Chevrolet Cavalier Complaints (2004)
330 consumer complaints on file.
- #10398513May 2, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAS "SQUIRRELLY GAUGES" . NONE OF THE GAUGES READ CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, ONCE IN A WHILE ONE OR MORE GAUGES DO APPEAR TO BE READING CORRECTLY. MY GAS GAUGE IS NEVER ACCURATE. MY SPEEDOMETER IS OFTEN PEGGED OVER TO TOP SPEED OR READS 45 MPH WHEN I'M DOING 65. THE ONLY ACCURATE GAUGE IS THE ODOMETER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 2-3 YEARS. (NO I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT) RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I SEARCH GOOGLE FOR THE SYMPTOMS AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I LOOK ON EBAY AND FIND VENDORS WHO REPAIR "SQUIRRELLY GAUGES". MY COMPLAINT IS NOT UNIQUE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10397527April 26, 2011FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL EVAPORATIVE EMISSION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL FILLER TUBE WAS COVERED WITH RUST. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON BECAUSE OF THE ROAD SALTS USED IN HIS PARTICULAR STATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000. UPDATED 05/13/11 *BF UPDATED 07/08/11
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10396022April 15, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DASH CLUSTER ABNORMAL OPERATION, IN REGARDS TO FUEL GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER. SPEEDOMETER IS INACCURATE SAYS I AM CURRENTLY TRAVELING MORE THE 110 MPH WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STATE OF REST. FUEL GAUGE ALSO INACCURATE STICKS WHEN ENGINE IS SHUT OFF, WHEN RESTARTED THE FUEL GAUGE MOVES IN EXCESS OF ITS LIMITS PINNING AGAINST TEMPERATURE GAUGE. DURING WARMER WEATHER THE FUEL GAUGE DOESN'T WORK AND NEITHER WILL THE TACHOMETER. VERY DISAPPOINTED. CONTACTED GM AND WAS GIVEN THE RUN AROUND. CUSTOMER CARE NOTED THAT NO ONE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS DEFECT ON THESE VEHICLES. VERY UNSAFE, DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE AND HAVE RESORTED IN USING A GPS FOR SPEED REFERENCE. RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10396038April 15, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
MY 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS NOT BEEN WORKING FOR A WHILE WAS JUST THE SPEEDOMETER NOW THE FUEL GAUGE IS NOT WORKING I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10393861March 31, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR FAILED TO START 8/21/08 SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. THE CAR WAS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME AND WAS STILL UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY THANK GOODNESS. HE DETERMINED IT WAS MY IGNITION SWITCH. SINCE I AM THE ORIGINAL. SINGLE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE, I KNEW THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL IGNITION SWITCH TO THE CAR WHEN PURCHASED NEW IN 2004. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE SWITCH WITH A NAPA OE PART. NOW, ON 3/29/11, MY CAR FAILED TO START AGAIN AND LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND THEN FIND A WAY HOME FROM WORK. I THEN HAD TO BORROW A FRIEND'S CAR JUST TO GET TO WORK THE NEXT DAY. AS DISCOVERD BY MY MECHANIC, IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH AGAIN. THIS REPAIR COMPLETED ON 3/30/11 WAS WITH AN IGNITION SWITCH THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM A CHEVY DEALER HOPING THIS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CARS AND NOT ONE TIME HAVE I EVER HAD TO REPLACE AN IGNITION SWITCH IN ANY OF THEM MUCH LESS TWICE IN JUST 2 YEARS 3 MONTHS LIKE HAVE HAD TO WITH THIS CAR! THIS REPAIR COST ME $280 THIS TIME AND THE INCOVENIENCE OF FINDING AN ALTERNATE WAY TO AND FROM WORK. I AM DISGUSTED AT THE FAULTINESS OF THIS CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES INCLUDING HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THE CAR WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND REPLACING THE ELECTRIC WINDOW SWITCH TWICE. I TRULY FEEL CHEVY NEEDS TO ADDRESS MY ISSUES. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10386852March 8, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENTIRE DASH CLUSTER DOESN'T WORK!! SPEEDOMETER SAYS GOING 80MPH WHEN SITTING STILL. TEMP GAUGE SAYS IT'S OVERHEATING WHEN CAR IS OFF. GAS GAUGE IS NOW GOING HAYWIRE. GOING ON VACATION IS HARD WHEN YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW FAST YOU'RE GOING. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE A CLUSTER FOR THIS CAR IS $270. THEN PAY SOMEONE TO PUT IT IN. THERE ARE TOO MANY 2004 CAVALIERS HAVING THIS ISSUE FOR THIS TO NOT BE RECALLED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10386620March 6, 2011FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
