NHTSA Complaint #11150872 — 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC

ALMOST A YEAR SINCE ENGINE LAST STALLED WITHOUT WARNING (HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN ABOUT 3 MONTHS). WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP, HEARD 3 CHIMES AND SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP (TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER DOWN, CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE CAR ASAP). ENGINE AT LOW POWER, WAS ABLE TO DRIFT INTO PARKING LOT. RESTARTED CAR AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, ALL LIGHTS EXCEPT CHECK ENGINE WENT OFF. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF AFTER I PUT GAS IN THE CAR THE NEXT DAY. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. LONG STORY SHORT THE DEALER WAS GOING TO WORK WITH ME TO TAKE THE CAR BACK, BUT BANK WOULD NOT RELEASE TITLE (LOAN IS VERY UPSIDE DOWN) UNTIL ANOTHER MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE CAR. BANK WANTED ME TO UTILIZE MY WARRANTY PROGRAM I HAD PURCHASED WITH THE CAR LOAN. MECHANIC FOUND P2138 APP SENSOR CODE. WAS LEANING INTO THE DRIVER SIDE ON THE FLOOR TO LOOK UNDER THE DASH AND HIS ELBOW GOT WET. FOUND DRIVER FOOTWELL COMPLETELY SOAKED: CARPET, LINER, AND CARPET PAD. REST OF THE CAR WAS DRY. DISCOVERED THE SUNROOF HAD BEEN LEAKING DOWN INTO THE CAR AND NOT DRAINING OUT PROPERLY ON DRIVER'S SIDE. COULD NOT CHECK ENTIRE DRAIN SYSTEM WITHOUT REMOVING HEADLINER. FOUND WATER HAD COMPROMISED THE SIDE AIR BAG AND WIRE HARNESS; SEVERAL CONNECTORS CORRODED. SPRAYED WATER ON WIRES AND WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE ENGINE POWER LOSS. CONFIRMED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE ONTO THE WIRE HARNESS. TEMPORARILY FIXED THE ISSUE WITH DIELECTRIC GREASE TO PREVENT CONNECTORS FROM GETTING WET. MECHANIC LEFT THE PANELS OFF SO I CAN MONITOR THE SUNROOF LEAKING. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG BEING WET AND MAY NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY, THE WET CARPET PAD WHICH COULD CAUSE RUST AND MOLD, AND THE CORRODED WIRE TERMINALS. WILL CONTACT DEALER AND BANK TOMORROW. I AM HOPING THEY WILL TAKE THE CAR OFF MY HANDS AS IT WILL BE A FEW YEARS TIL I CAN PAY IT OFF AND I DON'T WANT AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THEN.