Chevrolet Cavalier Complaints (2003)

678 consumer complaints on file.

#10297132December 28, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW CHEVROLET CAVALIER BACK IN 2003 AFTER 10K OR SO, IT STARTED STALLING DURING DRIVING WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PRESSED TO CHANGE THE GEAR OR AT TRAFFIC STOPS. THIS PROBLEMS REPEATS EVERY WEEK OR SO AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AS ALL THE POWER TO THE STEERING AND BRAKES IS LOST. I THINK THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM I AM NEVER GOING TO BUY A GM VEHICLE AGAIN AND WILL NOT RECOMMEND OTHERS. I WOULD LIKE GM TO FIX THIS FOR ME AS IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296235December 17, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
PROBLEM IS WITH INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. FIRST TACH STARTING FAILING NOW AND THEN. NOW ENGINE TEMP GAUGE IS DOING SAME THING. SOMETIMES TACH WORKS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. TEMP GAUGE SOMETIMES WORKS, SOMETIMES SHOWS ENGINE HOT, SOMETIMES COLD WHEN ENGINE IS AT OPERATING TEMP. PROBLEM STARTED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. SO FAR, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX PROBLEM, MECHANIC SAYS COST TO FIX IS $375.00. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10295148December 9, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
THE FUEL PUMP IN MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER FAILED, WITH NO WARNING, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE READ ON SEVERAL WEBSITES THAT THIS IS A COMMON AND SOMETIMES CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR'S MODEL. I AM FILING A FORMAL COMPLAINT BECAUSE I WANT GM HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR USING DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10293471November 24, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I OWN A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DOES NOT WORK AND NOW THE RPM GAUGE ISN'T WORKING. I HAVE ABOUT 45,000 MILES ON IT AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS I NEED TO REPLACE THE CLUSTER. AFTER DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE REPAIR, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG ALL CAVALIERS; THE CLUSTER NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. I WILL HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED THIS WEEK AND WILL NEED TO SPEND $500 TO REPAIR IT. I HAVE EVEN CALLED GMC'S CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SEE IF THEIR IS A WARRANTY ON THE PART OR A RECALL. WHY ARE CAR OWNERS SPENDING $500 PLUS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10293303November 23, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL PUMP FAILURE AT 125,000 KMS. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE. EVENTUALLY HAD TO PULL OVER, VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RE-START. TOWED, FUEL PUMP REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10292367November 16, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY ROAD IN TOWN GOING 40 MPH WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO CHUG. IT ENDED UP STALLING AND I WAS IN THE BUSY LANE, STILL DRIVING!!! I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TURN ON MY HAZARDS AND TRY TO SLOWLY GET OUT OF EVERY OTHER DRIVERS WAY. I HAD CARS THAT HAD TO SLOW DOWN QUITE QUICKLY BEHIND ME AS I COULD NOT ACCELERATE OR DO ANYTHING BUT COAST OUT OF THEIR WAY. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED LIKE THIS, I HAD THE CAR TOWED THE NEXT MORNING AS WHEN IT STALLED I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK. IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. MY WARRANTY WAS JUST UP ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT I AM SURE THIS IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, IT COST ME $900 AND THE FACT THAT I STALLED ON A BUSY STREET. TO ME THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE IN. I WAS QUITE UPSET AFTER THE WHOLE ORDEAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10292080November 13, 2009
VISIBILITY
HVAC CABLE BENT AND THEN SNAPPED. NOW I CAN'T DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD I RAN OFF THE ROAD TODAY BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO GM OVER A YEAR AGO AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. THEY NEVER RESPONDED TO MY LETTER. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE HAD IT FIXED BY A MECHANIC 2X AND SHOULD NOT ONLY BE REIMBURSED, BUT SHOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. IT STILL DOES NOT WORK RIGHT. HAD THE ACTUAL CABLE REPLACED AND THEN JUST HAD THE KINK CORRECTED ON IT AND IT BROKE AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10292008November 12, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHILE ACTIVELY DRIVING MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER MY CAR WITHOUT WARNING JUST SHUT DOWN. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT AND A TOW TO THE REPAIR SHOP WAS REQUIRED. I HAD TO HAVE MY FUEL PUMP REPLACED. THIS WAS A SHOCK BECAUSE MY CAR ONLY HAS 49,900 MILES ON IT. MY MECHANIC WAS EVEN IN SHOCK AND DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WOULD HAPPEN. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GLIDE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AVOID AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291420November 8, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I'D PURCHASED MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER IN LIKE-NEW CONDITION WITH ~20K MILES. MONTHS AFTER I'D STARTED DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL(MANUAL TRANSMISSION), THE RPM WOULD DROP WELL BELOW 1000 AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD STALL. WHEN IT WOULD STALL, IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN FOR A FEW MINUTES OF SITTING. I HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT AND NO ONE COULD FIND A PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T OCCUR AT A REGULAR INTERVAL, BUT INSTEAD HAPPENED RANDOMLY AT LEAST ONCE WITHIN 2 OR 3 MONTHS TIME. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 4.5 YEARS AND THE FUEL PUMP HAS STOPPED OPERATING COMPLETELY. THE PROBLEM WASN'T APPARENT UNTIL I TRIED STARTING MY VEHICLE ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 8TH 2009 AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE STARTER WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, BUT THE ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION UNIT WAS MAKING A DIFFERENT NOISE. