Violent Sudden Stop in 1st

dab553 · 08-31-2009, 05:33 AM

Hey everyone,

I had a really weird issue driving my car to work today. It was about 6:30 AM I had been driving for maybe 10 minutes, long enough for the car to warm up all the way. I'm stopped at a light and when it turns green I release the clutch and give it gas as normal. I reach probably about 3-4mph when BAM - the car violently jerks to a stop. I feel the shock throughout the car and I hear a loud thunk at the moment it happens. If I didn't know any better I'd think I had just run into a pole or something - that is how violent and powerful this was. I instinctively clutch in and glance down at my tach, RPM are not excessively low although I don't have the presence of mind to note exactly where they are at, however the car didn't stall or even sound like it was about to. With the clutch in I pull the shifter out of and back into gear and try again. This time I take off normaly as if nothing had happened. As I'm driving away I'm racking my brain for what could have just happened. I think to myself well maybe I had it in third and the car was bucking, but that just doesn't seem to fit. I've been driving standards for years and have felt plenty of low rpm bog and bucking and this just didn't feel that way. Usually you can feel right as you are letting the clutch out that you are in the wrong gear and I've never had a buck this violent and sudden. I decide to test my theory by pulling into a parking lot and starting out in third to see if it feels the same. Sure enough starting in third I can immediately tell I'm in the wrong gear as I release the clutch and although I do stall it out and it feels similar the jerk to a stop is not nearly as violent as before and the engine does die. So I am at a loss for what happened. It almost felt like my rear wheels locked up at that stop light - maybe I have differential problems? Or perhaps there is something wrong with the transmission that could cause this? Has anyone heard of anything like this? Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.

fltsfshr · 08-31-2009, 05:40 AM

It sounds like a differential problem. When your pinion gear goes, that's what happens, yours may have a piece of tooth that's no longer jammed and has dropped into your gear lube.

I'd start there.

fltsfshr

gomarlins3 · 08-31-2009, 06:40 AM

Sounds to me like it slipped out of gear. If it has run properly since, I wouldn't think it is something that is still wrong/broken.

Frontier1 · 08-31-2009, 08:04 AM

I agree with gomarlins. I had a Chrysler Crossfire and that car is known for slipping out of gear. It only happened once or twice but the first time it did I thought I ran over one of my kid's bikes in the driveway. It gave a loud thump and shudder like I'd hit something pretty hard but I was hardly moving at all. Disconcerting but not a major issue.

dab553 · 08-31-2009, 12:57 PM

Thanks for the responses guys, that makes me feel a lot better. I'm going to replace my rear dif fluid and inspect it for metal shaving just in case, but it sounds like popping out of gear pretty well describes what I experienced.

s2000isu · 08-31-2009, 01:59 PM

have you checked to make sure you havent run over any dwarfs?

Java Junky · 08-31-2009, 02:07 PM

I realize it might not be possible dab, but doo'yuh remember if there wuzz'a "chirp" from the rear tirez?
If there wuzz, it would seem like somethin' mechanical brought you to'n abrupt stop. (Ungood.)
If there wuzzn't, then it might jus' be that the car not acceleratin' like you expected, might'a fooled yuh inta thinkin'att it stopped, when, in fact, it only jus' didn't accelerate as you'd been 'spectin'itt'ta'doo. (Not good, but acceptable.) (Jus' like Go'z slippin' oud'a gear suggestion . . . um-m-m-m . . suggests.)
Whatever'da case, I hope that's the last yuh hear'uv'itt.

(Don't go pissin' off'da dwarf contingent ag'in isu. That got messy last time.)

dab553 · 08-31-2009, 02:55 PM

Hey Java,

No I didn't hear a tire chirp, and I pushed in the clutch and brake immediately after feeling the jerk so it's possible I wasn't completely stopped. I am hoping that the general consensus around here is correct and I simply popped out of gear / didn't have it all the way in gear. I really do not want to have to get a new dif or tranny, my S is an 05 with only 25k for pete's sake!

