My Truck Tried to run me over

XPBri · March 2, 2006

My 2003 Silverado turned into "Christine" from the Stephen King novel today. Here in New Jersey we had a little snow storm today. I was driving the truck in the "Auto 4WD" mode. Here's what happened:

1. I parked the truck on a moderately steep driveway facing the nose down hill

(The truck was in park, and running; also when I pulled into the driveway the truck was in 4WD)

2. I get out of the truck and go into a house for about 3-4 minutes.

3. I come out the front door of the house to see my truck starting to roll down the driveway

4. I run like all hell to the truck.

5. I got into the truck slammed on the brakes, stopping the truck.

6. Curse, a lot- curse some more.

Ok I contacted GM as well as the NHTSA, to report what happened.

The only thing that could have caused the truck to roll was the transfer case switching to neutral. I think that the truck was in 4WD when I pulled into the driveway, after the truck idled in park for a couple minutes, the "auto" mode for 4WD went to switch to 2WD, in the process it switched the transfer case to neutral.

Sorry for the novel I just wrote, just wanted to share my experience, and see if others had heard of, or experienced it.

Thanks,

Bri

poolguy78 · March 2, 2006

wow thats some scary sh%t man thank god there was no kids out playing behind it or a car coming down the road...

i hope this is not a common thing for that type of truck....not safe at all..

mmmikkke · March 3, 2006

If there was snow on the driveway, it's possible that the wheels on the far side were slipping.

Ever have your truck up in the air with the gear selector in park, and put your hand on one rear wheel and spin it? What happens? It spins, and the one on the other side spins the other way. That's why they call it a differential.

I'll venture that the assessment of switching of auto-4wd mode could be accurate, but the following would apply in that case, or also in the case where the transfer case remained in 4wd mode.

If both tires on the passenger side of the truck were on ice or snow, the driver could approach the truck from the drivers side and see the two tires on his side rolling, with traction. But if he doesn't know if the tires on the other side weren't turning in the other way (as could easily be the case if they were on ice), there's no way to prove that truck malfunctioned. Both driveshafts could have remained locked by the transmission, and yet the truck could still roll downhill, if 2 (or 1, if in 2wd) of the tires could slip on ice.

In my opinion, the statement, "The only thing that could have caused the truck to roll..." is not accurate. I have just given you another thing that could have caused the truck to roll.

I'm not saying for sure that this is what happened, but you sure asked for it by parking on a steep downhill and not setting a brake.

blue2kzr2 · March 3, 2006

Not to mention that this is a REALLY good reason vehicles have a "Parking brake", more commonly referred to as an "Emergency brake". I tend to set mine when cetting out of the vehicle.

XPBri · March 3, 2006

Hey, guys the parking brake was set, but being the most pathetic engineered parking brake in history, it didn't "stop" the truck from rolling, it merely slowed it. Also mmmikkke, the truck wouldn't have had any variance in traction from one side to another, the conditions were equal on both sides of the truck. One other thing about jumping the gun about my truck being "up in the air with one tire spinning the opposite direction", I do not have an open rear, so that theory doesn't work in my case.

Thanks,

Bri

mmmikkke · March 3, 2006

Since you *didn't* mention that it was on dry pavement, I have to assume it wasn't--that it could even have been on snow or ice. And your rear axle is not locked until something causes it to lock. Moving at 1mph would not lock it.

But also note that I'm not making a personal assault on your integrity. I'm just pointing out for the other readers that there *can* be another explanation...

pm26 · March 3, 2006

This is just great. One more story like that and I am getting rid of my truck. I do not need to kill a kid or cause massive damage to someone's property because GM cannot get their act together. They sure know how to get the sticker prices into the stratosphere, though.

During ten years of ownership of Nissan V6 4X4 pickup with a manual floor mounted transfer case shift lever, and 5 speed manual transmission, I have never, ever encountered any instance where I would have difficulty shifting into 4 WD or getting out of it, or truck jumping out of gear or transfer case going into neutral on its own.

redvett · March 3, 2006

That is a perfect reason not to leave a vehicle running unattended. I believe almost every state has a law against that.

Moral of the story is shut it off if your not in it.

XPBri · March 3, 2006

Since you *didn't* mention that it was on dry pavement, I have to assume it wasn't--that it could even have been on snow or ice. And your rear axle is not locked until something causes it to lock. Moving at 1mph would not lock it.

But also note that I'm not making a personal assault on your integrity. I'm just pointing out for the other readers that there *can* be another explanation...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mike, I should have mentioned that, and sorry for responding the way I did, when I read

the original reply I thought it was an "attack"

That is a perfect reason not to leave a vehicle running unattended. I believe almost every state has a law against that.
Moral of the story is shut it off if your not in it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not here in Jersey, and definately not for my occupation. Next time you get pulled over by a cop- tell him to shut his car off.

RyanZ71 · March 3, 2006

Parking brake hell! they don't work after 30,000 miles!!!

pm26 · March 3, 2006

That is a perfect reason not to leave a vehicle running unattended. I believe almost every state has a law against that.
Moral of the story is shut it off if your not in it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There was a story on the news several months ago about a guy who parked his truck with the engine running in front of this auto parts store and went inside. His large dog was left inside the truck and somehow he managed to jump on the transmission shift lever and move the shift lever into drive. The truck crashed through the auto parts store front display window, and fortunately nobody inside was hurt. They did not give the dog a citation.

99silveradoz71 · March 3, 2006

That is a perfect reason not to leave a vehicle running unattended. I believe almost every state has a law against that.
Moral of the story is shut it off if your not in it.

It's stories like this, but more so the 5-10 cars we get lifted every year that make it easy for me to write unattended motor vehicle cites. Also, if I'm out of my cruiser with it running, it's within sight. I don't need to be typing on how it disappeared or whatnot.

Anyway, glad no one or nothing was hurt/damaged.

XPBri · March 3, 2006

Here's one other reason this concerns me, a time when most people leave their vehicle running. Anyone a boat owner?

This summer when I trailer my boat down the shore, I back down the slick launch ramp in 4WD, put the truck in park and get out- I will shut the truck off. I know that most people do not, for fear that the exhaust will be partially underwater. If that same malfunction that occured in my truck, happens to them; have fun swimming.

Bri

pm26 · March 3, 2006

Here's one other reason this concerns me, a time when most people leave their vehicle running. Anyone a boat owner?
This summer when I trailer my boat down the shore, I back down the slick launch ramp in 4WD, put the truck in park and get out- I will shut the truck off. I know that most people do not, for fear that the exhaust will be partially underwater. If that same malfunction that occured in my truck, happens to them; have fun swimming.

Bri

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am a boat owner and I do trailer my boat, but only very short distance as I live on the east Florida coast. I have never had need to back the truck far enough down the ramp to submerge the exhaust, not even to get the rear wheels in the water. I usually shut off the engine after I back down the ramp. I first firmly set the parking brake and then place the transmission in park. This is the safest way to prevent any inadvertent vehicle movement.

Trouttrooper · March 3, 2006

One time I put my patrol truck in park on my sloped driveway, opened the door to get out and as I took my foot off the brake I hear a loud racheting sound as my truck started rolling. I hit the brake, put it in drive then back into park and everything worked fine. Only did it once, that was last summer.

My guess was the parking prawl didn't engage right for whatever reason. Might have been something similar for you.