Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 9702019774T | 02/01/1997 | 52933 | Various information regarding overnight cold soak conditions. *yc | 11/13/1997 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||||
| 010602012 | 12/01/2001 | 628890 | Some owners may comment on leakage of a few drops of coolant after parking their vehicle. *tt | 03/21/2002 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 676204 | 12/01/1996 | 50564 | Coolant loss, visible coolant leakage, low coolant lamp on or coolant odor caused by coolant leakage. *tw | 05/27/1997 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 00010 | 05/01/2000 | 613584 | Some customers may experience a failure of the cylinder head gasket leading to external coolant leaks from the cylinder head gasket to engine block joint. **mr | 07/25/2000 | |
| 98876121A | 04/01/1998 | 601058 | Vehicles may exhibit a clattering noise at idle speed originating from the timing chain and front cover area. *yc | 06/24/1998 | |
| 776001 | 07/01/1997 | 52935 | Information concerning engine knock/rattle or tap noise before engine has reached operating temperature or under light load conditions at operating temperature (replace piston and/or rod assemblies). ak | 11/13/1997 | |
| 970501776109 | 05/01/1997 | 53011 | Exhibiting diagnostic trouble codes p0300, p0301, p0302, p0303, and p0304 indicating engine misfire conditions. *yc | 11/06/1997 | |
| 776109 | 04/01/1997 | 52596 | Engine stall at cold start, rough idle, oil filter expansion, high oil pressure and engine misfire dtc's (replace oil pump with improved press relief valve bore). *tw | 08/21/1997 | |
| 776001 | 03/01/1997 | 51302 | Knock, rattle or tap noise from the engine before the engine has reached operating temperature or under light load conditions at operating temperature knock, rattle or tap noise from the engine before the engine has reached operating | 06/27/1997 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 99088A | 04/27/2000 | 613594 | Voluntary emission campaign involving vehicles exhibiting symptons resulting in the illumination of the check engine light or the engine running rough. **mr | 07/25/2000 | |
| 99088A | 04/01/2000 | 612668 | Vehicles exhibit symptoms resulting in the illumination of the check engine light or the engine running rough (inspection, clean/replace and seal pcm, and install protective pcm shield assembly). *mjs | 06/12/2000 | |
| 99088REV | 04/07/2000 | 99088 | 612655 | Information regarding additional corrections from privious campaign 99088, conditions that concern rough running engine and check engine light illumination. mjs | 06/09/2000 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 636604C | 09/01/1998 | 63-66-04B | 603835 | Comments that a metallic noise or cold rap heard on cold exhaust system. *tt | 03/08/1999 |
| 98636604B | 06/01/1998 | 63-66-04A | 601911 | Comments that a metallic noise on cold exhaust systems. *tt | 08/28/1998 |
| 98636604A | 04/01/1998 | 601051 | Some owners may comment that a metallic noise or | 06/24/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||||
| 676528 | 12/01/1996 | 50565 | Intermittent diagnostic trouble code p0107 map sensor circuit low voltage (pcm flash calibration) *tw | 05/27/1997 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 12/16/2011 | 158721 | ||
| There's alot of stuff wrong with this car. it ran good and is reliable when running,but recently stop running. | |||
| 12/05/2011 | 17035 | ||
| I replaced the battery on my 1996 chevrolet cavalier 2.4l with manual transmission about 3 days ago. today as i was driving to get gas the vehicle started to idle low as if it was not getting enough fuel to the engine. as i came to a stop it got worse and then i check the dash for any indication of malfunction only to see my airbag, check engine, abs, check oil & battery lights flickering. moments later as i shift into 3rd gear it dies rendering all safety and normal operation of the vehicle nearly impossible. i had to call a friend to jump me 3 more times before reaching my home which was less than a mile away! | |||
| 05/06/2008 | 220000 | 1 | |
| I am the owner of a 1996 4 door, 2.2 liter chevrolet cavalier automobile that has a faulty timing belt tensioner. the tensioner went and the timing belt skipped, thus causing major damage to the vehicle engine. this vehicle flaw is well documented in some car review magazines. *tr | |||
| 09/01/1999 | 1 | 09/01/1999 | |
| The engine/car turned off and looses all power while driving.. causing a very dangerous problem. without reason this car turns off and looses power while fully engaged in drive, this leaves me the driver without power in the middle of various intersections and main streets...very scary. *tr | |||
| 09/11/2007 | 93309 | 1 | 03/15/2007 |
| Blown head gasket vehicle over heating, nothing has been done to repair issue; head gasket recall. the vehicle is running very badly even though a complete tune up has been done; fuel system recall suspension making lots of noise; rear suspension recall. *tr | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 142000 | ||
