# Car starts by itself



## Huntermac (May 10, 2015)

Hello guys,

So this is my girlfriends car and she has told me about it trying to start randomly by itself which i didn't believe her until this morning when I was told it was trying to start in the yard. Shot a video for proof. key is not in run position but it is in ignition fully. (Door dings when opened)

I walked out while it was doing it cycle. I shot the video for a minute just to show proof. Not sure how many times it would have continued, so i opened the door, cranked the car then cut it off. I pulled the key out the ignition and haven't tried to start since.

video:


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

That's Nice ! But then again if ya really trully do not wish for your IT to self start then I guess you will have to see your dealer with that video for assistance with that issue .


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## Huntermac (May 10, 2015)

Yeah, it will be going to the dealer ship tomorrow. Just figure you all would get a kick out of it....


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Obviously it's a Transformer!


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## cruzinred92 (Dec 4, 2013)

Does it have autostart? Be glad it's not a manual lol


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## Huntermac (May 10, 2015)

No autostart. If it was a manual, that would be hard to explain how it ended up hitting the tree by itself.....


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## newsguy99 (May 24, 2013)

Was this car bought new? Thats crazy.
The headlights are really weak looking in the video. And they keep trying to turn off.


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## Huntermac (May 10, 2015)

No it wasn't brand new. We got it used with 44,000 miles on it. Probably why they traded it in.


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## CruzeTech (Mar 23, 2012)

This is one of the main reasons I don't buy a used car from anywhere except a certified used car lot. Preferably certified used Chevy dealer.


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## vwgtiglx (Jun 13, 2013)

Back in the late '70's, VW had an issue with the Rabbit Diesel doing that. The problem was that water leakage from the left side of the windshield, due to corrosion, allowed it to drip down onto the fuse box right below it. The water would then short out a relay and that would allow the engine to randomly start up on its own. Since all of these cars were stick transmission and many owners left them parked "in gear", and the car would drive itself into whatever was in front of it after it started up. I had an experience one time when I was at work. A guy came in and said, "who owns that VW Rabbit out front, it's sitting in the middle of the road!" I hope its not "deja vue all over again" with the Cruze Diesel that I own now.:grin:


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

I saw a Twilight Zone recently and a car did the same thing, followed the guy around!

 

More at IMDbPro » 
[h=2]Twilight Zone: Season 5, Episode 14[/h][h=1]You Drive (3 Jan. 1964) 
"The Twilight Zone" You Drive _(original title)_[/h]TV Episode | TV-PG | 25 min | Fantasy, Horror, Mystery 
7.5 
Your rating: 12345678910 -/10 X 

Ratings: *7.5*/10 from 476 users  
Reviews: 14 user 


After involved with a hit-and-run killing a child, Mr. Oliver Pope is haunted by his car.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

please get it fixed lol, just doesn't sound right reading the title haha


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Are you sure your girlfriend isn't just messing with you and hitting the remote start on the second keyfob? If not, this is definitely crazy.


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## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

This could be deadly! I park mine in the basement, if the thing started in the middle of the night and we didn't know it we might wake up dead from carbon monoxide poisoning!

Please let us know what you find out.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

I'm guessing defective ignition switch. The car is not just starting, but running and shutting off. If the command was coming in via remote start, I don't think it would be shutting off. And removing the key wouldn't stop it.

I think headlights turning off is normal when cranking. It's to reduce the stress on the battery.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

I really like the 1 about waking up Dead ..


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Ya know this 1 really takes the cake the ice cream the pie .. I thought I was having a snack ..


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## Blancmange (Jan 9, 2013)

Creepy! The lights keep dimming like it's trying to start itself again... while it's already running!

That's got to be some kind of weird grounding issue.

Let us know what you find out!


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Blancmange said:


> The lights keep dimming like it's trying to start itself again... while it's already running!


I notice the headlights go out when it's cranking, but I also notice that the lights go out right when the engine is dying - perhaps either as a result of the same "stop" command or as the BCM tries to shed electrical load to save the engine.

I'd be curious about what they find as well.


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## peligro911 (Apr 8, 2015)

hmm i would disconnect the battery until you see a dealer... wake up with your gas tank empty lol


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## Huntermac (May 10, 2015)

They said that it is the ignition switch. I asked how they determined that and said that's what the computer is saying. Im also having to pay for it..... but it will be Wednesday before it is installed.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hey Huntermac, 

This is the most interesting thing I have witnessed on this forum! Glad to see you are utilizing the dealership, but I can definitely understand how frustrating out of pocket expenses can be. If you need any additional assistance, feel free to let me know. Otherwise, I look forward to hearing about your updates on Wednesday! 

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

OP - how long have you had the car? I ask because there is frequently a small warranty associated with used car sales. Definitely worth looking into.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

The more I think about this has anyone ever heard of a faulty ignition switch causing an issue like this? Seems this would be a huge safety issue as the car could start in a closed garage killing you and your entire family while you sleep.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

spacedout said:


> The more I think about this has anyone ever heard of a faulty ignition switch causing an issue like this? Seems this would be a huge safety issue as the car could start in a closed garage killing you and your entire family while you sleep.


