Chevrolet Cavalier Complaints

4,662 consumer complaints on file.

#10356309September 19, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IN THE WINTER MY CHEVY CAVALIER'S SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO BE DISFUNCTIONAL, IT WOULD READ SAY 30MPH WHILE I WAS IN PARK. OVER THE SUMMER THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND I HAD TO RESORT TO USING A GPS TO KNOW MY SPEED. THE PROBLEM ISN'T LIMITED TO THE SPEEDO THOUGH, I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355992September 16, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER HAS STOPPED WORKING. FIRST IT WAS THE GAS GAUGE THAT STOPPED ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. I JUST LEARNED TO LIVE IT. THEN RECENTLY MY SPEEDOMETER AND RPM METER STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PRICE ESTIMATES DONE AND NONE HAVE BEEN UNDER $500 AND I JUST PLAIN AND SIMPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE IT DONE WHILE I'M CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED. I HAVE RESEARCHED OTHER CASES OF FAULTY INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON GM MODELS INCLUDING THE CAVALIER. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT SAFE AND I'M ASSUMING IT'S ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER BUT STILL AFTER YEARS OF COMPLAINTS TO GM OF FAULTY INSTRUMENT PANELS THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355171September 13, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. HE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND AFTER WAITING 15-20 MINUTES, HE AS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ONE YEAR. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GASOLINE ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07E021000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY: PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES) BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355046September 12, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL PUMP BROKE AT 70,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354784September 9, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
I PURCHASED A 1996 CHEVY CAVALIER IN 1999 AND FROM THE BEGINNING HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY ON ETC. FROM 1999 TO SEPT 2010 - I TOOK IT TO SEVERAL CHEVY DEALERS WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY AND THE LIGHTS REMAINED ON. I WAS TOLD TO PUT FUEL INJECTION CLEANER IN IT BY ONE CAR DEALER OF COURSE THAT DIDN'T WORK. YEARS LATER AND MANY REPAIRS, ENGINE REBUILT, THERMOSTAT REPLACED, WATER PUMPS, FANS ETC.. FOUR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM - LOSS OF POWER, CAR SHUTTING OFF AND LEAVING ME IN INTERSECTION, FREEWAYS ETC.. CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, I HAVE OVER THESE YEARS BECOME VERY FRUSTRATED THE CODES READ O2 SENSORS, THE CAT CONVERTER PIECES FALL APART EASILY CAUSING VERY COSTLY REPAIRS BECAUSE THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS CLOG THE AIR FLOW CAUSING OVERHEATING AND LOSS OF POWER, IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS DIFFICULT OR COST TO KEEP THIS CAR IN REPAIR ORDER. CAT CONVERTERS, SENSORS, HEAD GASKETS, SEALS, WATER PUMPS, STICKING THERMOSTATS ETC.. CONTINUALLY REPLACED AND STILL THE SAME ON GOING PROBLEM WITH NO HOPE OF EVER FINALLY FIXING THIS DANGEROUS DEFECTIVE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354564September 8, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I PURCHASED A 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER NOVEMBER 2004. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. AS OF DEC. 2009 MY CARS ODOMETER HAS STOPPED WORKING AND THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT ACCURATE. ALSO MY DASHBOARD SIGNALS ABS, TRAC OFF, AND THE SERVICE SIGN COME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THESE SIGNS COME ON WHEN I AM REVERSING THE CAR AND OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT. THESE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT ARE NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON A CAR BUT RATHER A DEFECT. THEREFORE, I HOPE SOMEONE WILL LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE FURTHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353978September 6, 2010