| July 2002 manual transaxle leak- replaced left and right seals; march 2003, left seal replaced; october 2003 right seal replaced. october 2003, low coolant light comes on when driving up hills in 2nd or 3rd gear and sometimes on flats- same gears. dealer claims that there is an antifreeze leak and that the head gasket is blown, meanwhile i took it in for the leaking transaxle- i can't win. | |||
| 11/15/2003 | 63871 | ||
| Driving down the road, motor stops running and i lost all power both steering and electrical. got it to the side of the road. waited 2 minutes and started it back up it was fine. only did this 2 times within a week period. engine idle rough since i purchased it in 1998. took it in and they said they could not find anything. came back several times they essentially said thay could do nothing thats just how they run. motor surges and lags after start up. regardless of temperature. push pedal motor bogs down and then it will take off. replaced almost every sensor under the hood problem is still present. battery took a dump at almost 4 years. engine spun #3 and #4 bearings on a cold start up. they advised me that i needed a water pump at the same time.pass power window was always slow. replaced approx mid 2002 rear suspension clunks and sounds like it has lumber in the trunk. wheel studs snap easily as i have replace approximately 10. rear brakes drag and grab even after replacement. front brakes wear excessively. rubber muffler hanger wears out. replaced 2 times. | |||
| 02/09/2004 | 5 | 04/01/1996 | |
| The vehicle stalled causing the driver to pull off the road. *ak the trunk would lock without the remote entry, the check engine light flickered and the vehicle would not start. *sc *jb | |||
| 01/16/2003 | 94000 | 1 | 08/11/2002 |
| Over heating due to head gasket/ thermostat problems.*jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 101710 | 1 | 07/12/2000 |
| Excessive coolant leakage from under car. car heats up, causing to pullover constantly to get the car to cool down. seems to be a head gasket problem. *ak | |||
| 06/05/2003 | 2 | 01/05/2003 | |
| Car suddenly leaked coolant, engine temp was reading hot on dash. thought problem was related to a stuck thermostat, replaced thermostat and coolant. belt starts slipping a couple weeks later, and engine light comes on. in the process of replacing radiator, water pump, and belt. *nlm | |||
| 09/05/2001 | |||
| 8/28/98 recall airbags--7/20/01 water pump replaced--9/5/01 stabilizer link replaced--horn works sometimes | |||
| 01/22/2002 | 1 | ||
| Customer requested to have the the water pump, serpentine belt and coolant replaced, dealer found the water pump to be leaking.*tt | |||
| Vehicle is overheating. while driving to keep vehicle from overheating has to turn fan on for air conditioning. dealer contacted. *ak | |||
| 10/17/1996 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| After listening to a squeek noise from trunk area proceed to a clunking noise, i took vehicle in for service. was advised by dealer that rear strut and it's mount had failed requiring both to be replaced at a cost of over $800. i feel the failure of this assembly to be a manufacturers defect. muffler failed prematurely. water pump failed prematurley. starting to think 1996 cavalier was not engineered very well. | |||
| 07/04/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1999 | |
| Cylinder head gasket blew while driving. dealer said this was covered under a recall, but water pump failed because of gasket, but wouldn't cover the pump. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 3 | 07/01/1997 | |
| The water keeps leaking from the weep hole and there was no fault of mine or preventive maintenance that i could of done. due to the location of the water pump (under the exhaust manifold) the repair is very expensive (approximately $800.00). *ak | |||
| 11/02/1998 | 2 | 03/01/1996 | |
| Upper radiator hose failed, coolant pipe failed and leaked. *mjs | |||
| 04/02/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Contacted dealership on recall #c00010, dealer agreed to pay part of repairs and not all. would not pay for dealership charges on pressure testing cooling system even though dealership required it.... | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 1 | 05/01/1997 | |
| I first noticed the coolant light on at low speeds and when i turned corners. the light never stayed on for more than a few seconds, then i took the vehicle into the dealer to get some recall work completed and they told me that a gasket connecting to my water pump has a slow leak. my brother has a 1997 cavalier z24 and has the same exact problem. i hope you can get something done so others dont have the same problem. thank you. *ak | |||
| 05/04/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Feb 2000 i replaced a faulty water pump continued to have slow coolant leak...may 2000 head gasket was found to be bad.no recall and extended warranty was .....not purchased buy the extended warranty is what i recommend. *ak | |||
| 12/16/1999 | 2 | 06/01/1999 | |
