NHTSA Complaint #11281897 — 2014 CHEVROLET SPARK

I DROVE FROM SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA, TO SAN FRANCISCO, CA (8 MILES). THE CAR WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. AS I APPROACHED THE 6TH ST. EXIT, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO MY CAR. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE; THE BRAKES FELT 'LOCKED' UNDER MY FOOT, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT DEPRESS TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR WAS MOVING RAPIDLY FORWARD AT FREEWAY SPEED, AND I HAD NO WAY TO SLOW IT DOWN. I THEN SAW THE DISPLAY HAD A WARNING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'SERVICE BRAKES SOON.' I WAS TRAVELLING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES PER HOUR AND VERY AFRAID OF A COLLISION DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY MEANS TO STOP. THE 6TH ST. EXIT HAD A HIGH RAMP, AND THERE WAS STILL NO RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR SLOWED ENOUGH GOING UP THE RAMP TO AVOID A COLLISION, AND I COASTED TO THE FIRST INTERSECTION WHERE I PULLED OVER TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL, AND I TURNED OFF THE CAR. AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE, I TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS WORKING AGAIN. THERE WAS NO WARNING ON THE DISPLAY. I SAFELY PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND CONTINUED FOR ABOUT HALF A MILE BEFORE PARKING TO MEET MY HUSBAND. APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR LATER, I STARTED UP THE CAR AGAIN, AND IT APPEARED TO WORK; THERE WAS STILL NO WARNING SIGNAL AT ALL ABOUT SERVICING BRAKES. I BEGAN TO MAKE MY WAY BACK DOWN THE STREET WHEN, TWO BLOCKS INTO THE DRIVE, THE WARNING SIGNAL CAME ON AND I WAS UNABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE SLOWLY MOVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER INTO A PARKING SPACE AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED MY HUSBAND, WHO CAME IN HIS CAR TO HELP ME. WE CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND MY HUSBAND SAW TO IT THAT THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO SERRAMONTE CHEVROLET IN DALY CITY WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED (COST: $3727.91, MILES: 34,136). THE CHEVY SPARK EV DOES NOT HAVE A HANDBRAKE TO MANUALLY STOP THE CAR, PUTTING THE DRIVER AT EXTREME DISADVANTAGE.