It sounds like it's ONLY happening with the key actually in the ignition...but I'd guess that the start side/wire/whatever of the switch is shorted. The computer keeps getting the "flick to start" command over and over again.

Unless 3 portions of the ignition switch (the little button that tells it the key is in the ignition, the switch position itself, and the anti-theft transponder) short out, I think it's very unlikely that the car would start on its own with no key in the ignition.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> It sounds like it's ONLY happening with the key actually in the ignition...but I'd guess that the start side/wire/whatever of the switch is shorted. The computer keeps getting the "flick to start" command over and over again.
> 
> Unless 3 portions of the ignition switch (the little button that tells it the key is in the ignition, the switch position itself, and the anti-theft transponder) short out, I think it's very unlikely that the car would start on its own with no key in the ignition.


I know of people who leave the keys in the ignition cause they live in a part of town deemed safe enough to do this. I'm actually typing from one of those areas but my keys are still on me and car locked tight. I do park in reverse as I didn't have a working hand brake *Cough* parking assist handle for almost the 1st year of ownership.


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## wasney (Mar 3, 2015)

My car used to like to do that, but i have an aftermarket remote start. They wired it wrong the first time. :/ Told them the problem and they fixed it, no problems yet. But if you do not have an aftermarket remote start, then I feel the dealership should pay it. Since it isn't your fault.


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## wasney (Mar 3, 2015)

Although I will say that is pretty wicked. Better blow it up before it starts attacking people. Lol or maybe it will start talking to you and you can transform it to a 2015 Cruze Diesel. lol


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

It might have an auto start in it. Try hitting lock 3 times from the factory key fob


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

I wonder if the ignition switch was pried on-maybe not completely returning from start position, seems most likely cause unless the switch rotor is broken, there is no current on the switch contacts just logic levels being switched so unlikely to be fried contacts, just thought of another possibility-water exposure and the resulting leakage from mineral deposits after it dries, seen this many times in electronic equipment tale-tale white deposits, now I'm wondering if it was a salvage vehicle !


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## GRIMland (Jun 1, 2014)

Ahh, so it's not ghosts in the machine... that was going to be my guess. Is this part of the GM ignition switch issues that they got so much heat over? Seems very dangerous!


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## Huntermac (May 10, 2015)

obermd said:


> OP - how long have you had the car? I ask because there is frequently a small warranty associated with used car sales. Definitely worth looking into.


She has had it only a few months. She told me about it trying to start about two months ago but it didn't do it but maybe three times over that period of time. She informed me that it never would actually start but now it is actually fully starting up. I haven't called the dealership she got it from yet because chevy hasn't called to inform that it is repaired. They said that all the parts haven't showed up.



hificruzer226 said:


> It might have an auto start in it. Try hitting lock 3 times from the factory key fob


No autostart. Thought it was onstar at first but the dealership has ruled that out. Bob at childre chevy said that the computer stated that the ignition is the issue. I really believe the computer is who to blame but i wouldn't want to price a new one either.....


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## Huntermac (May 10, 2015)

I will post updates ASAP. I am currently out of town till friday so hopefully that is when I can pick it up.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Huntermac said:


> I really believe the computer is who to blame


Not impossible, but it doesn't look right for a computer. Maybe if it was just the part that "reads" the ignition switch.

If it was the computer, I'd expect more functions to be engaged or doing more strange things.


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

I'm betting it's some kind of damage from an attempted theft-switch could have been damaged from forcing past stops-do keep us posted and try to get the old switch back


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Looking at the safercar.gov site posted in another thread and I ran across this service bulletin:

Service Bulletin No.: PI-1329 
Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NHTSA ID Number: 10057006


0 Associated Documents
Manufacturer: General Motors LLC
SUMMARY:
BUICK/CHEVROLET: VEHICLE POWERS UP, WHETHER KEY IN IGNITION OR LEFT IN IGNITION, WITH CRANKING AND/OR CRANKING OF THE ENGINE AND MAKES WARNING CHIME INOPERATIVE. MODEL 2012-15 ENCORE, CRUZE, SONIC, TRAX. *PE


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## 6GMcars (Sep 4, 2018)

my 2014 chevy cruze is doing the same thing. purchased it new, never been wet, never been worked on, it does have the factor remote stard. I always leave my keys in the ignition, last night the radio lights and ignition was clicking over multiple times. so I watched it for a while to see how long this would carry on, as well a clicking over radio and lights on it started and shut down twice in a 15 min span. Major safety issue, what if i parked this in my garage. sure simple soultion dont leave your key in the car, better solution is for GM to repair the defect. I just purchased 2 more new 2018 chevy vehicles this year, it may be the last time for me. - Gary Graichen


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