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Rev-Hang/Lurching/Accelerating Issues 2014 M/T


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Moderators, I apologize if I have posted this in the wrong section. Please move if necessary!

I have to say I'm sorry that my first post here is a complaint about the car. I came here trying to find info about our problem, or to see if anyone else was experiencing the same problems we are having.

The third day after my wife bought her 2014 Spark, when she would engage the clutch, the motor would rev to redline and shut itself off. It also would "rev-hang" between shifts, and would randomly accelerate while driving. She took it to the dealer. They replaced the knock-sensor. Since then, it does not rev to redline and shut off anymore, but the other problems persist. When driving, she will feel the car lurch, and if she puts the clutch in, the rpms will go up to 4000 and will hold there for 6-7 seconds. It will also occasionally hold the rpms between shifts. Also when cruising at a constant speed, it will accelerate, even when she takes her foot off the gas. Just yesterday it pushed her through a sharp curve, increasing speed by 10mph after she let her foot off the gas. These problems are random, but persistent. It is a rare day that the car doesn't do one of these things.

We have had it to two dealers, and we are working with a GM representative, but they can not isolate or fix the problem. The first dealer told her she was hitting both the brake pedal and gas pedal at the same time. My wife is 50 and has driven a manual transmission her whole life. But they said "we can't do anything unless you get a CEL". The second dealer is saying now that this type of vehicle must be downshifted and you can't slow down in gear. Besides being a ridiculous answer, it also doesn't explain the random accelerations. Quite worried about the car behaving this way once the winter comes and the roads are snowy. It is not safe, and we are getting no satisfaction from GM.

Has anyone else had any similar difficulties with the Spark? I have read here that there is apparently a quick fuel bump when coasting because of emissions. I wonder if this system is mal-functioning on my wife's Spark? I have been saying that I think it is a Throttle Position sensor issue, but the dealer says no.

We are at our wits end, and frustrated to have these issues on a brand new vehicle.

Edited by grsupra
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I did a test last night and I'm not sure I like the results... In fifth gear the car will go 20 miles per hour on level roads with foot off the gas until it hits something. The engine is not happy doi

I think you need a couple cheap video cameras to record this, and also need to take the service people for a ride. This is dangerous and needs to be fixed or replaced. If you've had the car for less than a week, I'd drop it back in the sales person's lap and tell them you need a different car.

Also take a look at this post and contact Jackie, let's see if she can help:

http://chevysparkforum.com/topic/1573-middle-aged-spark-owner/?p=11375

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The video camera is a good idea! My wife did take the Service Rep (at the second dealership) for a ride, and of course, it wouldn't do it. Like I mentioned, it happens randomly, but it is hard to understand why they can't duplicate the problem because it does do it sooner or later every time she drives the car. We left the car for them and they gave us a rental. They had the car for two days so they could do more driving to see if it would do it, and it didn't. The service rep DID say that when he downshifted, it seemed like the engine did not "hold the car back" like it should, but noticed nothing else. But as my wife was driving home from the dealership, it did it 4 times. Both dealerships have basically said that it is my wifes driving, yet she has been driving a Manual Transmission for over 30 years. The car we traded in was an 09 HHR with Manual Tranny. The dealer says, "oh, you're not used to the smaller pedals" and yet her car for 7 years before that was a Hyundai Accent. Before that 2 different Cavaliers with standards. Now she is upset because she thinks everyone thinks she's crazy. She even was driving with her shoes off to show that her foot wasn't hitting the accelerator. In fact, another girl at work bought a 2013 Spark M/T the week before we bought ours (which is what prompted my wife to look at the Spark since she likes small cars and never really liked the HHR). My wife drove her car and never noticed the same issue. We have had the car for 6 weeks now and had problems since day 3. Had it in the one dealership 3 times, and the other dealership twice. Needless to say, no joy of new car ownership here. Just regret and frustration. She has contacted GM Customer service and has a complaint number and has spoken to her several times.

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Yes. I have not had it accelerate on me, but I have had it hold the rpm's between shifts. I'm still thinking Throttle Position Sensor. We asked them to change it (apparently there are 4?) but they won't without a CEL because if they change it and it tests ok, the dealership has to eat the cost.

