2013 Chevy Sonic Shift Button Sticking Safety Issue

[Thran69]

I am having serious problems with my 2013 1.4L Auto Chevy Sonic. The shift knob button is sticking. I cannot remove the key from the vehicle. More importantly the car is never fully in park. This is a major safety issue. I took it to the dealership i purchased the car from immediately.

My car was at 36,100 miles, Out of warranty by about 100 miles.

The technician said, " Agrees its a safety issue, but cannot act upon it because its not a recalled vehicle."

They will not repair the car for free because it is out of warranty.

7/9/14 A update on the situation. Charged me 120$ to look at the vehicle, estimated 400$ to allegedly fix it. The car is out of warranty. The car had 36,100 Miles on it. 100 miles over!

They gave my back the unsafe car. Still broken, NOW unusable.
Why hasn't this been recalled?

I have a video to show proof that in fact the car can be in park but VERY easily "bumped" or moved into reverse or drive. This can very easily hurt someone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmUXP0bxtvI

I wanted to know if anyone has any tips, or suggestions on going forward with this. I contacted Gm Customer care. I am waiting to hear back from them in the morning. Going on 3rd day dealing with this.

Not only has my reputation at work been hurt by this, i have lost money because my boss has offered the work to a more reliable party.

 

[Strk]

My car does this and it's a 2003 Oldsmobile

 

[LTC8K6]

There's a manual key release that will let you remove the key.

Vehicles with an automatic
transmission are equipped with an
electronic key lock release system.
This system is to prevent ignition
key removal unless the shift lever is
in P (Park).
The key lock release will not work if
the battery is charged less than
9 volts, or uncharged. Try charging
or jump starting the battery. See
Jump Starting on page 10‐74.
If charging or jump starting the
battery does not work, there is a
manual key lock release. Locate the
hole below the ignition lock. Insert a
tool or key into the opening. Locate
the lever, and press it toward the
steering wheel while removing the
key from the ignition.

 

[LTC8K6]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/13-CHEVROLE...Y-194040-/271483128201?_trksid=p2054897.l5659

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/181269330339?lpid=82

 

[Printer Bandit]

this is why i would never buy an american car.

 

[LTC8K6]

this is why i would never buy an american car.

All cars have problems, regardless of the country of manufacture.

There's a guy on youtube that has a Porsche 911 that is a piece of junk.

Porsche finally agreed to replace the car or refund his money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eXUnZrykDY

 

[boomerang]

I wanted to know if anyone has any tips, or suggestions on going forward with this.

My tip would be to man up and pay to get it fixed. Also, your shitty attitude comes through here in your post so I imagine it came across at the dealership too. "estimated 400$ to allegedly fix it" You reap what you sow.

At how many miles over the warranty period should a car manufacturer still cover something under warranty? Obviously you feel at least 100 miles based on your post. How about 500? 1,000? Where should the line be drawn?

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Why did you by a piece of shit in the first place?

 

[BUTCH1]

this is why i would never buy an american car.

You know crap about cars, like imports never have problems and recalls?.

 

[herm0016]

one problem with one car does not a recall make.

let me guess? you jam the lever into gear without properly pushing the lock butten or pulling it back each time? I am sure there is no way you could have broken the thing.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I can loan you my dilithium Crystal Shift Button analyzer....

 

[BUTCH1]

I am having serious problems with my 2013 1.4L Auto Chevy Sonic. The shift knob button is sticking. I cannot remove the key from the vehicle. More importantly the car is never fully in park. This is a major safety issue. I took it to the dealership i purchased the car from immediately.

My car was at 36,100 miles, Out of warranty by about 100 miles.

The technician said, " Agrees its a safety issue, but cannot act upon it because its not a recalled vehicle."

They will not repair the car for free because it is out of warranty.

7/9/14 A update on the situation. Charged me 120$ to look at the vehicle, estimated 400$ to allegedly fix it. The car is out of warranty. The car had 36,100 Miles on it. 100 miles over!

They gave my back the unsafe car. Still broken, NOW unusable.
Why hasn't this been recalled?

I have a video to show proof that in fact the car can be in park but VERY easily "bumped" or moved into reverse or drive. This can very easily hurt someone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmUXP0bxtvI

I wanted to know if anyone has any tips, or suggestions on going forward with this. I contacted Gm Customer care. I am waiting to hear back from them in the morning. Going on 3rd day dealing with this.

Not only has my reputation at work been hurt by this, i have lost money because my boss has offered the work to a more reliable party.

After watching the video I'm LOL'ing that the issue prevented you from driving the car to work, just avoid hitting the shifter while your driving and your fine. It might even be fixed with a little silicon lube spray on the button. That "problem" would not cause me to call into work, the car runs and drives fine, just deal with it after your off work, sounds like you wanted a reason to avoid going in..

