, I'm at a loss for what to do. I've been complaining about this issue for months now, with no resolution, and unfortunately that has resulted in damage to the car. Thank god I wasn't hurt, nor anyone else.

I don't want the car. I will not drive it again, and at this point I want to know what I need to do to return the car and get a damn refund.

I'm ready to take my chances with ford.

 

[SonicQueen]

So, GM Customer assistance tried reaching you about a month ago. Didn't you connect with them?

 

[Cyric]

I did get in contact with them, about 3 weeks ago. They were supposed to call me back for whatever the "next step" in the process was and they have yet to call again.

 

[oldertech]

This is so disturbing at so many levels. It would seem to me that GM should be all over this case and get a resolution so you can be confident in the car you drive again. And in the case of this new model, having issues resolved should be of prime concern. Good luck on your situation.

 

[Cyric]

Unfortunately, I don't think they believe me. No one seems to understand that it's not fun for me to have to take time out of work to let them evaluate the car. I got double charged for the rental the gave me when they kept it over night. Overdrew my account and wreaked havoc on me financially.

I don't know if they think I'm trying to fleece them for a nicer car or what. I don't want a cruze or malibu. I bought the sonic because I genuinely like the car. Right now, I don't event want another chevy. I want to get out of this loan agreement, return the car, and wash my hands of it.

When I called the service manager at the dealership yesterday all he said was "Well what do you want us to do with it?" I wanted to tell him where to shove it, but I didn't.

He started going on and on about all the failsafes and multiple systems that should make the problem I'm having "impossible" and all the engineering and technical information related to the issue, as if I'm lying.

That's all well and good, and I'm sure it's designed to prevent the issues I'm having, but frankly I'm driving the car. I'm telling you that these things are not working as they are intended to and you need to DO SOMETHING.

I'm joe shmoe. I have NOTHING to gain by falsifying these problems. I've lost time, money and sanity dealing with all of this. Up to now, I haven't asked for a replacement or anything of that nature. I just wanted them to find the issue and fix it so I could return to happy and worry-free motoring.

Now I don't have a vehicle at all. I'm stuck in limbo trying to have this dealt with, and am losing money because I can't get to work.

I'm not sure what they could even think I would hope to gain from this mess.

 

[oldertech]

I've always been told that if you yell loud enough in retail that you can get your desired outcome. That means working up the foodchain to the regional office or beyond.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Absolutely Terrifying Ordeal Tonight

Well, yesterday was the final straw with my sonic. Vanessa, if you see this, PLEASE CALL ME.

I was pulling into a parking spot, When I park I idle roll in. Unfortunately, the car took off on me, and I let my gaurd down just long enough to not hit the brake in time.

The car nailed the stone curb pretty damn hard, but it didn't set the airbag off.

Front fascia is wrecked, and I can't drive it because the air dam is dragging on the ground and the wheel wells now scrape the tires.

I called the dealership, and unsirprisingly, no one cared. I called my insurance company to start the claim process, and will hopefully hear back from them soon.

Right now, I'm at a loss for what to do. I've been complaining about this issue for months now, with no resolution, and unfortunately that has resulted in damage to the car. Thank god I wasn't hurt, nor anyone else.

I don't want the car. I will not drive it again, and at this point I want to know what I need to do to return the car and get a damn refund.

I'm ready to take my chances with ford.

Hi Cyric,

Please be advised that your case has been escalated from the level that I handle and another GM Customer Service Agent will be contacting you about your vehicle.

Thank you,

Vanessa, GM Customer Service

 

[Cyric]

Thank you, I'll be waiting for their call.

 

[Cyric]

Alright, now that I've taken time to settle down and approach this objectively, I will included specifics of the incident, along with the photos of the damage.

Last thursday, I had a doctor's appointment. I made it from my home, to the office parking lot without any issues.

I pulled through and lined myself up to pull straight into a parking space. I let off the brake and allowed the car to roll forward at idle speed. I rolled maybe 3 feet when the engine bogged down (That sudden surge of noise as rpm increases) and lurched forward.

My foot was not on the gas, and was hovering over the brake. Unfortunately I was caught off gaurd, and was not able to get onto the brake quick enough to prevent an impact with the stone curb.

Photos can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150988341404289.480380.778099288&type=3&l=2764e830ee

At this point, I am saddened, angry and frustrated. I am having my credibility questioned, as well as my motives. I'm really not sure how to prove my credibility on this matter aside from trying to make it clear that I have nothing to gain from this, and have already lost a great deal.

In the 6 or 7 visits to the dealership I have lost more than 30 hours of my time sitting around waiting for them to diagnose the problem. I've had to miss work in order to be disrespected by service staff, and have long since lost the confidence in my vehicle.

I used to love driving. Now I spend every second behind the wheel of that car hyper-alert and white knuckled. Praying that I don't injure myself or anyone else.

 

[LS1notFOUND]

what your describing to me sounds like the engine sruging, this could be caused by many things but all of it relates to a stall or near stall condition I would assume. A bad coil pack, injector, ground, sticky throttle body, all could cause this and still be "outside" the range for a Check Engine Light or similar to appear.

When the engine begins to have its idle drop it will open the throttle to try and compensate. To the unsuspecting driver this can cause a jolt or lurch, most noticeable at parking lot speeds.

Once again best of luck to you in the hunt for the gremlin.

 

[RKMBrown]

OP are you in a hilly environment, could this be the hill assist?

Is the sonic automatic shifter fly by wire?

 

[Cyric]

I'm in Northeast Massachussets, and the environment can be hilly.

2 of the incidents were on flat ground, and 1 incident was on hilly terrain, maybe 30 or 40ft of a 10 degree grade.