Cardiff had led 2 - 0 with goals from Jordon Mutch and Fraizer Campbell and it looked as though the first game since Malky Mackay's sacking was heading for what would have been a massive victory.
David Kerslake, in charge as caretaker manager, had encouraged a more attack minded approach and it was paying off. Cardiff scored early on when Mutch's shot was deflected in the 6th minute to give City the lead and then good work by Mutch in the box ended with a cross on a plate for Fraizer Campbell to double the lead on the hour.
David Marshall was again making heroic saves as Sunderland came back into the game in the second half. Cardiff seemed to have victory in the bag but a couple of defensive substitutions with Kim and Noone going off for Gunnarsson and Cowie gave the visitors the impetus to step up their attacks as Cardiff dropped deeper.
Steven Fletcher puled one goal back in the 83rd minute and when the 4th official annouced 5 mins added time Sunderland had the incentive to chase the equaliser.
Cardiff twice had chances to see the game out. Once when in possession near a Sunderland corner flag, but the ball was given away cheaply allowing Sunderland to break. The clock was just seconds from 95 mins when Kevin Theophile-Catherine broke up a Sunderland move and he just needed to launch it down field to secure the win but his clearance was tame and gifted the ball back to Sunderland who crossed into the box for Colback to shoot and his effort deflected past Marshall to earn a point.
It was devastating for City with fans walking away feeling like the game had been lost. Sunderland fans would have had the happier journey home.
The point takes City to 18 points from 19 games. Halfway through the season.
City are 16th in the table. Four points ahead of Sunderland on the bottom, 2 points ahead of the relegation places but only 3 points from Swansea who are in 11th.
Cardiff now face a daunting January which starts away at Arsenal on Wednesday.