| Knocking noise near trunk area, burning smell constantly, panel lights always show something wrong, ets off light blinking, tilt sticks, horn defective, don't start in warm weather,popping noise in rear side, coolant leaks, power steering hoses had to be replaced because they burned up and leaked fluid onto exhaust system, window rattles when coming down, window not aligned right air comes through on both sides,alarm doesn't work 85% of the time even with new batteries, nothing but problems since june 1, 1999. | |||
| 03/23/1999 | 3 | ||
| Vehicle bought w/bad water pump which was leaking badly. brakes in rear were making metal to metal noise & were slushy. when vehicle was driven any great distance & then stoppped, it would overheat & then stall out. hard to restart. odometer numbers not even & out of sync. water hose is leaking. *ak | |||
| 09/01/1998 | 12/01/1996 | ||
| Coolant loss, low coolant light, coolant leak odor. dealership mechanic verifed that it is leaking and damaging the head gasket. he also told me that the 95 cavalier have this problem on recall. my car was manufactured 11/95, has the same head gasket as the 95, but chevrolet will not pay to fix it. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - HOSE | |||
| 11/02/1998 | 2 | 03/01/1996 | |
| Upper radiator hose failed, coolant pipe failed and leaked. *mjs | |||
| 05/27/1999 | |||
| Radiator hose rubs against the battery metal which causes a hole in the hose and a radiator leakage. this may potentially cause a fire. dealer replaced radiator hose, and put a hard plastic over the hose so it won't cause a hole. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 11/24/2003 | 60714 | 15 | 10/30/1997 |
| Head gasket on my 1996 chevrolet cavalier. we couldn't figure out why the vehicle would continue to stall , after placing nearly $800.00 worth of new parts in vehicle, changing several alternators and starters, from the ingnition swith recall. i had taken to a mechanic and found out the car had a blown head gasket. which, apparently there is a recall on other cavaliers, although not with my vin number. i have called gm motors and they want me to have the car diagnosised at their dealership, costing $100-$200. and now having to spend $400-$600 on another defect from these recalls, is really frustrating my family, espically my husband. we don't have the extra money to keep placing in this vechile, i'm a full time student with a 2 year old son and work only part time. i need a reliable car. i can't spend more money at the dealership and not have a guarentee that they wouldn' fix this part. i know that all the people i have spoken to in school,work and out any where else, hospital for clinicals will not purchase any gm motors vechiles, due to them not wanting to go through this themselves and how i've been unfairly treated by this manufactor. all i want is for this to be resolved. thank you.*ak | |||
| 11/18/2003 | 60680 | 30 | 10/30/1997 |
| Engine failure- stalling at high/low speeds. no steering,brakes, very frightening!! already spent enormous amounts of money at mechanics to find problem. probably another recall on vehicle. almost becoming many accidents due to this problem. *la | |||
| 08/01/2003 | 1 | 07/01/2001 | |
| While driving at 55 mph, the engine died. there was no power steering or brakes and the consumer was to pull over. the dealer inspected the vehicle and could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak the service dealer could not duplicate the problem. *sc *jb | |||
| 07/31/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated while driving the vehicle at 55mph, it shut off. there was a loss of power steering and brakes which caused the consumer to pull off the road. two dealers inspected the vehicle several times and could not duplicate or correct the problem. please provide any further information. *ph | |||
| 06/16/2003 | 39500 | 1 | 03/15/1996 |
| Fuel pump seal disintegrated. cost $1,081.00 (including 3 day car rental). earlier this year there was a recall on the steering column and i wound up paying an additional $600 for other defects not covered by the recall. think that this and many additional problems on this car constitute it being a lemon. more than 5 recalls in 7 years. *nlm | |||
| 06/24/2003 | 0 | 1 | |
| The antifreeze is leaking onto the head gasket area of my car. antifreeze has been refilled every week due to this problem. after having the problem looked at by a mechanic, i became aware that this could lead to the head gaskets being blown. *jb | |||
| The engine stalled while driving at highway speeds. *nlm | |||
| 02/21/2003 | 1 | ||
| The head gasket failed. *jb | |||
| 10/31/2001 | 1 | 12/01/2096 | |
| Another cavalier with a failed head gasket that chevrolet refuses to acknowledge. good thing i put off buying that 2003. the neon is looking better every day. mr | |||
| 05/15/2002 | |||
| While driving at highway speed of 55-60 mph vehicle started to run rough and cut off. dealer contacted, and informed of a blown head gasket on the 2.4l engine. feel free to provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 06/26/1998 | 1 | ||
