All most died in 2014 Sonic- stuck accelerator

[new2bowtie]

Hey all, I have a 2014 Sonic RS, 6spd manual. While approaching a red light at approx 60 mph, I shifted into neutral put my foot on the brake and the car accelerated like the gas pedal was stuck. Brakes didn't work, couldn't down shift into 1st, shut the motor off & it still continued on through the intersection, brakes not working until I went through the intersection and hit the median divider with my d/s front tire and then it finally slowed down. total about 600 yrds covered in about 30-45 seconds.

anyone else have this issue? I know there are complaints filed with NHTSA for the same thing.

 

[new2bowtie]

didn't think about using the ebrake as I was approaching the intersection fast and needed to concentrate driving to dodge stopped traffic in my direction of travel and cross traffic stopped to turn East bound into my lane of direction.
I was able to get into the left lane and just missed a car in the intersection.

 

[perrymk]

Had a similar experience in an old Toyota camper once, but never in my Sonic. Glad you're OK.

 

[gnonne]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_unintended_acceleration

 

[gnonne]

Check your driver's side floor mat. Probably OK, but an easy check.

 

[JTee2017]

Isn't anyone else puzzled on how a car with a manual transmission. . . put into Neutral. . . . can continue to accelerate and also .. the brakes do not work?

I have a 2014 Sonic RS, 6spd manual

I shifted into neutral put my foot on the brake and the car accelerated like the gas pedal was stuck.

Brakes didn't work,
brakes not working until I went through the intersection
anyone else have this issue? I know there are complaints filed with NHTSA for the same thing.

 

[Z71]

if the car was in neutral, it could not possibly accelerate, only the engine would rev up.

Brake failure is somewhat easier to understand, but you would need to disable both front and rear brake circuits, as they are independent. This could happen if the master cylinder piston fell completely apart, or brake master cylinder reservoir had developed a crack and all fluid leaked out. But there should be a brake warning light on in that case because most modern cars have an low brake fluid sensor.

 

[new2bowtie]

I know you must think I'm crazy.
** No the floor mat was not stuck underneath the brake pad.
** I went to neutral as I always do approaching a red light. The car continued to accelerate. I thought my foot was on the gas pedal and not the brake. I physically looked at my foot and lifted it up replacing it on the brake. I shifted it down into 1st gear and no reaction in the trans. Just kept going at 55 mph.

This post is no bull****. Happened exactly as I'm telling you.

There are 3 complaints filed with NHTSA with this situation. 2 are with the motor reving by itself and one complaint that the complainant stated it seemed the gas pedal was stuck to the floor.

 

[new2bowtie]

it's at the Chevy Dealership getting looked at. the trans is electronically controlled, so there is a possibility that the computer was thinking it was still in gear.
As for the brakes, don't know what to tell you other than I stepped on both the brakes & clutch with no slowing down but continued movement.

 

[JTee2017]

it's at the Chevy Dealership getting looked at. the trans is electronically controlled, so there is a possibility that the computer was thinking it was still in gear.
As for the brakes, don't know what to tell you other than I stepped on both the brakes & clutch with no slowing down but continued movement.

Last I checked you said you had a Manual transmission which has a foot operated clutch.

The manual transmission is NOT electronically controlled.
Not sure how you could shift the MANUAL transmission into Neutral using the foot operated clutch would not disengage the engine if the throttle was stuck and accelerating.
Just pushing the clutch pedal in would disengage the engine from the drive train. Then , turning the ignition key off would stop the engine.

Everyone has a difficult time understanding what you are asserting based on what you nave said.

You do understand the putting the clutch pedal down would also disengage the engine and not accelerate.

 

[new2bowtie]

Last I checked you said you had a Manual transmission which has a foot operated clutch.

The manual transmission is NOT electronically controlled.
Not sure how you could shift the MANUAL transmission into Neutral using the foot operated clutch would not disengage the engine if the throttle was stuck and accelerating.
Just pushing the clutch pedal in would disengage the engine from the drive train. Then , turning the ignition key off would stop the engine.

Everyone has a difficult time understanding what you are asserting based on what you nave said.

You do understand the putting the clutch pedal down would also disengage the engine and not accelerate.

YES, I understand that engaging the clutch would disengage the engine from the transmission. I own 2 gtos since 1980 one being a 4 speed and wrench on cars since I was 14. I've been driving sinced 1977. I fully understand that turning it off SHOULD stop the car.
but we traveled approximately 400 yrds when it started finally coming to a stop. I pushed in the clutch and depressed the brakes but the damn car did not stop. It kept going. We went through a red light at approximately 55 mph. I'm telling you that is what happened. there are 3 complaints filed with NHSTA for the engine reving on it's own and 1 with the accelerator stuck almost causing the accident. I can't tell you why the brakes didn't stop it. I even shifted it to 1st gear as we approached the intersection and it didn't shift down then turned off the ignition. We continued until I went over median in the opposite Left turn lane.
Not exaggerating, not making it up. Telling it just as it happened. As for the manual transmission, the dealership said it is electronically controlled. I know my 70 gto has rods and you can feel them engaging.

 

[sdgdf]

YES, I understand that engaging the clutch would disengage the engine from the transmission. I own 2 gtos since 1980 one being a 4 speed and wrench on cars since I was 14. I've been driving sinced 1977. I fully understand that turning it off SHOULD stop the car.
but we traveled approximately 400 yrds when it started finally coming to a stop. I pushed in the clutch and depressed the brakes but the damn car did not stop. It kept going. We went through a red light at approximately 55 mph. I'm telling you that is what happened. there are 3 complaints filed with NHSTA for the engine reving on it's own and 1 with the accelerator stuck almost causing the accident. I can't tell you why the brakes didn't stop it. I even shifted it to 1st gear as we approached the intersection and it didn't shift down then turned off the ignition. We continued until I went over median in the opposite Left turn lane.
Not exaggerating, not making it up. Telling it just as it happened. As for the manual transmission, the dealership said it is electronically controlled. I know my 70 gto has rods and you can feel them engaging.

So what'd you do? Break the shift linkage and it stayed in gear? Either that or something would have to fail internally inside the transmission for it to stay in gear like that. It can be difficult removing it from gear without the clutch and with the engine accelerating so its not too far fetched. But another thing, you can't downshift to 1st at 55. The synchros won't allow it and even if you managed to crunch it into gear it'd be way over redline when you'd clutch out. 1st redlines at 30-something mph.

The other issue might be with ABS. I have a Chevy S10 where 1 of the wheel speed sensors is bad and the ABS will come on randomly and keep the brakes from working. When I drive it I usually hover my left foot over the emergency brake pedal when coming up to stop lights/signs. A faulty ECM spazzing out could cause that and other issues, potentially without the ABS light coming on.

Other than that, what you said is physically impossible. You shift to neutral, its a mechanical connection to the trans, no electronic bs to stop you unlike a slush. I've read about stuck throttles on other forums and it usually results in the engine bouncing off the limiter.

 

[Z71]

As for the manual transmission, the dealership said it is electronically controlled.

Suggest you find another dealership. This is nonsense. There is nothing electronically controlled about the manual transmission on these cars. You have a manual shifter with connecting linkage, so shifting is done manually. The transmission will stay in whatever gear you put it in regardless of the engine load, so you must shift into lower gear when lugging the engine, no computer will do that for you The only thing I can think of that is determined by a computer on some cars is an upshift indicator for a manual transmission, which this car does not have. And even if it did, the upshift indicator light is merely a suggestion point to shift into higher gear for maximum fuel economy.