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I believe this car is DBW? When I mentioned that to the one service manager, that maybe it was a Drive By Wire issue, he said, real condescendingly "Sir, there is no throttle wire on this car, the cars computer controls it" which apparently he wasn't familiar with what Drive By Wire meant.

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Make sure you have all the documents every time the car was brought in for the issue. You're probably going to be persistent on this issue, and need as much ammunition as possible to pursue a lemon buyback. Keep calling customer service, and keep checking on the case. Sounds like the dealers are giving you a hard time. I suggest not replacing it with another GM product if you can get them to buy it back. If this problem causes a accident, you can sue the dealer and/or GM.

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They should have a logging diagnostic computer that they can put in the car to see the data when it happens, if not then you need to go to a bigger dealer that has the proper tools. They need to look at the throttle peddle and the intake airflow and the throttle butterfly positions and idle air control. It could be something as simple as broken vacuum line letting more air in and the fuel computer adds fuel to compensate.

All that said, if you shift really fast the rpms will hang at near your last speed because suddenly closing the throttle plates give a large increase in emissions. And the programming does some funny things like if you push in the clutch and foot off the gas, you will see the rpms above idle until the car gets down to a few miles an hour, I think they do this last part expecting a down shift and this will cushion the shift.

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I forgot to mention the "Black Box" diagnostic they did. It was in the car for a week, and she was supposed to hit the button every time it did something. She did that. Many, many times. Interesting though that they said it showed nothing. I read up on the emissions thing, and thought this might be what is malfunctioning because it usually holds the idle between 3000 and 4000 rpm. It does it most often when coasting though, and then will lurch forward. My wife is a not a fast-shifting driver, though. I often raz her by saying she drives like Mr. Magoo.

Well, thanks for everyones responses. I was curious if anyone else was having similar problems.

Where we go from here, I'm not sure.

Damn I wish we hadn't gone to the Chevy dealer that day.

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Just playing devils advocate, but it sounds like they are trying to find a resolution, but by not being able to replicate the problem, is what is standing in your way. Intermittent problems are the worst, better the damned thing just dies. Have you gotten a district manager involved? It sounds like you are going to have to climb the ladder a bit, and get an upper level rep involved. It's a hassle, but it can be done, I've been there. As was mentioned, this is a problem that could cause a serious injury. Check the PA. lemon laws, there has to be a resolution. I understand that you wouldn't want a buy back, neither would I, for other reasons, simply because I really like the Spark. You would have a choice, and you could just opt for a new Spark. Don't give up, be persistent, make noise, threaten, not the dealerships, but GM reps. it will all work out. Keep the group informed. Good Luck!

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I have re-created it, just not the acceleration, but I do not drive her car. I only drove it to see for myself. I have been with her when it happens. Trust me she knows how to drive a standard after 33 years of it, and has had small little cars with small little pedals. She is so frustrated hearing this said. She has been driving barefoot to verify her foot only hits one pedal!

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I'm not going to be any help, but I had to jump in. I've only had that problem one time, in my 13 LT1 MT. I started the car, and the RPM's took off to around 3-4k, and stayed there, for what seemed like forever. I'd say under 10 seconds. Then returned to normal, like nothing ever happened. My wife asked me what I was doing, I showed her I had both feet flat on the floor!

It definitely doesn't sound like your situation is safe to drive! And for a brand new vehicle, that's completely unacceptable.

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When it is really cold, sometimes my car will rev real high as soon as I start it, but when I took the parking brake off it immediately dropped. Could have been coincidence or could have been the car thinking it was about to drive and shouldn't be revving that high. Same thing happens on auto-choke carb. cars so I didn't think much of it other than "odd".

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Hey NW PA here too! hope you get your problem sorted where did you purchase your Spark?

Community Chevrolet.

Update.....when approaching a curve on the way home from work Weds, when my wife took her foot off the accelerator to slow for the curve, it sped up 10mph and pushed her into the turn (with her foot OFF the gas). We let the service dept know and he is at a loss. The GM rep wants to meet with us to see what more they can do. If it was snowy out (which we live in the snowbelt) she probably would have ended up in the ditch.