| Engine was idling very high and using a lot of fuel, dealer replaced a faulty 02 censor, on a separate occasion the oil pressure was excessive causing valves to stay open, the oil pan and oil pump was replaced.*jb | |||
| 06/18/1999 | 2 | 09/01/1997 | |
| 06/99 blown head gasket, timing chain, minor valve damage, replace whole top part of engine. 10/01 motor mounts replaced due to minor oil leak, advised to keep eye on leak, will fix if gets worse. 01/02 oil leak worse , replaced head gasket and starter. 02/02 ignition wires smoking, replaced ignition wires, fried starter and cylinod. 03/02 (55243 miles,) engine pulling in air from bad head gasket or cracked engine and is spitting out antifreeze from engine. dealership is stilling determining exact problem. chevrolet customer service will not acknowledge head gasket problems. need a major recall. *ak | |||
| While driving head gasket leaks oil, also low coolant light illuminates on dash. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 06/26/1998 | 1 | ||
| Engine was idling very high and using a lot of fuel, dealer replaced a faulty 02 censor, on a separate occasion the oil pressure was excessive causing valves to stay open, the oil pan and oil pump was replaced.*jb | |||
| 07/04/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1999 | |
| Cylinder head gasket blew while driving. dealer said this was covered under a recall, but water pump failed because of gasket, but wouldn't cover the pump. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2000 | |||
| Head gasket blewout. also, engine is overheating and the coolant is leaking fluid. consumer noted there was a tsb listed for this vehicle for same type of problem. please provide any further details. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| The head gasket blew while the vehicle was stopped, the check engine light was illuminated for 2 years. nlm | |||
| 11/09/1999 | 1 | ||
| Consumer had head gasket repair on the vehicle prior to receiving the manufacturer's recall, consumer is requesting full reimbursement, chevrolet will not reimburse her fully due to the repair work not being done at a dealer. *slc | |||
| 06/01/2000 | 1 | 04/01/2000 | |
| I have talked to many people about this car and they all say it is common for this car to blow head gaskets. i paid $7000for this car it shouldn't have cost another $801to keap it on the road at 56.5k miles. if it is this common there should be a rembersment (recall )on it.. i also have a ti. *ak | |||
| 06/07/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1996 | |
| Valve cover gasket failed. *mjs | |||
| 11/01/1999 | 1 | 03/01/1996 | |
| Both transmission and engine mounts failed. *mjs | |||
| 07/14/2000 | 0 | ||
| Head gasket was leaking oil. it was around the engine where a technician believed there was a head blown head gasket.*ak | |||
| 05/31/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1996 | |
| I have researched on this site, consumer reports, consumer corner, etc. and have found a number of 1996 chevrolet cavaliers have had cylinder head gasket problems. my extended warranty lasted through 100,000 miles. if i had known that this was a reoccurring problem, i might have been able to keep it from occurring. gm/chevrolet has asked the dealership to give me a discount. the dealership has refused due to the mileage on my vehicle being approximately 500 miles over the required 100,000 miles. six (6) days after the incident i received a letter from chevrolet stating that my vehicle experiences this problem and that they would pay for the repairs up to seven (7) years and 100,000 miles. i think this is very convenient. the letter is dated may, 2000. two weeks earlier i was still within the 100,000 mile limit. i have given the dealership permission to fix my vehicle, but i am afraid to pay for the repairs before some type of agreement is reached. unfortunately, gm/chevrolet is not interested in helping me. *ak | |||
| 05/31/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1996 | |
| Vehicle had functioned properly for approximately 35 miles after being picked up from the dealership for an unrelated problem. the coolant light came on, went off, then came on again and stayed on 2 miles before i reached my home. i pulled into the driveway, turned the engine off and heard a noise under the hood. i could not see any problem when i popped the hood, but fluid had begun to puddle under my vehicle that was green in color. the puddle increased in size quickly. it seemed to be the water pump. after finding that the dealership and extended warranty would not help with the cost of a water pump, the car was towed to a auto repair shop that fixes water pumps. the auto repair shop called and said the true problem is a cylinder head gasket. the car was towed to another auto repair shop that cannot get to it until next week. in the meantime, this problem has occurred in other cavaliers and should be covered by a recall by the dealership. the dealership is closed at this time, but i have left a message for the service department to call me. *ak | |||
