Chevrolet Cavalier Complaints

4,662 consumer complaints on file.

#716904January 5, 2000
WHEELS
THE LEFT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF OF THE CAR WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOTALLED. DRIVER WAS INJURED. NO OTHER PASSENGERS IN CAR. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#716914January 5, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IN DECEMBER 1999, I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL AND THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I ASSUMED THE THERMOSTAT WAS FAILING AND HAD A LOCAL SERVICE STATION REPLACE IT AND FLUSH THE RADIATOR. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. UPON INSPECTION, I HAD LOST SOME COOLANT AND EXPERIENCED THE SMELL OF HOT COOLANT WHICH I ATTRIBUTED TO THE RECENT RADIATOR FLUSH. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SERVICE STATION AND THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS PRESSURE TESTED TO CHECK FOR LEAKS AND PASSED. AFTER BEING IDLE FOR OVER 1 WEEK, ON JANUARY 3, 2000, I CHECKED THE ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL AND IT WAS LOW. I FILLED THE ENGINE COOLANT RESERVIOR TO FULL AND AFTER SHORT TRIPS THE LEVEL HAD HELD AT FULL. ON JANUARY 4, 2000, WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, I EXPERIENCED A ROUGH IDLE AND IN ADDITION TO THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALSO LIT UP ON THE DASH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET, EXPECTING TO HAVE THEM FINALLY RESOLVE MY PROBLEM AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY SUSPECTED MY ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND ESTIMATED THE JOB AT OVER $3400.00. I NOTEICED SERVICE BULLETIN #'S 67-62-04, 970501776109 & 970501738309 POSTED ON YOUR WEBSITE REFERS TO SIMILAR DEFECTS AS THOSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED. IF THE ENGINE HAS A DEFECT, WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE? I HAVE FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED MAINTAINANCE SCHEDULE AND FEEL FRUSTRATED THAT GM AND HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET KNEW OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS BUT FAILED TO TAKE THE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO AVOID PERMINANT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SERVICE STATION WHERE I HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND THEIR CONCLUSION IS THE HEAD GASGET HAS FAILED OR THE HEAD HAS CRACKED, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE ISN'T ANY COOLANT IN THE OIL PAN. I RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE OF $950.00 FOR THE REPAIRS. I'M NOT A HAPPY CAVALIER OWNER. I THANK YOU. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550171January 3, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER AND DRAIN THE BATTERY WHILE DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550181January 3, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD FAILED RESULTING IN A FIRE. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#9000043January 1, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKES SEEM TO GRAB, WARPED ORTORS , NEED REPLACING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#854508December 29, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS IT FELT NORMAL. BRAKES WOULD GRAB, AND VEHICLE WOULD KEEP ROLLING. IT JERKED FORWARD THREE TIMES BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#854471December 28, 1999
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP FOR NO REASON. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#716538December 28, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE TELEPHONE POLE WAS STRUCK HEAD-ON AT 20 MPH , AIRBAGS FAILED TO DELPOY. AS RESULT, SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#716415December 25, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKES ARE FAR TOO SENSITIVE. IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP ON A SNOWY GRADE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#716426December 25, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
INTERMITTENT BRAKING PROBLEM. BRAKES "LOCK-UP"AND VEHICLE SKIDS UNDER ALL NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY WHEN VEHICLE IS "COLD." WHEN PROBLEM OCCURS, BRAKE PRESSURE IS LOST AND IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE CAR WILL STOP. CAN OCCUR ON RELATIVELY LEVEL ROADS AND STEEP INCLINES ALIKE AT BEGINNING BRAKING SPEEDS FROM 5MPH UP TO 45MPH. VEHICLE ALSO MAKES LOUD POPPING SOUNDS WHEN BRAKING SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONNING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXAMINED AND TEST DRIVEN 4 TIMES BY DIFFERENT CHEVROLET DEALERS AND EACH TIME THEY "COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM." I HAVE A FRIEND WHO DRIVES THE SAME MODEL CAVALIER WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS AND HAS ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS "NO PROBLEM/COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM." *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#716355December 22, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
REAR BRAKE SYSTEM SHAKES AND LURCHES...WHEELS LOCK UP AND RELEASE...CAR SKIDS FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME CAUSING CAR TO ATTEMPT TO RUN OFF ROADWAY...THIS HAPPENS MOST OFTEN IN WET CONDITIONS. CAR WAS RETURNED TO DEALER WHO "CLEANED REAR BRAKE DRUMS" AND TOLD US THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. LAST NIGHT THE CAR WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS WHEN DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS AT SPEEDS IN 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE WHEN BRAKING SYSTEM LOCKED UP TWICE CAUSING CAR TO SKID. FATHER CAN CAUSE BRAKES TO LOCK UP IN DRY CONDITIONS DUPLICATING BRAKE LOCK UP IN WET CONDITIONS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550088December 21, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEAD LIGHT SWITCH FAILED AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#854215December 21, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE HIT A DEER AT 50-55 MPH. BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BUT AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT SHOW AIR BAGS HAVE DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#716089December 15, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I AM AWARE THAT THE '92 & '93 MODELS ARE COVERED FOR THE SAME ENGINE, SAME PROBLEM. SHOULDN'T THE '94 MODELS BE COVERED SINCE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM? *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#715995December 13, 1999
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
POWER STEERING PUMP AND RELATED HIGH PRESSURE LINE FAILURE, CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#853964December 10, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSING A MALFUNCTION WITH THE POWER WINDOWS/ HORN ASSEMBLY AND BATTERY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#783885December 8, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER HIT A SHEET OF ICE AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER OR PASSENDER SIDE AIRBAGS OCCURRED. NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#715769December 7, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
UPON START UP IN COLD WEATHER: WIPERS INOP, HEATER FAN INOP, AUTO DOOR LOCKS INOP, HEAD LAMPS INOP. AFTER 20 MIN WARM UP ALL SEEMS TO FUNCTION OKAY. START UP IN WARMER PART OF DAY THESE DISCREPANCIES DO NOT MATERIALIZE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#853677December 3, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
S WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD VEHICLE DIED OUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO ALMOST BECOME INVOLVED IN AN AUTO COLLISION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#715565December 2, 1999
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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