NHTSA Complaint #10654106 — 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA

AT 55 MPH, A WARNING MESSAGE STATING SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL-ENGINE POWER REDUCED APPEARED. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL OR ON LEVEL GROUND, I HAD SUFFICIENT POWER TO CONTINUE DRIVING. WHEN HEADED UPHILL IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR TO SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR. WHEN IT FINALLY DID SHIFT, IT SHIFTED HARD AND REALLY JERKED THE CAR. A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, I ROUNDED A CORNER AND BEGAN TO PICK UP SOME MOMENTUM. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE STOPPED AND ANOTHER WARNING LIGHT STATING STARTING DISABLED-SERVICE THROTTLE APPEARED. I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO MOVE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TO START THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES. THE ENGINE DID NOT CRANK AND THE MESSAGE CONTINUED TO FLASH. I COMPLETELY TURNED THE KEY OFF AND SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES. I WAS ABOUT TO CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK WHEN I TRIED AGAIN. THE ENGINE STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE HOME WITH NO ISSUES. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE FIRST MESSAGE I MENTIONED APPEARED (SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL-ENGINE POWER REDUCED). I WAS STILL AT WORK, SO I FOUND A PARKING SPACE AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF IMMEDIATELY. A FEW MINUTES LATER, I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND DROVE AWAY. I GUESS I'M JUST LUCKY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE TURNPIKE OR INTERSTATE. GM HAS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. I GUESS THEY DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO NEAR-MISSES. *TR