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2014 chevy spark stalling while coming to stop.(Manual trans)


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Had this stalling issue for bout 2 weeks now. The car wouldn't throw a check engine light that is until a about 2 days ago. Had check engine code checked at auto zone and advanced auto.  There scan tool said it was a bad MAF.  I replaced the the MAF and still have the same issue.  And the speedometer also is erratic. If you are driving down the road and let off the gas it will drop down to zero.

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MAS (MAF) will often read defective when it is not..sounds to me like this is a throttle or ECM issue and should be an easy fix for someone who knows and has the right diagnostic tools to connect to the car while the adjustment is being made..dealers have this and some good independent mechanics have this as well..hard to adjust as a DIY on these units since there is electronic controls (ECM) involved.

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In a previous car (not a Spark), I have had stalling issues when idling or right after starting the engine, caused by a dirty throttle body.   A mechanic can clean it out for a little bit of nothing, or you can do it yourself if you are able.  Might be worth checking in to.  Does not really explain the erratic speedometer behavior though.  

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Well the MAS I bought from AutoZone I had returned to get our money back for and put back in the original MAS.  That was done a day before car went in to dealership. Why should I waste money on a new MAS if the car still continues to stall.  So since the factory original MAS was still in car showing the check engine light, I figured it would maybe help them diagnose the problem. The after market MAS (duralast) did clear out check engine light. But still same problem.  The dealership recommended we buy a factory AC Delco MAS.  They sell them on rock auto for $100 and some change. Core charge of $70 so you end up paying like $35 for it. Basically the dealership could not tell us anything on our stalling issue until we put in a new MAS.  Stealership charged us $56 to tell me that.  Least it wasn't the $100 they were gonna originally charge. 

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The service manager did say.... But not in a 100% for sure way.  ( covering his butt legally) That the instrument cluster could be bad and may be causing the stalling issue.   Ooor a bad ECM!   

The process of removing a the cluster is quite easy.  But in order to put a new instrument cluster in, will need to be programmed for our car.  Great!  more money we'll have to spend.  : (

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Instrument cluster is a collection of parts connected to various modules and sensors most going through the ECM and all those components cannot go bad at once. ECM is the part that is most likely the issue and can be reprogrammed..if it was completely defective, well, most everything would not work properly and the engine would just not run properly...so not the cluster and have someone check out the ECM.

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Your problem of car stalling brings back memory from my 1977 Malibu. I bought it brand new, and it stalled often, especially when engine was not warmed up enough. I had to crank starter 3 times every time. I took it back to the dealer and the mechanic who worked on it must have been a true genius. He modified something in the pollution control system which made the fuel mixture slightly richer. He did not tell me what exactly he did, and I did not ask. After that the car never stalled during the 10 following years I owned it. It was one of the best cars I ever owned.

 

Please note that was before a computer program and ECM controlled everything. 

Edited by Bobby MSME
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But if the ECM was bad, I'm kinda thinking the car would not run at all.  I'm assuming the instrument cluster doesn't have sensors in it that will set off the check engine light.  Basically I think what's happen is, what ever the ECM is getting for reference from the instrument cluster is making the MAS think the car is not running.  The stalling only happens when coming up to a stop while the foot is off the accelerator. The spedometer will drop down to zero and then..... car stalls.

Edited by Mtf1980
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My seat of the pants suggestions:

1. check the fuel filter is not clogged (speaking from experience, car was stalling when I slowed down to a stop at traffic light)

2. check fuel pump is working properly (when fuel pump on my 1971 Nova went bad, the engine began stalling , and eventually one evening after work, engine failed to start.) 

3. check voltage delivered to each spark plug

4. try using a higher octane fuel (least likely problem)

5. run a can of Seafoam fluid through gas tank

Best luck!

Edited by Bobby MSME
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 20/06/2017 at 6:21 AM, Mtf1980 said:

The spark is gone.  Yay!  The hyundai dealership can figure out the problem now. Traded in the spark for a new Accent.  Funny thing is they never test drove it before trading it in

Its great, mtf1980. After GM India planned for sales shutdown this, I can't think of trade in. I face stalling (engine shutdown) mainly when I try to do a acceleration while forward or reverse with steering turned full in either left or right. I think its a normal and not a case like your's one.

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2 hours ago, ChevyBeat said:

 I face stalling (engine shutdown) mainly when I try to do a acceleration while forward or reverse with steering turned full in either left or right. I think its a normal and not a case like your's one.

 

You are beginning to worry me ChevyBeat! Why would try to try to accelerate while making a full turn? My wife does the same thing and annoys me to hell. She burned out the constant velocity (CV) joints on my Ford Probe with that habit. Now I never let her drive my car. She has her own car. 

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On 07/09/2017 at 11:20 PM, Bobby MSME said:

 

You are beginning to worry me ChevyBeat! Why would try to try to accelerate while making a full turn? My wife does the same thing and annoys me to hell. She burned out the constant velocity (CV) joints on my Ford Probe with that habit. Now I never let her drive my car. She has her own car. 

My bad, Bobby!! It happens seldom only, while parking my car and something like small stone is next to my wheel so there I try to accelerate to move over it. Normally, I turn steering towards straight but sometimes subconsciously I forgot to do this and it stalls.

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