Chevrolet Cavalier Complaints (2003)

678 consumer complaints on file.

#10325771April 14, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS HEADING OUT OF MY HOUSE IN THE EVENING AND GOT ABOUT 2 OR 3 MILES FROM MY HOME WHEN I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION MY VEHICLE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN I APPLIED PRESSURE TO GAS PEDAL. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO COAST JUST ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION AND MY VEHICLE ENDED UP SHUTTING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH OUT WARNING, NO SIGNS, NO LIGHTS MY VEHICLE JUST GAVE OUT ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION HAD IT OCCURRED JUST 5 SECONDS BEFORE I CLEARED THE INTERSECTION I MAY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORST IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND OTHER CONSUMER REVIEW SITES GIVE DETAILED SCENARIOS OF THIS DANGEROUS FUEL PUMP FAILURE AND ITS ABRUPT OCCURRENCE. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT MILEAGE AS LOW AS 7,000 AND WORKS ITS WAY UP. I WOULD LIKE TO BE SPOKEN WITH PERSONALLY BY SOMEONE ON THE BOARD AND FOR REASONS WHY THIS PROBLEM DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10323846April 5, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HAD TOWED TO SHOP AND FUEL PUMP WAS BAD. REPLACED AT 69,000 MILES AT A COST OF $760.00. THE WARRANTY ON THE NEW FACTORY FUEL PUMP WAS FOR 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. AFTER 14 MONTHS AND AT 78,000 MILES THE 2ND FUEL PUMP HAS GONE BAD. UNEMPLOYED AND DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT AGAIN! PLEASE RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321858March 24, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL PUMP FAILED ON MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER LEAVING MY CAR POWER LESS (OFF) AT 65 MPH. THEN WOULD NOT START, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I AM HAVING TO BUY A NEW FUEL PUMP COSTING AROUND $200 AND TAKE TIME OFF OF WORK TO FIX IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321112March 19, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
I BOUGHT MY 2003 CAVALIER BRAND NEW. WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I TOOK THE CAR IN BECAUSE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE SITUATION WAS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WENT TO SHIFT GEARS AND WHEN I HELD THE CLUTCH IN THE RPM'S DROPPED ALL THE WAY TO 0 AND THE CAR STALLED. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, SO THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. SINCE THAN THIS HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE. WHILE DRIVING IT STALLS ON AVERAGE OF 5 TIMES A WEEK WHICH IS NOT SAFE ESPECIALLY ON THE FREE WAY. ALSO TO ADD TO EVERYONE ELSE'S COMPLAINT MY FUEL PUMP WENT BAD AS WELL AND HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320412March 17, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. 65,000 KM (NOT MILES ON IT). WORKS GREAT, ONE MINUTE, THEN THE NEXT WON'T START. HAVE HAD IT TOWED TWICE ... TOLD NO REAL PROBLEM, THEN TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS GONE. CHECKED ONLINE AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS, BUT NO RECALL. SEEMS ABSOLUTELY UNREASONABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING ... THAT WOULD SEEM TO ME TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320336March 16, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WAS DRIVING MY CAVALIER TO PICK UP MY WIFE. AS I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION, THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AT THE BEGINNING OF A LEFT TURN LANE AND PUT MY HAZARDS ON. WITH THE HELP OF MY PASSENGER AND A POLICE OFFICER, WE MOVED THE CAR ACROSS 2 LANES OF TRAVEL TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR HAD 116,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE ONLY WARNING BEFORE THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND DRIVE-ABILITY WAS THE BATTERY LIGHT TURNING ON BRIEFLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320007March 15, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
HAVE A 2003 CAVALIER 66,000 MILES AND WAS WORKING BEAUTIFULLY DROVE INTO WORK AND WAS COMING HOME STOPPED TO GET GROCERIES AND CAME OUT TO START MY CAR AND FUEL PUMP WAS DEAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING FOR THIS PROBLEM AT ALL WOULD LIKE TO FIND IF GM IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SINCE THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319578March 14, 2010
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