*edit* The Chevy dealer where we bought the car is right next to where my wife and I work. This is the FIRST service dept we dealt with; the ones who said "you're foot is too big" and "don't bring it back until you get a CEL". We have been dealing with a different dealership since then as per the GM rep's instructions.

On my way to work this morning my wife gets a call that the GM rep is at Community Chev and wants to take the car for a drive. So while my wife is working, the rep will take it out. I told my wife to make sure she explained the conditions when it is most likely to do it, and to tell the rep to go for a nice long ride, not some 2 mile little jaunt, if she really wants to see it happen. Got my fingers crossed!

Edited by grsupra
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Nice! To be honest, if it were my car, I would have let it push me right into the guard rail, provided I wasn't going fast enough to kill me, and just total it out. And then let the insurance company open a investigation, as well as contacting an attorney.

We do have gap insurance lol. The GM rep didn't show. Wants to meet her Thurs so they can all climb in the car and watch my wife drive. Friggin' ridiculous.

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I still find it hard to believe they can't log this thing, everything is in the data stream so either your gas pedal sensor is bad, or the throttle is sticking, and the idle air controller is opening or it is busted vacuum line letting air in. This be some of the problem with complete fly by wire system, damn glad we still have some control of steering and brakes!

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Hi people, interesting problem you have with the accelerating spark. let me know what the GM rep says. usually when this type of condition occurs there is a couple of this that might cause it. first, software calibration and configuration which might be incorrect and or wrongly done in the first place, 2nd, the ECM will only command the ETC (electronic throttle control) to open when it receives a valid input from the APP (accelerator pedal position) sensor or when there is a control module driver error condition forcing the throttle to open momentarily with out recognising it as a malfunction or some other sub system that is part of the ECM can cause this. like for instance, the "Drive By Wire" configuration vehicles and the normal cable operated throttle body vehicles controls its alternator voltage output through engine speed, when electrical load is increased in the vehicle the ECM senses this condition by monitoring the voltage drop on the Module Power input voltage, the lower the voltage, the ECM then commands the engine speed to increase to stabilise the system voltage to a good steady voltage. but again this wont cause the vehicle to accelerate to another 10mph. then the power steering pump has a switch on the upper housing, if the power steering pump pressure increases above a calibrated pressure, the switch grounds and the specific circuit on the ECM is pulled down, which causes the ECM to again increase the engine speed to compensate for power steering pump load on the engine. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with Electronic stability control make sure that all tyre sizes and pressures are all the same, some ESP systems have the ability to calculate individual Wheel speed deviation and sometimes try to "speed up" the Wheel speeds to see if the Wheel speeds can become the same speed and can then be as a result of vehicle speed acceleration and or engine speed hanging or incensement. then, the ETC has a motor inside which operate on a reverse polarity design, DC in the one direction = acceleration and when the DC on the motor is reversed the engine speed = decreased, so if the one control circuit has a slight leakage to voltage of some kind in the schematic, it might also cause this condition. but honestly, I think it is a software and or configuration concern more than anything that needs to be done properly.

If the dealers in your country cannot resolve this issue, please reply on this post to me and I will give them my email address and they can contact me and ill help them. I'm a Diagnostician for GM in my country and will gladly help you where I can. Also, if the guy with the AC system concern cannot get his concern rectified at the dealer, give me a shout and Ill see what I can do to help.

good luck and enjoy your Chevrolet Sparks, they are awesome vehicles and exultantly designed. (I also own one). Remember guys, all vehicles give some sort of weird problems, not one vehicle is perfect. You should see the Aston Martin dealer in our city, the amount of small little problems that vehicles have can also be so iterating like hell, A brand new DB9 on the show room with water intrusion in the rear lamp, that's bad. Or a engine oil leak when delivered to a customer. that's scary especially when you paid 2,9 Million for it (in our country).

so appreciate GM and there creations, its some thing to be proud of and to enjoy.

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