| 05/04/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Feb 2000 i replaced a faulty water pump continued to have slow coolant leak...may 2000 head gasket was found to be bad.no recall and extended warranty was .....not purchased buy the extended warranty is what i recommend. *ak | |||
| 05/11/2000 | |||
| Consumer was traveling about 25mph while coming out of a parking lot. she was hearing popping noises. consumer ran over a bump, and motor fell out of vehicle's hood area. *ak | |||
| 04/07/2000 | 10/07/1996 | ||
| Vehicle was taken to dealer shop for a manufacturer's recall repairs, and was informed of a blown engine head gasket. *ak | |||
| 04/05/2000 | 0 | ||
| While driving struck a deer on the road. then checked under hood, where anti-freeze was leaking from engine head gasket without prior warning. *ak | |||
| 03/20/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| Head gasket diagnosed to be leaking coolant into engine and in need of replacement according to palanker chevrolet in west babylon n.y. vehicle known to have gasket problems on this particular engine in 1995 cavaliers and 1996 cavaliers according to other chevrolet dealers( ie, dobler chevrolet, hemstead n.y) and believe that gm should issue a recall or good will assistance. i am very disalussioned by the fact that the dealer i brought my car into to be repaired says that it is normal for this milage and year and that chevrolet will not pay for repairs or offer any assistance.. i have spoken to chevrolet customer assistance and have not received any help or enlightenment regarding my problem, instead iu have been shoved aside and ignored. i have had many other problems within the first three years of ownership that have no explainable answer as to way they occurred buit yet have had parts replaced continuously under the factory warranty. i am thoroughly disgusted with this lemon of a car and this is the final straw!!! please help me in any way possible with my unfortunate circumstance and contact me when possible. thank you very much in advance :)*ak | |||
| 08/01/1997 | |||
| Engine head gasket/struts/starter/transmission/ dome light/ paint/,muffler/seats and abs brakes have all gone badly at least once, and some have been replaced twice and are bad again. dealer was notified several times, but refused to check or replace. no longer doing business with them due to the service. i have been having to pay for all of the services. *ak | |||
| 01/24/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| In 53000 miles: spontaneous airbag deployment, computer failure, valve train failure. | |||
| Due to a defective design engine cylinder gasket is leaking at 17,000 miles. cause is unknown. *ak | |||
| 12/03/1999 | 0 | ||
| S while driving on the road vehicle died out, causing the consumer to almost become involved in an auto collision. *ak | |||
| 12/20/1998 | 4 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Engine head gasket failure. sought assistance from 3 different service centers. was told not to worry about it until part was completely failed. first contact was when car was under warranty. *ak | |||
| 07/14/1999 | |||
| Engine head gasket is leaking anti-freeze. contacted dealer and manufacturer. *ak | |||
| 06/22/1999 | |||
| Vehicle experienced problem with engine head gaskets and valves covers gasket failure within 40,000 miles of wear; consumer believed this condition is due to mfr. defects. and consumer would like nhtsa to provide addtional information or help in this matter. | |||
| 1 | |||
| Head gasket blown. | |||
| 05/13/1999 | 1 | 12/01/1996 | |
| Coolant light came on and coolant was added. four days later, when oil change car was checked for leak. dealer said that the head gasket needed to be replaced. owner contacted dealer and manufacturer. | |||
| 05/06/1999 | 1 | 11/01/1995 | |
| I took the car in for an oil leak and found out that it had a blown head gasket and a cracked head. *ak | |||
| 12/16/1998 | |||
| Fuel pump went out/oil pressure valve blew up and oil is all over/computer system shut down, and rack and pinion steering went out. dealer contacted and is aware of the problem. problems not yet remedied. provide further information. *ak | |||
| 12/29/1998 | 3 | 04/05/1996 | |
| Head gasket failed several times causing vehicle to overheat, one incident destroyed water pump. | |||
| 12/28/1998 | |||
| While driving at 45 mph and without prior warning engine head gasket blew out , causing vehicle to overheat. consumer had to pull to the side of the road. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1996 | 04/26/1996 | ||
| Intermittent clicking engine noise due to defective pistons that were manufactured in some vehicle swith 2.2l engines. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1996 | 1 | 08/06/1996 | |
| Engine oil leak. | |||
| 0 | |||
| The consumer took the car to the dealership about 4 times for the same problem which is an oil leak around the gasket. dealership replaced oil pan and gasket. still has the problem. the oil leak is causing damage to the car engine due to improper service. *ak | |||
| 05/30/1996 | 1 | 04/08/1996 | |
| Oil leak. | |||
| 05/30/1996 | 1 | 04/08/1996 | |