MY DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW WILL INITIALLY GO DOWN. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO POWER THE WINDOW UP, IT GOES APPROXIMATELY ONE TO TWO INCHES THEN STOPS. I HAVE TO CONTINUE DRIVING OR LEAVE MY CAR RUNNING UNTIL THE WINDOW IS UP. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO LEAVE MY CAR IN ANY LOT OR PARKING SPACE WITH THE WINDOW DOWN. ON AVERAGE EVERY 10 MINUTES IT WILL GO UP ANOTHER INCH OR TWO. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I POWER THE WINDOW DOWN. I WILL NOT LEAVE MY WINDOW DOWN. ELEMENTS WILL DAMAGE THE INTERIOR, AND IT LEAVES ME SUSCEPTIBLE TO VANDALS. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND I CONSIDER THIS MALFUNCTION UNSAFE FOR ME THE DRIVER AND MY CHILDREN. I PAID $18,000 FOR THE VEHICLE, I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO GO UNFIXED, HOWEVER I FEEL IT IS THE COMPANY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO RECALL AND REPAIR THE ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10318711March 10, 2010
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LS AND ON DEC. 25 WHEN I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST BUTTON SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. I COULD NOT GET THE REAR DEFROST TO TURN OFF SO I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND REMOVE THE FUSE TO IT. SHORTLY AFTER THIS INCIDENT THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED WORKING AND THE FUSE TO THEM IS STILL GOOD, I REPLACED IT JUST IN CASE BUT THE WINDOWS STILL DO NOT WORK. THE ODOMETER HAS ALSO STOPPED WORKING SO I HAVE HAD TO GUESS MY SPEED. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THE REAR DEFROST DOES NOT WORK I CANNOT SEE OUT THE REAR WINDOW ON COLD DAYS, I ALSO CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM DRIVING WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, AND THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR IS DUE FOR INSPECTION NEXT MONTH AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS, THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND RELY ON IT TO GET TO AND FROM WORK EVERYDAY. I HAVE ALSO PLACED A COMPLAINT WITH GENERAL MOTORS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE AS I FEEL THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED ARE A RESULT OF POOR OR HURRIED WORKMANSHIP IN THAT AREA OF THE VEHICLE'S MANUFACTURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317913March 8, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER STALLED WHILE DRIVING. ALMOST GOT KILLED. JUST ANOTHER DEFECT IN THIS CAR. I KEEP REPORTING STUFF AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE LISTENING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317415March 6, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER SPEEDOMETER FAILED AT 49,240 MILES. RESULTING IN POTENTIALLY UNSAFE DRIVING SPEED IN OTHERWISE PERFECT DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10314112February 25, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I WAS RETURNING HOME AND WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY MY CAR HAD AN EXTREME LOSS OF POWER. I WAS SURPRISED BY THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A SUDDEN CHANGE IN MY CARS PERFORMANCE. I HAD NOT BEEN HAVING ANY TROUBLE BEFORE THIS. AFTER I PARKED MY CAR AND TURNED IT OFF I LATER ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE. IT WOULD NOT START. THE ENGINE AND EVERYTHING TURNED OVER FINE IT JUST DID NOT SEEM TO BE GETTING FUEL. I THEN TURNED THE KEY ON AND OFF AND REALIZED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT RUNNING. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2003 CAVALIERS. THANKFULLY I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND NOT IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE FREEWAY IN RUSH HOUR. I WILL BE SPENDING MY WEEKEND REPLACING MY FUEL PUMP. I WILL KEEP THE DEAD PUMP IF IT IS NEEDED FOR INVESTIGATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10313880February 24, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
STARTED THE CAR UP IN THE MORNING AS NORMAL TO WARM THE CAR UP ( ABOUT 5 MINS). DROVE ABOUT 1 MILE TO ROYAL FARMS. I SHUT DOWN THE CAR TO GO INSIDE AND I RETURNED TO THE CAR TO START IT UP. AT FIRST IT STARTED UP BUT VERY RUFF AND THEN STALLED OUT AFTER THAT IT DID NOT FIRE UP ANYMORE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME WHERE I FOUND OUT THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAS GONE UP. I HAVE HAD IDLE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SINCE I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT. I DO NOT KNOW IF THESE PROBLEM GO SIDE BY SIDE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10312592February 22, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER JUMPS AND DOESN'T DISPLAY THE CORRECT SPEED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10311961February 19, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