 

[Instan00dles]

check out a sonic forum and look for a GM customer care representative, they may be able to help you. I know there is one on the forums over at www.cruzetalk.com and she usually helps people out with things like this. Im sure GM doesnt need anymore safety problems hanging over their head.

 

[Number1]

Have you ever heard of the parking brakes?



I can't believe you have called in to work to tell them your car is unusable, did you have it towed to the dealer?

 

[Insomniator]

You know crap about cars, like imports never have problems and recalls?.

No they do, but this just sounds like something an American car would have happen to it.

 

[boomerang]

I've come down on the OP in this thread, but I think some of you need to remember that he has problems getting the key out.

 

[boomerang]

check out a sonic forum and look for a GM customer care representative, they may be able to help you. I know there is one on the forums over at www.cruzetalk.com and she usually helps people out with things like this. Im sure GM doesnt need anymore safety problems hanging over their head.

This is great advice. GM has a rep or reps at every forum I've been at. They seem to really want to help.

 

[Instan00dles]

This is great advice. GM has a rep or reps at every forum I've been at. They seem to really want to help.

Yeah, it always seems that the dealers are the ones giving people a hard time with stuff not GM. Get in touch corporate and they seem to push the dealers into making things right.

 

[Gunbuster]

Did the mechanic have you look at it with your garbage and stinky shoes still in there?

POS cheap plastic car breaks down after warranty expires? Shocking!

 

[smackababy]

No they do, but this just sounds like something an American car would have happen to it.

That is only because a dumb American is driving it. =(

 

[twinrider1]

...
Not only has my reputation at work been hurt by this, i have lost money because my boss has offered the work to a more reliable party.

The pizza has to get there. You're boss can't take chances.

 

[NutBucket]

If you would have followed AT's standard advice and bought the MT this problem wouldn't be possible!

 

[Rinaun]

The pizza has to get there. You're boss can't take chances.

Well if pizza dudes made as much as he did (30+ an hour, not counting overtime/hazard) then yeah, sign me the fuck up for delivery boy.

Have you ever heard of the parking brakes?



I can't believe you have called in to work to tell them your car is unusable, did you have it towed to the dealer?

No, because Chevy management contacted him directly over the issue. I'm not sure the result of the phone call but somehow it's being handled. No need to be angry because I was actually out front right after he made that video (I'm his bro) and I couldn't myself get the key out of his ignition until he showed me how to unlatch the lever. I wouldn't think that I had to hit a tiny button on the shift lever to get my key to be unlatched, and I could EASILY see someone thinking they broke shit and calling AAA. Frankly though I'm not concerned about that issue as much as the fact that a child could hit the stick with maybe half a pound of force and cause the car to roll down a hill; this concerns me immensely and I'm betting this is why Chevy ended up calling him.


In other news, the amount of anger directed to the OP is so tasty; probably the reason why I don't post on AT in general because of how much vitriol is spewed.

P.S.

If you would have followed AT's standard advice and bought the MT this problem wouldn't be possible!

so true, but he commutes daily so that would have probably gotten old fast.

 

[BUTCH1]

This is great advice. GM has a rep or reps at every forum I've been at. They seem to really want to help.

They could start by actually working on all the recalls that have been announced, my vehicle is involved in three and I've yet to hear a SINGLE thing from GM, the first one (electric power steering), was at least 3-4 months ago, when I called my dealer I get "no, we haven't done anything yet, we have no parts to fix these cars"....nice...

 

[boomerang]

They could start by actually working on all the recalls that have been announced, my vehicle is involved in three and I've yet to hear a SINGLE thing from GM, the first one (electric power steering), was at least 3-4 months ago, when I called my dealer I get "no, we haven't done anything yet, we have no parts to fix these cars"....nice...

I fully understand your frustration but if the parts that correct the problem are not available yet, realistically, what do you expect them to do?

Unfortunately, I think very few people actually understand what it takes to manufacture a part for a car or any other contraption. There is tooling involved and making the tooling can take months or even a year or more to design, build, tryout, modify and tweak to get it to a point where it can make parts that are consistent from day to day. In the case of high volume parts, multiple sets of tooling may be needed and each set must be able to produce a part that is indistinguishable from each other.

I was a Die Maker. When I started in the trade we were building dies for cars that were not going to hit the road for three to four years out. It took that long to make them and try them out to get good body panels. When I retired that timeline had shortened to about eighteen months. The actual construction of the tooling took two to four months including machining and the tryout of the dies took four to eight months - if everything went right, which occasionally it did. If the design was shit it was a mad scramble to redesign, rebuild, re-machine and get through tryout to meet the deadline. New models of vehicles sometimes had to be delayed.

Now, the majority of that work is in either China or Korea. The process is the same but other countries have the work. The Chinese or the Koreans may be working hard to make what's needed to get your car fixed.