FUEL PUMP FAILURE. ON MARCH 2ND 2011 I HAD A FUEL PUMP FAIL AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AFTER RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS VEHICLE WHICH IS A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER. THIS COULD RESULT IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR CAVALIER OWNERS SUCH AS MYSELF. IS THERE ANYTHING AT ALL THAT IS BEING DONE TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM? *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10384854February 28, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2004 CHEVY CAVALIER LS SPORT WHEN TURNING ON THE CAR THE SPEEDOMETER SHOOTS UP PAST 80MPH AT STANDSTILL. THIS OCCURS AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR. NEVER KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY SIT THERE AND COUNT. TAKES ABOUT 4 OR 5 DAYS BEFORE THE SPEEDOMETER MAKES ITS WAY BACK TO 0MPH. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10384195February 23, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND RPM GAUGE FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 04/15/11*LJ UPDATED 05/02/11
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10379224January 28, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. CONSUMER STATES TEMP GAUGE LOOSES ITS BEARINGS AND ENDS UP OVER IN THE SPEEDOMETER AREA AND SPEEDOMETER WILL NOT GO PASS 11 MPH *TGW
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10378619January 25, 2011FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
96,000 MILES FUEL PUMP FAILS WHILE SITTING IDLE IN DRIVE WAY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10377618January 17, 2011UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IN THE WINTER OF 2009, MY SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. AS I WOULD DECELERATE, MY SPEEDOMETER WOULD MAINTAIN POSITION AT THE LAST HIGHEST SPEED AND UPON ACCELERATION, THE NEEDLE WOULD INCLINE AGAIN FROM THAT POINT. THIS PATTERN REPEATS ITSELF UNTIL THE NEEDLE COMPLETELY CIRCLES AROUND PAST 110 MPH TO GET ITSELF STUCK ON THE PLASTIC PORTION BELOW THE SPEEDOMETER. FORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T OCCUR OFTEN THAT WINTER; HOWEVER THE NEXT WINTER IT WAS A CONSTANT OCCURRENCE, SO MUCH SO THAT I BEGIN TO NAVIGATE SPEED BASED ON RPM. THIS WINTER, THAT IS OF NO USE BECAUSE BOTH MY SPEEDOMETER AND RPM GAUGES ARE MALFUNCTIONING AS WELL AS MY GAS GAUGE. IT SEEMS THAT ONCE THE VEHICLE IS WARM, THEY BEGIN TO FUNCTION ONCE AGAIN BUT IT IS NECESSARY TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND CONTINUOUSLY TURN THE KEY WITHOUT IGNITING THE STARTER FOR THE GAUGES TO RETURN TO NORMAL POSITION A FEW NOTCHES AT A TIME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALERSHIPS TO HAVE THE UNDERCARRIAGE WASHED AT A CAR WASH BUT WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT I MAY HAVE TO REPLACE MY DASHBOARD MODULE/CLUSTER BY A GENTLEMAN WHO HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES. I HOPE THIS CORRECTS MY ISSUE BUT IT WOULD SEEM THAT, WITH SO MANY CAVALIER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES, A SOLUTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN REACHED BY NOW. IT TAKES CONSIDERABLE TIME, COST, AND PATIENCE TO HANDLE THESE MALFUNCTIONS WHEN THE DEALERSHIPS THEMSELVES CAN NOT PROVIDE THEIR CUSTOMERS INSIGHT ON SUCH A COMMON ISSUE .
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10376981January 17, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTION 1MONTH AGO, WENT HALF WAY TO THE RIGHT OF FULL UPON FILL UP, HAVE BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF GAS BY TRIP MILES.THIS FUEL GAUGE IS HALTING THE TEMP GAUGE FROM RISING TO NORMAL. TODAY 1/17/11 STARTED CAR THIS MORNING AND SPEED GAUGE IS POINTING STRAIGHT DOWN TO STEERING WHEEL. PROCEEDED TO DRIVE 8 MINUTES TO WORK ALL THE TIME THE DASH WAS GOING CRAZY THE MILEAGE SPOT HAD THE WORD ERROR ON IT,& EVERY LIGHT WAS ON, THE DASHBOARD- ALL OF THEM. APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SOMETIME WITH THIS CAR. GM IS AWARE AND DOING NOTHING.I HAVE FOUND OUT BY LOOKING IT UP ON THE INTERNET TONIGHT. THROUGH MY RESEARCH IM GUESSING I NEED A DASH CLUSTER AT THE COST OF 500.00. I FEEL A SPEEDOMETER SHOULD LAST FOR AT LEAST 10 YRS, MY CAR IS 6YRS OLD. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND HAVE FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10374119January 4, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY WIFE'S 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER HAS A WRONG SPEEDOMETER INDICATION. IT SAYS THE CAR IS GOING 60 MPH WHILE NOT BEING MOVED AT ALL. WHEN THE CAR REACHES HIGH SPEEDS AT THE FREEWAY IT SAYS THE CAR IS GOING AT 120 MPH AND HITS THE TOP OF THE GAUGE. THE OIL TEMPERATURE INDICATION ALSO SHOWS 190 DEGREES WITH ENGINE NOT RUNNING, AND WITH ENGINE RUNNING IT GOES TO RED BAND INDICATION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10374445January 3, 2011UNKNOWN OR OTHER