08-31-2009, 05:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
dab553 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 17	Violent Sudden Stop in 1st Hey everyone, I had a really weird issue driving my car to work today. It was about 6:30 AM I had been driving for maybe 10 minutes, long enough for the car to warm up all the way. I'm stopped at a light and when it turns green I release the clutch and give it gas as normal. I reach probably about 3-4mph when BAM - the car violently jerks to a stop. I feel the shock throughout the car and I hear a loud thunk at the moment it happens. If I didn't know any better I'd think I had just run into a pole or something - that is how violent and powerful this was. I instinctively clutch in and glance down at my tach, RPM are not excessively low although I don't have the presence of mind to note exactly where they are at, however the car didn't stall or even sound like it was about to. With the clutch in I pull the shifter out of and back into gear and try again. This time I take off normaly as if nothing had happened. As I'm driving away I'm racking my brain for what could have just happened. I think to myself well maybe I had it in third and the car was bucking, but that just doesn't seem to fit. I've been driving standards for years and have felt plenty of low rpm bog and bucking and this just didn't feel that way. Usually you can feel right as you are letting the clutch out that you are in the wrong gear and I've never had a buck this violent and sudden. I decide to test my theory by pulling into a parking lot and starting out in third to see if it feels the same. Sure enough starting in third I can immediately tell I'm in the wrong gear as I release the clutch and although I do stall it out and it feels similar the jerk to a stop is not nearly as violent as before and the engine does die. So I am at a loss for what happened. It almost felt like my rear wheels locked up at that stop light - maybe I have differential problems? Or perhaps there is something wrong with the transmission that could cause this? Has anyone heard of anything like this? Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.

08-31-2009, 06:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
gomarlins3 "Enjoy the drive" Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Kuna Idaho Posts: 4,694	Sounds to me like it slipped out of gear. If it has run properly since, I wouldn't think it is something that is still wrong/broken. __________________ Yablownowitz Racing brought to you by Anytime Fitness. Happiness is a nice road, great weather, and driving the S with Sue in the seat next to me. "Whatever you do, where ever you go, enjoy the drive." I know for a FACT that the last year of production of the S2000 is 2003!!!!! After that, it will be the S2200 under an assumed name.

08-31-2009, 01:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
s2000isu Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: pa Posts: 1,748	have you checked to make sure you havent run over any dwarfs? __________________ S2kx2: "paint it pink! Or better yet buy a Miata" 2001 Vortech SC 12.8 at 111 miles per hour

08-31-2009, 02:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
Java Junky Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Joisey Posts: 6,402	I realize it might not be possible dab, but doo'yuh remember if there wuzz'a "chirp" from the rear tirez? If there wuzz, it would seem like somethin' mechanical brought you to'n abrupt stop. (Ungood.) If there wuzzn't, then it might jus' be that the car not acceleratin' like you expected, might'a fooled yuh inta thinkin'att it stopped, when, in fact, it only jus' didn't accelerate as you'd been 'spectin'itt'ta'doo. (Not good, but acceptable.) (Jus' like Go'z slippin' oud'a gear suggestion . . . um-m-m-m . . suggests.) Whatever'da case, I hope that's the last yuh hear'uv'itt. (Don't go pissin' off'da dwarf contingent ag'in isu. That got messy last time.) __________________ In life-long pursuit of that most mythic of beasts: the ever-elusive perfect corner. Well . . . that, r' at least a whole lodda clear spin-out room.

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08-31-2009, 05:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
fltsfshr Varietas Delectat Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Naples Fl Posts: 244	It sounds like a differential problem. When your pinion gear goes, that's what happens, yours may have a piece of tooth that's no longer jammed and has dropped into your gear lube. I'd start there. fltsfshr

08-31-2009, 08:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
Frontier1 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 14	I agree with gomarlins. I had a Chrysler Crossfire and that car is known for slipping out of gear. It only happened once or twice but the first time it did I thought I ran over one of my kid's bikes in the driveway. It gave a loud thump and shudder like I'd hit something pretty hard but I was hardly moving at all. Disconcerting but not a major issue.

08-31-2009, 12:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
dab553 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 17	Thanks for the responses guys, that makes me feel a lot better. I'm going to replace my rear dif fluid and inspect it for metal shaving just in case, but it sounds like popping out of gear pretty well describes what I experienced.

08-31-2009, 02:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
dab553 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 17	Hey Java, No I didn't hear a tire chirp, and I pushed in the clutch and brake immediately after feeling the jerk so it's possible I wasn't completely stopped. I am hoping that the general consensus around here is correct and I simply popped out of gear / didn't have it all the way in gear. I really do not want to have to get a new dif or tranny, my S is an 05 with only 25k for pete's sake!