Chevrolet Cavalier Complaints

4,662 consumer complaints on file.

#749174July 25, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SEATS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THIS IS THE THIRD CAVALIER I HAVE OWNED, AND THE LAST. THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT CAR, GUESS I WAS WRONG. THE RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, THE BRAKES 3 TIMES (THEY WEAR FUNNY), THE SEAT BROKE AND I FELL INTO MY 3 YEAR OLD IN THE BACK SEAT. AND CHEVROLET HAS ONCE AGAIN STOOD BY THEIR WORD, I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR, SO THEY WILL DO NOTHING. WHAT A COMPANY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748928July 22, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS SLOWING DOWN IN A LEFT HAND TURN LANE, ON A SLIGHT UPHILL GRADE, AND AS I APPROACHED A STOPPING POINT, THE CAR LURCHED/JERKED HEAVILY THEN STALLED. I TRIED TO START THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND WAS UNABLE TO BECAUSE I WAS IN DRIVE, I THEN PLACED IT IN PARK, AND THE VEHICLE STARTED EASILY. I THEN PLACED THE CAR INTO DRIVE, RELEASED THE BRAKE, APPLIED THE GAS AND IT STALLED AGAIN. PLACED THE CAR BACK IN PARK, STARTED IT, PLACED IT BACK IN DRIVE, RELEASED THE BRAKE, APPLIED THE GAS, AND THE CAR STALLED. WENT THROUGH THE SAME STEPS AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME, THE CAR MOVED AND DROVE NORMALLY AND DID NOT STALL. AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, THIS LOOKS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE, SOMETHING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION NOT DOWN SHIFTING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF I HAD BEGUN MY LEFT TURN AS IT STALLED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#562114July 17, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED AND REPLACED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, RIGHT AND LEFT REAR DRUM HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS WELL AS THE CYLINDER.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748630July 17, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
3 MINORS INJURED. CAR TOTALED. BRAKES APPLIED, BUT CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND HIT EMBANKMENT.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#748445July 14, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CYLINDER HEAD GASKET BLEW WHILE DRIVING. DEALER SAID THIS WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL, BUT WATER PUMP FAILED BECAUSE OF GASKET, BUT WOULDN'T COVER THE PUMP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#892788July 13, 2001
STEERING:COLUMN
WHILE DRIVING PINS CAME OUT OF TILT MECHANISM OF STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO DROP DOWN. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER STATED NEVER HEARD OF THIS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748293July 11, 2001
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
DEALER REPLACED AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR CLUTCH PLATE BECAUSE IT WAS WARPED. WE HARDLY EVER USE THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 27,012 MILES ON IT. WHEN IT WAS FINALLY FIXED W WERE PAST THE 36 MONTHS FOR THE WARRANTY BY 4 MONTHS AND THE CAR STILL ONLY HAD 30,437 MILES ON IT. HOW CONVENIENT FOR GM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#892347July 10, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748231July 10, 2001
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
MY CAR WAS PROGRAMMED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THE A/C ON AT ALL TIMES. SO, DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS, MY A/C WAS ALWAYS ON, UNBEKNOWNST TO ME. THIS CAUSED THE COMPRESSOR TO MALFUNCTION THIS FALL. THAT'S WHEN THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR FINALLY REVEALED ITSELF, AND A MECHANIC AT DON RINGLER'S CHEVROLET FINALLY FIGURED OUT THAT THE A/C NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED SO THAT IT WAS NOT ON AT ALL TIMES. MEANWHILE, ALL DURING THE FIVE YEARS, THE BRAKES KEPT FAILING AT VARIOUS TIMES, CAUSING ME TO NEARLY CRASH OR RUN OUT INTO TRAFFIC. MANY TIMES I WAS BRUISED FROM THE INCIDENTS. MY CAR ALSO STOPPED RUNNING ALTOGETHER SEVERAL TIMES WHILE OPERATING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, AND JUST AS THE POWER WOULD SHUT OFF, THE BRAKES WOULD STOP WORKING. I HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAYS, ALMOST BEING KILLED. EACH TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN, I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETECTED OR THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN RESOLVED. BEING ONLY THE SECOND CAR IN MY LIFE (THE FIRST ONE, A GEO METRO, CAUSED NO PROBLEMS AT ALL), I TRUSTED THE VERDICT EACH TIME, AND DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WAS A DEEPER, UNDERLYING PROBLEM TO REPORT. IT TOOK ME FIVE YEARS TO UNCOVER THIS. BELIEVING THE MECHANICS AT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS EACH TIME THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN RESOLVED, I CONTINUED TO KEEP CAREFUL MAINTENANCE ON IT WITH THE VERY BEST QUALITY CARE. THIS FALL, I WAS TOLD THE SAME THING, THAT IT WAS SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE REAL SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, AND AFTER ANOTHER $500 AND A TEST DRIVE WITH THE HEAD MECHANIC WHERE THE POWER FAILED ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE A/C WAS MISPROGRAMMED AND CAUSING POWER FAILURE. EVIDENCE OF THIS LIES IN THE FACT THAT WHEN THE A/C IS KEPT OFF, THE CAR RUNS FINE. THE COMPRESSOR IS RUINED. I AM CONCERNED THAT ALL THE OTHER 1996 CAVALIER COMPLAINTS (NHTSA) ON POWER/BRAKE FAILURE MAY BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO A/C MISPROGRAMMING. THOSE CUSTOMERS COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE REASON EITHER. A RECALL MAY BE NECESSARY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE--GM STAFF IS IGNORING ME.