| Gaskets failed. | |||
| 03/24/1996 | 4 | 03/05/1996 | |
| Purchased car in march 96, the strut was replaced about four times . *ak consumer also experienced a tire blow out, dealer advisded her there was nothing they could do, because tire blow out was due to some type of object that punctured tire, also air condition went out twice, starter was replaced, torque convertor replaced, and a recall on piston pin, consumer feels that manufacturer should take some type of responsbiilty since this a brand new vehicle.*jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 04/14/2004 | 134000 | 1 | 06/09/1996 |
| 134,000 miles on chevrolet cavalier, stalled on road-timing chain broken but this is a secondary problem to loss of compression. previous recall on this?. *ak | |||
| 12/17/2003 | 100 | 40 | 09/23/2003 |
| I purchased a 1996 chevrolet cavalier ls from advanced care care inc in orlando florida 9-23-03 this car is a lemon. list of problems with it (was sold to me telling me nothing was wrong with it ). *ak problems ive paid to fix so far engine replaced head job (blown head gasket) 02 sensor twice ecm computer twice coil pack- 3 times icm 5 times engine strut transmount front engine mount brakes rotors main rod bearings catalytic convertor they are now saying it needs another engine that the crankshaft is bad , it is pouring out oil, i cant go past 3 rpms it has sudden acceleration that has almost caused multiple accidents the car has a stalling problem as well which has almost costed me and my son our life. advanced car care inc (silverstar road) in orlando florida sold me this car notifying me nothing was wrong with it. i have already paid 7,000 dollars in repairs and the car is even more messed up than what it was. everytime i pay for something to be fixed something else wrong shows up... i took it to the chevrolet dealership and the mechanics were all shocked at this car. they sd the have never seen a car built this messed up before. the computer was shooting out 13 different codes. this is a lemon car. i need it fixed or replaced also s & s automotive in apopka florida charged me 1,515 in repairs which they never gave me a written quote or even on the phone. they lied to me about parts being new when they were used. they installed my catalytic convertor wrong as well. they did work and labor to the car and charged me for it without my concent.. when i went to pick up the car and i test drove it i was shocked that now the crank shaft is all of a sudden bad and it will cost me 2,000 there or 5,000 at the dealership. i am a single mom and i dont even have a dollar to my name right now. couldnt buy my son any gifts for christmas after paying all of these car bills and now im stuck with this lemon of a car . | |||
| 09/18/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2096 | |
| While driving approximately 5mph in heavy traffic the car engine cut out, with noindication of any problem. the mechanic from the chevrolet dealer where the car was regularly service could find no reason why the engine had failed. the diagnosis was: engine piston cracked, number 1 spark plug cracked and burn, spun rod in lifters causing car not to start, engine needs to be replaced. i was also advised that an engine replacement would be approximately $4,500. after consulting with another mechanic, i replaced the engine elsewhere. the mechanic there could not offer a explaination other than a defect for the engine failure. both mechanics noted how well the engine looked despite the failure. regular engine maintenence had always been done in a timely manner, and the car had clearly been driven abusively. ts | |||
| 09/03/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states that while vehicle was parked in garagae ,theirs was smoke coming form the front of the vehicle. vehicle was serviced , maybe smoke came for anti lock brakes or engine. cause still unknwown. | |||
| 05/02/2000 | 12/01/2095 | ||
| This was very expensive to fix and the dealer thought i should of expected it. no safety defect mentioned. *ak | |||
| 05/15/2002 | |||
| While driving at highway speed of 55-60 mph vehicle started to run rough and cut off. dealer contacted, and informed of a blown head gasket on the 2.4l engine. feel free to provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 05/15/2002 | |||
| 2.4l engine needed to be replaced because none of the instrument panel gauges show signs of trouble. dealer contacted. feel free to provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 03/18/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving vehicle started to overheat. consumer had a mechanic look at vehicle. mechanic stated that there was a leak in front end of engine. *ak *yh | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer states there is a loud clanking noise from engine area.*jb | |||
| 12/01/2000 | |||
| Head gasket blewout. also, engine is overheating and the coolant is leaking fluid. consumer noted there was a tsb listed for this vehicle for same type of problem. please provide any further details. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| The head gasket blew while the vehicle was stopped, the check engine light was illuminated for 2 years. nlm | |||
