Chevrolet Cavalier Complaints (1997)

540 consumer complaints on file.

#10042984October 15, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
MY 97 CHEVY CAVALIER HAS BLOWN THROUGH 3 HEAD GASKETS, 3 WATER PUMPS, 3 HEATER CORES AND 3 THERMOSTATS WITHIN THE 3 YEARS I'VE OWNED THE CAR DUE TO COOLANT LEAKAGE OUT OF A PLACE THAT NO MECHANIC CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT. ALSO, THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN THE CAR IS IN IDLE AT RANDOM TIMES. I'VE BEEN STUCK LATE AT NIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE COLD WITH MY INFANT DAUGHTER SEVERAL TIMES AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042574October 8, 2003
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
LOSS OF STEERING AND AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BEFORE VEHICLE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH ANYTHING. REGARDING JANNIE WELCH.*MR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND WAS REPAIR BY THE DEALER ON OCT. 7, 1998. THE VEHICLE TAPE PLAYER SOUNDED GARBLED AND THE SPEAKERS WERE NOT VERY LOUD. THE HORN WIRE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. A LEAKING SEAL WITHIN THE POWER STEERING SHAFT CAUSED A WHINING SOUND. (BRADLEY BANKS ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). *NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10041918September 29, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PLASTIC SLIDE ON THE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE CRACKED AND BROKE. THE SEAT BELTS CANNOT BE USED TO SECURE A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE REAR OF VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10040505September 24, 2003
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
CONSUMER NOTICED A POPPING NOISE WHILE TRAVELING 5-10 MPH, VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL DID A 360* TURN WHILE STILL TRAVELING , AND VEHICLE LOST ALL STEERING. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED PROBLEM WAS DUE TO STEERING RACK IN PINION FAILURE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038751September 12, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
MY IGNITION SWITCH RECALL IS A PROBLEM AND THE RECALL NOTICE SAYS THAT THE INTERNAL PARTS OS THE SWITCH WILL MELT IF HELD TOO LONG IN THE START POSITION AND I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY SWITCH. I TOOK IT OFF AND APART AND FOUND THAT THE INTERNAL PARTS WERE MELTED AS IT SAYS IN THE NOTICE. MY NOTICE SAYS THAT THEY WERE TO TEST AND REPLACE THE SWITCH IF NECESSARY AS WELL AS PUT THE ADDITION TO THE CIRCUIT AND I DID NOT GET A NEW SWITCH PLEASE ADVISE AS WHAT TO DO. ALL I WOULD LIKE IS MY SWITCH REPLACED. I CALLED THE CHEVROLET 800 CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER AND I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY HELP. THANK YOU TED L HOWARD 714-630-3844 *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038534September 9, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
O-RING INJECTOR LEAKED GAS, AND GAS FUMES ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE O-RINGS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10032348August 29, 2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED OR INSURED FOR ROAD SAFETY DUE TO SAFETY DEFECTS.*MR VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT BEFORE PURCHASE AND WAS NOT REPORTED. *TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033157August 20, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEATBELT BUCKLE PLASTIC PIECE FELL-OFF.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031636July 30, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
ON APRIL 23, 2003 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR TWO RECALLS. THE FIRST WAS RECALL 02V070000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH. THE SECOND WAS RECALL 02V286000 CONCERNING POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY. AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, DEALER DID DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE THE RECALL REPAIRS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042033July 26, 2003
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
SAFETY RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT. *MR CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARING IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED BETWEEN JANUARY 1,1996 AND OCTOBER 31,1997 THAT COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARING TO ESCAPE. SO THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR DEFECTIVE PARTS BROUGHT BEFORE THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *CB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029150July 25, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
KNOCKING NOISE KEEPS GETTING LOUDER. HAPPENS ALL TIME HAPPENS MORE WHEN SPEEDING UP.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029139July 24, 2003
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP, STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHEN MY CAR FIRST STARTED ACTING UP, THE STEERING WOULD KIND OF HANG WHEN TURING TO THE LEFT. I AM NOT A MECHANIC SO I THOUGHT IT WAS THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT. I CHANGED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH HELPED IT SOME. ABOUT TWO DAYS LATER MY FRIEND AND I WERE GOING TO SCHOOL, WHILE GOING AROUND A CURVE TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL HUNG AGAIN. I THOUGHT IT WOULD STRAIGHTEN BACK OUT BUT I WAS WRONG. THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT SENDING US OFF THE ROAD RIGHT INTO A TREE AT ABOUT 30 M\P\H. MY FRIEND SUFFERED AN INJURY TO HIS HIP AND HAD TO HAVE SURGERY. MY CAR WAS TOTALED BECAUSE OF SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I NEVER GOT THE RECALL STATEMENT AND HAVE YET TO. GM HAS NOW SAID THEY WILL NOT COMPINSATE ME OR MY FRIEND FOR DAMAGES SUSTAINED.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10028950July 23, 2003
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION FAILURE. WHILE TURNING ONTO THE INTERSTATE MY 17 YEAR OLDS 1997 CHEVY CAVALIER STEERING LOCKED, MAKIING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT. FORTUNATELY SHE ONLY GRAZED THE GAURD RAIL BUT THIS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A FATAL FAILURE. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10028497July 17, 2003
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THE COMPRESSER ON MY 1997 WENT OUT, THE PEOPLE THAT TOOK A LOOK AT IT SAID THAT IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE SHAFT, AND THAT WHOLE UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. HOW LONG SHOULD A COMPRESSER LAST IN A CAR. THANK YOU. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026762July 8, 2003
STEERING:COLUMN
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING AND MAKING A LEFT TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN LEFT, CAUSING VEHICLE TTO RAVEL TO THE RIGHT AND RUN INTO A TREE. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023332June 18, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. IT ONLY HAD LESS THEN EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE BLEW UP .I WAS TOLD THE REASON WHY WAS BECAUSE IT HAD A DEFECTIVE ROD IN IT. I HAVE ALL THE PARTS ECT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A DEFECT IN THE METAL IT GOES ALL THE WAY THREW THE ROD. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH A NEW CAR WOULD BLOW UP . I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF THAT CAR I HAD TO FIX SOME THINGS THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IS A JOKE OUT HERE THEY ARE WORTHLESS THY MISTREATED ME TOO. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO OR SOMEONE CAN DO ABOUT THIS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH DENISE BOOZER P.S. THAT'S APPR DATE WHEN IT HAPPENED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022930June 12, 2003
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021510June 12, 2003
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, SUSPENSION
THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL WHEN MANEUVERING A TURN. ALSO MY WATER PUMP HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR. MY FINAL COMPLAINT IS THAT WHEN I TRY AND START MY VEHICLE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS START WHEN HOLDING IT IN THE START POSITION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022601June 6, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
BUMPER CAME OFF ABOUT A MONTH AGO. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020932June 2, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1997 CAVALIER=HEAD GASKET BECAME WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED=$900. THERMOSTAT REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE, WATER PUMP REPLACED TWICE. CAR RETURNED TO DEALER EVERY THREE TO SIX MONTHS FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM INVOLVING OVERHEATING AND COOLANT LEAKS. PROBLEM CONTINUALLY REOCCURS, EVEN AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEEMED FINALLY REPAIRED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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