2009 Chevrolet Aveo: won't start

Filed Aug 19, 2016 · Electrical, Engine · 29,300 miles · LA

Less than 30,000 miles. Persistent problem (since 2012): engine shuts off by itself. No warning lights on dashboard before each occurrence. Car has been taken to the dealer multiple times. On 08/17/2016 around 11:45 a.m. Car shut off by itself while driving on the middle of a multi-lane (6+) highway. I was able to roll down the automatic window (it worked ) on the driver side, I pressed the warning light (it worked). After multiple attempts car started, and I drove away. The car worked well for a while, took side roads(35mph speed limit). Car shut off by itself a second time. I was able to restarted and made it to a safe location. I have reported this last situation to chevrolet and they told me to go to a different dealer, and only after pressuring they provided a 100.00 dollar coupon to get the car checked. Chevrolet claims they had no information on my car's record of shutting down by itself, that they dealer only reports the repairs. However, one of the dealer invoices from 2012 reads: "vehicle stalled", " another invoice reads "car died once", etc. And on the notes it includes "unable to replicate clients concerns". Just because the dealer cannot replicate the failure, it does not mean the car is safe to drive. The car is not safe. The car shut down on us and we were left in the middle of a multi-lane highway with cars going 65+MPH. The sudden complete shut off of the car in the middle of any road is a great danger not only to the occupants of the car but to other drivers as well. Other problems: clock/time gets restarted each time I start the car (and it is never right). In multiple occasions, during the morning, the car would not start (but radio and windows work), the car would take several minutes to get started.

Filed Oct 13, 2014 · Electrical · 60,000 miles · PA

I have been having quite a bit of trouble with my aveo in the last year. The battery will be dead after sitting in the garage for 12 hours with no explanation. The first time it happened in january, we blamed it on the very cold winter we were having and a new battery was purchased. I did not have any issues for a few months but then as of the spring until now, the battery has been dead a dozen more times. I took it into a garage which checked everything to make sure that the car was not draining the battery somehow, but they came up with no solutions but to give me another new battery. But since then, it has still occurred numerous times. For years, my clock has been wrong. I will set it to the correct time, but once the car is shut off and started again, it will be a completely different time each time. I have tried to have someone look at it but no one can seem to explain that either. So I am LED to believe that there is some sort of faulty electrical situation that is causing all this stress. The wrong time, I can deal with. My car not starting for no reason is a much greater dilemma. I am 7 months pregnant and have been reading a lot of other people's reviews online stating that things like this and much worse things have been happening to them with their 2009 chevy aveos. I would hope that with this many incidences, there would be a recall or some sort of explanation by now, at least. I am very concerned to own this car with a newborn on the way. He is due in january and if I go to leave a location with him in the dead of winter and my car won't start or worse, I will be one very upset mother. Please consider the fact that there may be some very serious issues with this electrical system. Thank you for your time.

Filed Jul 2, 2014 · Electrical · 127,000 miles · OR

Had driven my car earlier that day with no problems. Mid-afternoon I got in my car to go run errands and it wouldn't start. When I would turn the key nothing would happen, no lights came on, no attempt for engine to turn over. Nothing. Quick check confirmed battery was charged, fuses good, and power getting to fuses. Had it towed to dealer. Inspection by gm technician found the instrument module had overheated and been damaged, which disabled the ignition and wouldn't allow car to start. Issue sounds similar to the recent recalls on the 2004-2008 aveo's, where "the problem concerns the daytime running light module in the instrument panel. It could overheat, melt and cause a fire." gm technician noted that he could tell the instrument module was melted cause he could smell the burning when he open up the dash.

Filed Jul 1, 2013 · Electrical · 62,000 miles · AR

Car would not start, needle gauges flickering, inside lights on, dash lights on, but would not start or allow vehicle to move out of park. Car acted like it was locked up. Tried jumping vehicle twice but absolutely nothing. All the complaints I have read have been exactly what has happened with my car from the gas surges where I have pulled out into traffic and the car would have no power and I thought I was going to be hit, to the cruise control not working and then spontaneous coming on. We have had the car in for work at least three times for incidentals. I am fixing to trade this in from all the negative responses I have read. I am really worried about the electrical starting a fire, the car seems to have a mind of its own! Never have seen needles moving on gauges when car is completely disengaged with no keys even in ignition.