RECENTLY PURCHASED PRE-OWNED 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER STALLED, THE ENGINE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE SINCE. IT SOUNDS AS IF IT WANTS TO START BUT WILL NOT. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS AND THIS IS THE EXACT SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310236February 13, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION ABOUT A YEAR AGO. ASSUMING IT WAS JUST THE FLOAT, I DECIDED I WOULD IGNORE IT AND USE THE TRIP ODOMETER TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH GAS I HAD LEFT. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE WENT WELL PAST FULL, INTO THE REALM OF WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TWO TANKS OF FULL, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEEDLE COULD NOT MOVE. EVENTUALLY, THE GAS GAUGE NEEDLE WENT PAST THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE (NOW AT WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TWO AND A HALF TANKS) WHICH FREED THE TEMPERATURE NEEDLE TO ACTUALLY REGISTER. NOW, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IS MALFUNCTIONING, RESTING AT THE HALF WAY POINT EVEN AFTER THE CAR SAT ALL NIGHT IN OUR RECENT FRIGID TEMPERATURES. IT NOW RUNS IN THE RED EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. NOW, THE SPEEDOMETER IS SHOWING SIGNS OF MALFUNCTIONING, AS IT READS 5 MPH THOUGH I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP. RESEARCH ON VARIOUS INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS SUGGEST THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN NOT ONLY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIERS, BUT OTHER YEARS AND MODELS OF CHEVY VEHICLES. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO GM THAT A MALFUNCTIONING SPEEDOMETER WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, I WAS GREETED WITH "THERE'S NO RECALL, IT'S NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, CAN'T HELP, YOUR PROBLEM, DEAL WITH IT." FOLLOWING THIS LOGIC, WHAT'S STOPPING GM FROM CREATING MORE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES, IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES? THEY'VE ADOPTED THE ATTITUDE IT'S "NOT THEIR PROBLEM." AT WHAT POINT IS A DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM WORTHY OF A RECALL? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308041February 9, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER AND THE FUEL PUMP HAS WENT OUT .....CAR ONLY HAS 65,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM ONLINE I SEE ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.I ALSO NOTICED YALL HAVE INVESTIGATED SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ALSO ...THE CASE WAS CLOSED DUE TO NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAINING! I REALLY THINK THIS IS A DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED....IT IS COSTING US 600-1000 DOLLARS TO FIX! PLEASE OPEN THE INVESTIGATION AGAIN! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300333January 19, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL PUMP GOES OUT AFTER ONLY 60,000 MILES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, I OWN OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE 3 TIMES THIS MILEAGE BEFORE I HAD TO REPLACE A FUEL PUMP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10298292January 5, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER, ~83,000 MILES. DEC 3 IN NE OHIO, TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON OHIO ROUTE 11 AT ~11:50PM. CAR SUDDENLY STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, TRAC LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON. ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. ENGINE STILL RUNNING BUT ROUGH. NO POWER WHEN TRIED TO MAKE CAR MOVE. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED HOME $200. TOOK ~3HRS IN FREEZING COLD AND SNOWSTORM. CAR WOULD NOT START THE NEXT DAY. COULD NOT HEAR CHARACTERISTIC WHIR OF FUEL PUMP WHEN KEY FIRST TURNED. DIAGNOSIS OF ELECTRICAL SHOWED FUEL PUMP WAS RECEIVING VOLTAGE. TAPPING ON BOTTOM OF FUEL TANK WHILE TRYING TO START CAR RESULTED IN CAR STARTING. DIAGNOSIS: NEW FUEL PUMP REQUIRED. ANTICIPATED COST $250 + LABOR. TOTAL ANTICIPATED COST: $450 + LABOR. FORTUNATELY NO OR LITTLE TRAFFIC. ALSO FORTUNATE TOW TRUCK RESPONDED QUICKLY OTHERWISE PERSONAL INJURY FROM COLD COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. FUEL PUMPS SHOULD BE LIFETIME ENGINEERED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297837January 2, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER FUEL PUMP HAS TO BE DEFECTIVE FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH IT. MINE JUST WENT ON MY CAR WITHOUT ANY WARNING . *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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