| 04/05/2001 | 08/01/1999 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 04/01/2000 | 1 | 08/08/1996 | |
| While driving or when turning at a light engine will stall without a prior warning. vehicle had been taken to dealer for repairs, but defect had not been found to be repaired.*ak pcm was replaced twice, fuel pump replaced, dealer cleaned throttle board, egr valve, and fuel injectors, vehicle still continues to stall. *slc | |||
| 01/06/2001 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| With regular scheduled oil changes, no oil leak present, engine made clacking noises while driving. taken to dealer for inspection and was told to replace entire engine. contacted manufacturer and had to authorize complete engine tear down ($1900) before they would come look at engine (no longer under warrenty). i'm waiting for further details, but have been told that the manufacturer will probably not help in fixing this problem.*ak | |||
| 04/12/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer noticed light on the temperature gauge flashing and steam pouring out from under the hood, dealer said engine was replaced due to the failure of the lower radiator hose, another mechanic says failure was due to the cylinder head gasket failure, consumer wants reimbursement. *slc | |||
| 05/20/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1996 | |
| When car was traveling at roughly 45 mph, car suddenly lost engine power, though still had electrical power. subsequent repair showed cam gear had broken, causing timing chain to break. this sent part through engine, damaging 3rd cylinder (valves coming unseated or damage to head). orig. part is plastic, replacement is metal. this resulted in repair charge of $1600+ to repair damage caused by inferior part. as vehicle is out of warranty, cust. forced to pay charge. *ak | |||
| 10/12/1998 | |||
| While driving there is a loud ticking noise coming from the engine, and the vehicle has been in the shop four timers for the same problem. dealer repaired the vehicle again,and the problem returned. consumer stated that someone tampered with the mileage in the vehicle. dealer stated that vehicle has not been moving. *ak | |||
| 11/09/1999 | 4 | 11/01/1996 | |
| When traveling at any speed vehicle will stall and cut without prior warning, also, dash lights are illuminated . consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced the computer chip. *ak | |||
| 08/25/1998 | 4 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Car stalls unexpectedly while driving. driver loses control. dealer can't seem to fix it correctly. failed again 10/30/99 | |||
| 02/11/1999 | 6 | 12/01/1998 | |
| The first problem with my cavalier was about 3 months after i bought the car. i was idling in a drive-thru when all the lights on the concole flashed and the car went dead. the car wouldn't restart. i pushed it to the side and waited a few minutes and tried again. i called a tow truck and several hours later, the tow truck arrived and at that time, the car started. i called taylor jeep (where i have a service contract) and they said it might have just been bad gas or the car overheating and to not worry about it since the car is running. four days later, i was driving on the expressway when the lights on the console flashed and the car lost all power including anit-lock brakes and powersteering. i coasted to the side of the road and the car wouldn't restart. i then called a tow truck and had the car towed to taylor jeep. after checking out the car, the services department couldn't find anything wrong. the car started fine. i explained that there was obviously something wrong if the car shut down, and to please continue looking. taylor jeep ended up replacing the starter?! on march 23, 1999, i was driving on the expressway, and again, the lights flashed on the console and the car lost all power. i pulled to the side of the road and the car wouldn't restart. i had the vehicle towed back to taylor jeep. this time they repaired the ignition switch in the steering column. then on march 31, 1999 while driving on the expressway, the exact same problem occured. i again had the car towed to taylor jeep. this time they didn't find anything to fix. i picked up the car after 5 days. after the last incident, i didn't have any problems with the car until october 20, 1999. while accelerating onto the expressway, going about 40mph, the lights flashed on the console and the car shut down. it restarted after about 20 minutes. i drove it to taylor jeep and this time they sent it to taylor chevrolet. after testing, they were unable to find anything wrong with the car. | |||
| When applying the brakes the vehicle stalls. dealer has seen vehicle 3 times in last month and cannot find a solution. *ak | |||
| 12/29/1998 | 4 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Engine shuts down without warning. has occured on four occasions. shut downs occur at various speeds. dealers has attempted to find problem with no sucess. | |||