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE EVALUATED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMPS PRICE RANGES BETWEEN $150-250 ON AVERAGE AND LABOR WOULD COST MORE. BY DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A COMMON CASE. AN O.E.M. FUEL PUMP ON A CAR UNDER 75K MILES SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 5 YEARS BEFORE DETERIORATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291244November 6, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I OWN A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER. THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT ON IT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING GREAT I PULLED UP TO A STORE TURNED OFF THE CAR, RAN AN ERRAND, THEN THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I CHECKED ALL FUSES AND RELAYS, AND HIT THE BLEED OFF IN THE FUEL LINE. THE PUMP JUST QUIT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND MANY PPL BELIEVE THAT THE FUEL PUMP IN 2003 AND 2001 CAVALIERS HAS A DEFECT. IM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290373October 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE TAIL LIGHT/TURN SIGNAL BURNED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I REPLACED THE BULB 2 DAYS LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE WENT OUT I REPLACED THAT BULB AND SINCE THAT ABOUT EVERY 2 DAYS I BURN ANOTHER BULB I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THINKING IT WAS THE RECALL THEY HAVE ON THE TAIL LIGHT/TURN SIGNAL AND THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED IT THE FIRST TIME AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK I TOOK IT BACK WITH THE BULB BURNED OUT AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS FOUND I CAN'T GET THEM TO DO THE RECALL WORK BECAUSE THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTS BUT I AM PAYING 4.00 A BULB EVERYTIME IT BURNS OUT AND I HAVE DONE THIS FOR 2 MONTHS NOW AND I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO KEEP DOING THIS I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10289874October 26, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER . THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT TURN SIGNAL WAS INOPERABLE. THE BULB HAD NOT BLOWN THEREFORE SHE SPECULATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V524000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL), THEREFORE SHE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. NO FURTHER REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 77,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10288717October 16, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
VEHICLE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN BUSY INTERSECTION WOULD TURN OVER HOWEVER WOULD NOT START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286683October 7, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CAR LOST ALL POWER DUE TO ENGINE STALLING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE, CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS DEFECTIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286088October 2, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AFTER PARKING HER VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE FIRE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE WINDOWS OPENED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN SHE TURNED THE AIR CONDITIONER OFF GREEN SMOKE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE FIRE STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE GREEN SMOKE WAS PRESENT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER IS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 75,000. UPDATED 10/21/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE TURNED THE AC SWITCH TO OFF, SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS OFF, THE AC WAS STILL ON. UPDATED 10/20/09
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284139September 16, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN IDLE THE VEHICLE STALLLED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, HIS RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283779September 12, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL PUMP FAILURE DURING HEAVY MORNING TRAFFIC ON AN EIGHT LANE HIGHWAY. CAR ONLY HAD 66,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT COST $980 FOR REPAIR. I HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS PART, AND THAT GM IS PRETENDING IT DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM. THE LAST PART TO GO ON A VEHICLE SHOULD BE THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD A 73 OLDS DELTA 88 WITH 380,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE FUEL NEVER HAD TO BE REPLACED. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO HAVE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECTIVE PART, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING IT CREATES A REAL SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282612September 2, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE IS 72,000.THE VIN NUMBER IS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE IS 72,000. BL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282377August 31, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I OWN A 2003 CAVALIER SEDAN. THREE WKS AGO IT STARTED STALLING. HAD IT TOWED TO A GARAGE. THEY KEPT IT FOR A WEEK AND SAID THE COMPUTER WAS BAD. THEN THEY CAME BACK NEXT DAY AND SAID CONTACTS WERE DIRTY. THEY CLEANED THEM, I GOT CAR BACK AND IT RAN FINE FOR 2 WKS. AGAIN, IT STARTED STALLING ON THE ROAD OR NOT STARTING. TOOK TO GARAGE THIS AM AND HE IS SAYING FUEL PUMP FOR ANOTHER $500 ON TOP OF $300 ALREADY SPENT. I REALIZE THIS CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD CHEVY'S AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THEM. I SPENT THE WEEK-END ON-LINE AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A RECURRING THEME WITH THE CAVALIER FROM 1998 ONWARD. WE WHO ARE SENIORS AND HAVE LITTLE MONEY FOR THESE TYPES OF REPAIRS, NEED SOMEONE IN OUR CORNER. NEVER WILL I PURCHASE A CHEVY VEHICLE AGAIN! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282026August 27, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE CAMPAIGN 04083 WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE, BUT IT DIDN'T FIX MY PROBLEM. THE CHEVROLET SERVICE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THEY CHECKED THE SOCKETS, FOUND THAT THEY DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AND GREASED ACCORDINGLY, BUT THAT THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE AT TIMES DUE TO THE FACT THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IS BAD & NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO GET THEM TO WORK ALL OF THE TIME. I HAVE ALL OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT THIS CAMPAIGN INDICATED IT WOULD RESOLVE, BUT MY TURN SIGNALS ARE STILL GOING OUT SPORADICALLY, AND IT OCCURS MORE OFTEN IF MY LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AND IF I PRESS DOWN THE BREAK. I'VE BEEN HAVING TO REPLACE MY BREAK LIGHTS OFTEN AND THIS STARTED OCCURRING THE LAST TIME I HAD MY LEFT BREAK LIGHT REPLACED A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE TURN SIGNAL WORKS AT LEAST THE FIRST TIME I PUT IT ON, BUT THEN WILL NOT FLASHING & STOP MAKING NOISE SHORTLY AFTER BEFORE I'VE EVEN MADE MY TURN. THE FIRST PROBLEM AROSE WITH MY BLINKERS FLASHING VERY QUICKLY WHICH WAS RESOLVED AFTER REPLACING MY BREAK LIGHT, BUT I'VE HAD PROBLEMS ON AND OFF WITH MY TURN SIGNALS EVER SINCE. MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER HAS 105,517 MILES ON IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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