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#748103July 8, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE (ENGINE?) WILL MAKE A RATTLING NOISE AROUND 1000-1900 RPM EITHER WHEN ACCELERATING AT THAT RPM, OR DECELERATING AT THAT RPM. DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER 2 VISITS. STATES IT'S NOT LOUD ENOUGH AND SHOULD BE IGNORED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748037July 7, 2001
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
THE STEERING STARTED VERY GRADUALLY AND WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. IT GOT SO BAD BEFORE WE HAD TO REPAIR IT THAT YOU COULD NOT STEER AT ALL TO THE LEFT. WHEN I APPROACHED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED THEM TO HELP WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR THEY SAID KNOW. AFTER THE REPAIR WA COMPLETED I TALKED OT THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED THE REPAIR AND HE INDICATED THAT HE REPLACES THIS ON A LOT OF GM VEHICLES INCLUDING CAVALIERS. I AM REQUESTING THAT GM BE MADE AWARE OF THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM AND PUT A CAMPAIGN TOGETHER TO REPAIR ANY VEHICLE INCLUDING MY OWN WITH PARTS AND LABOR COSTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#892109July 6, 2001
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
LINKAGE AT CLUTCH PEDAL CAME LOOSE, CAUSING CLUTCH TO BE INOPERABLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. CONSUMER STATES IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING BRAKES WON'T BE ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS IS UNSAFE. *AK *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#747725July 3, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED LETTERS THAT THIS WAS OCCURING ON THESE VEHICLES DUE TO SMALL HOLE FOR OIL TO CHAIN CLOGGING BUT I HAD NO RECALLS OR WARNINGS OF THIS. THIS CAR HAS RELATIVELY FEW MILES ON IT AND AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED, I HAD JUST STOPPED TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT HAD HAPPENED DURING THE TURN OR IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AS THE CAR LOST POWER IMMEDIATELY. IF THE DEALERSHIPS ARE RECEIVING LETTERS, WHY AREN'T THE OWNERS. I REALIZE THAT THERE CAN BE FAILURE OF THIS PART, BUT IF THE FAILURE IS DUE TO THE CLOGGING OF THE AREA THAT KEEPS THE CHAIN OILED, THEN THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR NOT THE WEAR OF THE PART.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#891807July 2, 2001
SEATS
WHEN DRIVING RAILS BROKE ON FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT DURING A CRASH ALSO, WHEN THE RAILS BROKE SEAT WAS LOOSE, AND SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. CRASH WAS LEFT FRONTAL IMPACT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#891815July 2, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHEN STATING VEHICLE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. WITH NO PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND DEALER STATED NOTHING COULD BE DONE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#747655July 2, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH PROBLEMS WITH YOUR ENGINE COOLANT, I FINALLY GOT MINE FIXED. AFTER TELLING ME IT WAS THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND THE THERMOSTAT IT ENDED UP BEING A CRACK IN THE RADIATOR CAP, SOMETHING THAT COSTS $10. A GOOD WAY TO PREVENT ENGINE SHUTDOWN IS TO TURN YOUR VENT FAN TO HOT AIR, AS HOT AS U CAN GET IT. THAT WILL BRING DOWN THE TEMPATURE READING, EVERYTIME. SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR WHEN YOUR STUCK IN TRAFFIC ALOT, THATS WHEN IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU IDLE TO LONG.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#891614June 28, 2001
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
A NOISE WAS COMING FROM DASHBOARD DURING NORMAL OPERATION. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE THREE TIMES, AND COULD NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. ON THE FOURTH EXAMINATION,DEALERSHIP REPLACED STEERING GEAR BOX WHICH CORRECTED THE NOISE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#561803June 27, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
THE BRAKE ROTOR WERE TURNED BECAUSE OF THE WAVINESS IN THE ROTORS, HOWEVER THE BRAKE PADS WERE STILL GOOD, BUT THERE WAS A PULSATION WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.*YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#891352June 27, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. ALSO, ENGINE IS OVERHEATING AND THE COOLANT IS LEAKING FLUID. CONSUMER NOTED THERE WAS A TSB LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#891436June 27, 2001
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WHILE DRIVING 35MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED. WINDOW WAS CLOSED AND NOTHING HIT IT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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