Filed Mar 9, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 80,000 miles · GA

I have only had this car for 6/7 months before I started having problems. First the passenger door stopped opening and then the interior lights went out within the first 3 months. I was on my way to work one day and the car started decellerating until it just stopped. At first this was an off an on issue but now it wont start at all. I replaced the ignition coil and spark plugs, just to find that there was a recall I wasnt aware of, but the car still wont move and the battery is dead now.

Filed Apr 23, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · NE

Went to an appointment, came back and car would not start. Had to have it jumped. A few months later went to a store, came back out car would not start had it jumped again. Had the battery checked and it showed a drain on the battery but couldn't find the cause. After having it jumped the next time the check engine light came on for a brief time then went out. Next the check engine light came on and the car immediately stopped running. Had it jumped again, it would turn over but die again. Finally had to have it towed. Took it to one shop and they couldn't find the problem. Now it is being check at another shop. Since this is the only transportation I have, I have had to cancel appointments and rely on others for over a week. This car has been nothing but a problem since I bought it and I feel that I was sold a lemon. Updated 05/02/12 *bf the consumer was informed the computer needed to be reprogrammed. The consumer was told it was a known problem with the chevrolet aveo. Updated 05/04/12

Filed Apr 4, 2012 · Electrical · 48,248 miles · OH

Car would not start. Put charger on it and even tried jump starting it. Car would not even engage the starter. Engine lights would not come on and needles on the gauges would flicker up and down. Had to have dealer come and get it. They told me they had to put a charger on it for an hour before it would finally start,but did not know why cause the battery is good. Said hope it was a fluke or a module did not wake up? And to bring back if does it again. Charged a $129.00 for labor and tow even though have a 6 year bumper to bumper warranty. I have a feeling this will not be the last issue.

Filed Jan 3, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · 32,600 miles · KY

I have a 2009 aveo5 purchased new in march 2009. In april 2011 at approx 32600 the vehicle stalled while I was driving, cel came on, and it would not start again for about 20 minutes. Onstar diagnostics reported "internal control module failure" p16f3. I had already requested a tow truck, and when it arrived, I tried starting it again. It started and was able to move it to get it on the tow truck. Cel was still on. Took it to mike wilson chevrolet. They kept it 1 week, said there was no cel, no fault code, nothing wrong with it. Last night, january 2, 2012 at approx 48000 miles I experienced the same problem with the same fault code. Onstar, advance auto parts, and my own personal obd2 scanner all reported the same code: p16f3. I searched online and found tsb 09-06-04-005 (february 2009) describing the exact problem and resolution: ECM recalibration. This morning, cel is off, and I went to rod hatfield chevrolet which was the dealer closest to me, and they said that despite having that exact problem while under warranty and having it repeated now, that they would not fix it under warranty. I feel it should have been discovered the first time in april 2011, since it was a known problem and the bulletin was published before I even bought the car. Because it was not fixed the first time, I feel it should be covered under warranty. I was in danger both times when my car stalled in the roadway. This could have been fixed the first time and I would not have been in danger last night. I am in process of filing a complaint with gm.

Filed Oct 5, 2011 · Acceleration, Engine · 22,000 miles · NJ

I bought my 2009 chevy aveo a year and a half ago. When my car was at 6,000 miles, I drove my car to school and parked it in a parking garage. When I returned to my car at the end of the day it would not start. My car was towed to a dealership and a faulty fuel pump was replaced. When my car reached 16,000 miles I began experiencing shaking at stop lights and stop signs, and very slow delayed acceleration when starting to drive after stopping. The shaking and delayed acceleration would occur randomly yet was very likely when my air conditioning was on. I brought my car to the dealership yet they said the problem could not be replicated. My car is currently around 22,000 miles. Over the last week my car has begun decelerating and then suddenly lunging forward while I am driving. The deceleration and lunging forward is happening when I am driving on local roads at about 30mph and when I am on a highway driving around 70mph (and everything in between). Today, pulling out of a parking lot, my car was very delayed in acceleration. When I stopped at a stop light, my car began shaking and then shut off. This problem is sporadic, yet increasingly worrisome and dangerous. Dealerships have not identified a problem and insist there is nothing they can do.