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE PLASTIC BUSHING THAT HOLDS THE SHIFT LEVER TO THE CABLE FELL APART WHILE DRIVING AND YOUR NOT ABLE TO SHIFT THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353926September 5, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WORKS ERRATICALLY(SPEEDOMETER/TACHOMETER). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353897September 4, 2010
STEERING
BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I DRIVE 2005 CHEVY CAVALIERS, HIS CAR AS ROUGHLY 95,000 MILES ON IT HIS PROBLEMS STARTED FIRST. FIRST THE GAUGES HAVE STARTED TO GO. THE SPEED-O-METER AND GAS GAUGE ARE NEVER RIGHT. NEXT HIS STEERING WHEEL COLUMN HAS STARTED TO COME LOOSE. MY CAR HAVING NO MORE THAN 60,000MILES ON IT HAS RECENTLY FOLLOWED TREND FIRST MY GAS GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY AROUND TO BEING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEN MY GAS GAUGE WOULD GET STUCK AND BUMP INTO THE TEMP NEEDLE. THIS WEEK I'VE NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN IS COMING LOOSE TOO, MY DASHBOARD RATTLES AND MAKES A NOISE LIKE SOMETHING IS CLUNKING AROUND IN THERE AND I AM WORRIED THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND NOTICED OTHERS HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THEIR CAVALIERS AS WELL. ALSO, I SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL# 08E063000 DEALING WITH STEERING ISSUES IN THE 2007 MODELS. I HAVE NOT HOWEVER NOTICED A RECALL FOR THE 2005 MODELS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353573September 2, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY DASHBOARD DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. ALL OF THE GAUGES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ODOMETER, DOES NOT WORK. THIS INCLUDES FUEL, SPEEDOMETER, RPM, AND TEMPERATURE GAUGES. IT STARTED WITH MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE. I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING WHEN IT REALLY WASN'T. THEN MY FUEL GAUGE WENT OUT. THEN IT WAS THE SPEEDOMETER AND RPM GAUGE. ALL OF THE GAUGES, EXCEPT FOR THE RPM, MOVE UP AND DOWN, BUT NONE OF THEM ARE ACCURATE. THE SPEEDOMETER CAN GET STUCK AT 0, 60 OR MOVE OFF OF THE GAUGE ENTIRELY. IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT VERY SAFE NOT KNOWING HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING, OR IF YOUR CAR IS OVERHEATING OR NOT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS TO BE REPLACED, BUT I AM NOT 100% CERTAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353119August 31, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE, THE ENGINE CUT OUT AND I HAD TO COAST TO SIDE OF INTERSTATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10352898August 30, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER STARTED GOING WACKY. AT FIRST IT STARTED RACING AS YOU WERE DRIVING. SHOWING 65 OR 70 WHEN YOU WERE GOING MAYBE 40. NOW IT RACED PAST 110 AND DROPPED DOWN BETWEEN 0 AND 110. LOOKING OVER THE DIFFERENT WEBSITES, I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, YET IT IS NOT ON A RECALL LIST. WHY? THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, NOT TO MENTION YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A TICKET BY GUESSING HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. MY CAR ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT, AND I SURE WASN'T EXPECTING ANY MAJOR REPAIRS AND THAT MILEAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10351888August 26, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER JUST STARTED LOSING POWER AND THEN DIED ON HIGHWAY. HAD TO WAIT 1 HR. FOR AAA TO COME TO TOW IN 111 DEGREE HEAT. TURNS OUT TO BE A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350843August 20, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2004 CHEVY CAVALIER. THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN STARTING THE CAR (BEFORE SHIFTING OUT OF PARK) IT WILL READ 40+ MPH. I ONCE STARTED IT AFTER IT HAD BEEN SITTING IN A HOT PARKING LOT FOR 8 HOURS AND THE NEEDLE WAS MAXED OUT (AGAIN, BEFORE IT WAS EVEN SHIFTED OUT OF PARK). I HAVE READ THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY MANY PEOPLE WITH CHEVY CAVALIERS (NOT JUST 2004 MODEL). WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ONLY FIX FOR THIS WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CLUSTER, WHICH WILL COST $500+. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350603August 19, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER. THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK. THE NEEDLE WILL MOVE CLOCKWISE BUT DOES NOT GO BACK DOWN WHEN I SLOW DOWN--THUS, BY THE TIME I PARK MY CAR AT MY DESTINATION, THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE IS BASICALLY POINTING STRAIGHT DOWN. THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE THE LONGER I DRIVE (IN ONE TRIP). I THINK IT ALSO GETS WORSE THE FASTER I GO. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, THE SPEEDOMETER IS ESSENTIALLY USELESS. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE CAR MUCH BECAUSE I RECENTLY BOUGHT IT, SO I AM NOT SURE HOW OFTEN THIS PROBLEM WILL OCCUR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10349798August 16, 2010
EQUIPMENT, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
HORN CONTACT BEHIND AIRBAG WAS RECENTLY CRAZY GLUED, TO RESTORE HORN, AND SPEEDO & CLUSTER REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE CLUSTER BY CHEVY, OR REMOVAL & REBUILD OF GAUGE STEPPER MOTORS THROUGH EBAY MOTORS. USE FROOGLE.COM AND ENTER"REPAIR CAVALIER SPEEDOMETER" TO SEARCH. MY SPEEDO ONLY ON MY CLUSTER ERRATIC FOR 20K MILES. I USE MY TACHOMETER TO GUESTIMATE HIGHWAY SPEEDS,2,500 RPM IS 55. I HAVE 120K NOW ON THE CAR, OTHERWISE BULLETPROOF. JUST TOSSING OUT BRAKE ROTORS NOW, THAT'S IT. I USED SYNTHETIC OIL FROM THE START, VERY SMOOTH CAR, @ NORMAL SPEEDS.NEEDS INTAKE AND WHEELS FOR SPEEDING, OVER 65. ENGINE HAS PLENTY OF GO OVER THAT, BUT BASE BRAKES, WHEELS AND INTAKE AREN'T SPEEDWORTHY, BUT IT IS A BASE MODEL SO OK. KEEP THE TIE RODS GREASED, AIR FILTERS CHANGED AFTER WINTER AS THEY ARE EASILY SERVICEABLE UNLIKE MOST THAT AREN'T. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10348682August 11, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD LAMPS ON HIS VEHICLE LOOKED AS IF THERE WAS A GLAZE ON THEM. THEY WERE SAND BLASTED AND NOW HE CANT EVEN SEE THE LIGHT BULB. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD SELL HIM A KIT TO CLEAN THE HEAD LAMPS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO REPAIR THE HEAD LAMPS. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10348166August 9, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. THE MECHANIC WAS REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE REGARDING HIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK SINCE A CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10348221August 9, 2010
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS COVERED WITH RUST AND THAT THE MODEL WAS NOTORIOUS FOR THAT TYPE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 112,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10348053August 8, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OPERATED CORRECTLY UNTIL 2007. THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO OPERATE INCORRECTLY AT RANDOM TIMES. THE NEEDLE WOULD INDICATE HIGH SPEED WHEN STOPPED OR WHEN MOVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE NEEDLE WOULD CONTINUE TO INDICATE AN INCORRECT SPEED UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN FROM 2007 UNTIL 2009. IN 2009, THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE NO LONGER INDICATED A CORRECT SPEED AT ANY TIME. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE THEN BEGAN TO INDICATE ENGINE TEMPERATURE TO BE ABOVE 300 DEGREES WHILE DRIVING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CONTINUED TO OPERATE INCORRECTLY. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE SPEED OF THE CAR CANNOT BE PROPERLY ESTIMATED. ANY PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR WOULD NOT BE EASY TO IDENTIFY FOR LACK OF KNOWING ENGINE TEMPERATURE. ATTEMPTS TO FIX: THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS BEEN ELECTRICALLY DISCONNECTED AND CHECKED FOR A FAULTY CONNECTION. NO FAULTY WIRING HAS BEEN FOUND. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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