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER UNRELIABLE. SPEEDOMETER STICKS/STOPS WORKING/JUMPS. GAS GAUGE QUIT WORKING. RPM GAUGE JUMPS OR DROPS AT RANDOM. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2004 GM PICKUPS/SUVS I DO BELIEVE...WHY NOT THE CAR? I'VE SEEN COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF OTHERS' CAVALIER'S WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10372427December 26, 2010ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LS WITH 36,531 MILES ON IT. YESTERDAY, I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR AND HAD "NO SPEEDOMETER" FUNCTION ---------- THE NEEDLE JUST SAT ON "0 MPH" NO MATTER WHAT SPEED I DROVE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE ALSO READ OF THE MANY HUNDREDS OF REPORTED FAILURES OF THE SAME KIND CONCERNING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IN THESE AND MANY OTHER GM PRODUCTS BUILT DURING THE YEARS 2000 THROUGH 2005. WHY ARE THE TRUCKS/ SUV'S INSTRUMENT PANEL PROBLEMS A RECALL AND THE DOCUMENTED PROBLEMS OF THE CAVALIER (FOR THE SAME YEARS) NOT A RECALL? IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE RELATIVE COST OF EACH VEHICLE PLAYS A PART IN YOUR DECISION AND POSSIBLY THE END OF THE MANUFACTURING RUN OF CAVALIERS IN 2005 HAS SKEWED YOUR JUDGMENT. I FIND THIS INSTRUMENT PANEL PROBLEM A SERIOUS DRIVING CONCERN FOR ALL WHO SHARE THE ROAD. I ALSO HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS A SUGGESTION FROM THE GM DEALERS THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THE "OLD GM" ARE NOT THE PROBLEMS OF THE "NEW GM (2009). SINCE MY TAXES PAY YOUR SALARY TO KEEP ME SAFE (WITHOUT BIAS) AND MY TAXES AND FUTURE EARNINGS MAKE ME A SHAREHOLDER OF THE OLD/NEW GM, IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT THIS BIG PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED BETWEEN THE PARTIES BECAUSE WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME SIDE AND IN THE SAME FAMILY. SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT DECLARING THIS A "RECALL" FOR THE CAVALIER INSTRUMENT PANEL. I STILL HAVE THE CAR AND HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. I ALSO WILL NOT ALLOW MY FAMILY TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE ANY MORE AND I AM NOT SURE I WILL PAY THE APPROXIMATE $500.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS REMINDS ME OF THE LACK OF A RECALL FOR THE 3.4LITER V-6 MOTOR THAT I HAD IN MY 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS WITH ALL OF ITS ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS WITH HEAD AND INTAKE GASKETS..... I PAID THE $1,500.00 TO HAVE THE INTAKE GASKET REPLACED....... HOPE THE NEW GM GETS ITS ACT TOGETHER FAST........AS FOR ME I WILL BE SPENDING MY HARD-EARNED DOLLARS ON JAPANESE .
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10372222December 23, 2010EQUIPMENT
GAS GAUGE WENT HAYWIRE WHICH INTERFERED WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, WHICH INTERFERED WITH THE SPEEDOMETER. I HAVE SEEN OVER 1,000 COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE. GM NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. *LN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10370575December 14, 2010ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2004 CHEVY CAVALIER INSTRUMENT PANEL NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAS FLIPPED AND IS BLOCKING MY SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE FROM READING CORRECTLY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10369941December 10, 2010ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2004 CHEVY CAVALIER SPEEDOMETER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILS. SPEEDOMETER READS INCORRECT SPEED AND FAILS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS NOT KNOWING HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING, I RECEIVED A SPEEDING TICKET AS A RESULT. I REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WITH ONE FROM A JUNK YARD. THE PROBLEM IS TEMPORARILY FIXED. THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10367334November 23, 2010LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THE TRUNK LATCH ON MY CAVALIER WON'T LATCH. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS BROKE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE TRUNK LATCH ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO I RARELY USE MY TRUNK. ALSO THE DEFROST,VENT KNOB QUIT WORKING IT TURN BUT WON'T SWITCH TO DEFROST OR THE DIFFERENT VENT SETTINGS. THE CD PLAYER WON'T TAKE, OR PLAY CD'S. THERE WAS A FLY ON MY WINDSHIELD RIGHT AROUND A YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND I BARELY TAPPED THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL OVER. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0