Code 84 & ABS Blinking

[sonicson]

Hi folks,
I am a proud Chevy Sonic user from Malaysia who have been driving it for 1 year & 3 months now. Today, the car failed on me with a code 84 popped out and my ABS lights blinking in the middle of a busy highway en route home from work after an OT routine from office.

I was in the midst of accelerating in the middle lane and I felt a sudden deceleration and my ABS blinked. Fearing that my engine will die on me (hell no not in the middle of the highway!), I quickly signaled to the emergency lane and quickly turn on the hazard lights.

It was 9pm then and since it happens at night and all the garages are already closed, I have no choice but to get Chevy Assist for help to tow my car back home. And now here I am doing the waiting game, waiting for next morning to tow the car back to a nearby authorized Chevy mechanic to get it fixed.

My question is:

• What can I expect from that ABS/code 84 failures?

• What causes it?

• And why does it happen to my (reasonably) new car?

For your information, when the car broke down, I have done 22,000km (around 13,670 miles), plenty of gas (half tank left), and my most recent service was Nov 2013. (my next is due August 2014).

Feedback appreciated.

 

[laborsmith]

Code 84 = engine power reduced but you already figured that out. Usually it accompanied by the blinking "check engine soon' light so why the ABS light is beyond me.

Normally checking/tightening the gas cap fixes the situation. Sometimes if driving in a heavy downpour or through standing water will also get code 84 and if that is a recent event that could explain the ABS light.

Did you try driving and working the brakes a bit to help them dry out?

Laborsmith

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Hi sonicson,

I'm sorry to hear that you have experienced this concern with your Sonic. Feel free to visit Contact Us | Chevrolet Malaysia if any further assistance is needed. If you have any questions please let us know. Thank you.

Kristen A.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[sonicson]

Code 84 = engine power reduced but you already figured that out. Usually it accompanied by the blinking "check engine soon' light so why the ABS light is beyond me.

Normally checking/tightening the gas cap fixes the situation. Sometimes if driving in a heavy downpour or through standing water will also get code 84 and if that is a recent event that could explain the ABS light.

Did you try driving and working the brakes a bit to help them dry out?

Laborsmith

Hi
thanks for your reply. The next morning I was planning to call the insurance to have them towed to a nearby Chevy service center, but to my surprise the car is functional and the ABS blink has disappear. However, i am not taking any risk, therefore driving to the nearest Chevy service center to have them checked.

I stayed for 2 hours and the mechanics informed me that there's some electronic glitch. No replacement necessary, and they got the components clean up and done some electronic resetting. They went for a test drive and returned the car to me soon after that.

The only changes that i have discovered is my MPG is going down from 11.4 KML (approx 26.81MPG) to 10.9 (approx 25.64 MPG) in a week since the breakdown was fixed which I feel is kind of drastic decrease.

Anybody know if this is something for me to worry about?

Thank

 

[sonicson]

Hi sonicson,

I'm sorry to hear that you have experienced this concern with your Sonic. Feel free to visit Contact Us | Chevrolet Malaysia if any further assistance is needed. If you have any questions please let us know. Thank you.

Kristen A.
Chevrolet Customer Care

Thanks for the headsup. I just need your advise on why my fuel consumption drop down drastically after the fix?

 

[laborsmith]

If you are going by the DIC remember it is notoriously inaccurate for tank to tank mpg measuring.

A 1 mpg difference does not seem drastic to me.

Laborsmith

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Thanks for the headsup. I just need your advise on why my fuel consumption drop down drastically after the fix?

Hello Sonicson,

Unfortunately, we do not have access to that information. There are numerous reasons as to why your miles per gallon may change. Your Customer Care team will be able to explain this in more detail and if necessary, reach out to your Chevrolet dealership on your behalf.

Erica Tiffany (Assisting)
Chevrolet Customer Care