| 11/13/1997 | 3 | 03/01/1996 | |
| Told common prob w/my car by dealer - gm not aware of this | |||
| While driving at highway speeds the vehicle began to lose power and eventually shut down completely, cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| When driving engine makes a loud knocking noise that increases when the accelerator is being applied. dealer says the vehicle needs a new engine. *ak | |||
| 8 | 09/21/1998 | ||
| While driving, the vehicle stops running without warning and will not start back up for a period of time. has had numerous component replaced but none corrected the problem. | |||
| Enigine started to make a loud knocking sound that eventually led to the blowing of the enigine. *ak | |||
| While driving the vehicle engine shuts down, causing the vehicle to stall. please provide details. *ak | |||
| 8 | 07/08/1996 | ||
| Front brake rotors/engine/muffler/converter/seat/horn/power steering hose and wheel bearings failed. | |||
| 03/04/1998 | |||
| Intermittently the vehicle will shut down . vehicle has beento the dealer for repairs several times. the dealer is unable to locate the problem. the manufacturer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 09/08/1996 | 4 | 06/04/1996 | |
| After vehicle has run for approximately 20-40 minutes, it begins to accelerate then the engine fails. | |||
| 09/01/1997 | 2 | ||
| Engine failed while in motion and would not restart. *ak | |||
| 1 | 01/01/1996 | ||
| Oil leak | |||
| 07/14/1997 | |||
| Consumer was driving vehicle approx. 20 mph when turning a coner the engine fell apart, (literally exploded). *ak | |||
| 12/01/1996 | 1 | 08/06/1996 | |
| Clicking noise from engine. | |||
| 04/14/1997 | 7 | ||
| Vehicle stalls without warning while driving, in for repairs, no problem found. *ak | |||
| 05/30/1996 | 1 | 04/08/1996 | |
| Engine failed. | |||
| 08/17/1996 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| While driving, the transmission shifted out of gear, causing vehicle to stall. *ak consumer was told that the clutch casing of the car was not welded, vehicle constantly makes a noise, engine stalled at 3000-3500 rpms. *slc | |||
| 02/17/1996 | 7 | ||
| Engine emitted smoke/fumes. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 10/01/1996 | |||
| While driving over wet or puddles the vehicle malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to stall, which almost caused an accident. dealer replace the serptine belt. problem reoccurring. been to dealer several times. dlr cannot determine problem. cause unknown. please provide details. *ak | |||
| When the car is driven through a puddle the serpentine belt gets wet, the vehicle cannot be steered, and the driver cannot control the vehicle. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 09/05/2010 | 226250 | ||
| I purchased a 1996 chev cavalier in 1999 and from the begining had problems with the check engine light continually on etc. from 1999 to sept 2010 - i took it to several chev dealers while it was under warrantey and they never fixed the problem completely and the lights remained on. i was told to put fuel injection cleaner in it by one car dealer of course that didnt work. years later and many repairs, engine rebuilt, thermostate replaced, water pumps, fans etc.. four catylatic convertors i still have the same problem - loss of power, car shutting off and leaving me in intersection, freeways etc.. causing a very dangerous situation, i have over these years become very frustrated the codes read o2 sensors, the cat convertor pieces fall apart easily causing very costly repairs because these defective parts clog the air flow causing overheating and loss of power, it should not be this difficult or costy to keep this car in repair order. cat convertors, sensors, head gaskets, seals, water pumps, sticking thermostats etc.. continually replaced and still the same on going problem with no hope of ever finally fixing this dangerous defective problem. | |||
| 11/15/2003 | 63871 | ||
| Driving down the road, motor stops running and i lost all power both steering and electrical. got it to the side of the road. waited 2 minutes and started it back up it was fine. only did this 2 times within a week period. engine idle rough since i purchased it in 1998. took it in and they said they could not find anything. came back several times they essentially said thay could do nothing thats just how they run. motor surges and lags after start up. regardless of temperature. push pedal motor bogs down and then it will take off. replaced almost every sensor under the hood problem is still present. battery took a dump at almost 4 years. engine spun #3 and #4 bearings on a cold start up. they advised me that i needed a water pump at the same time.pass power window was always slow. replaced approx mid 2002 rear suspension clunks and sounds like it has lumber in the trunk. wheel studs snap easily as i have replace approximately 10. rear brakes drag and grab even after replacement. front brakes wear excessively. rubber muffler hanger wears out. replaced 2 times. | |||
| 04/05/2002 | |||
| There is a burning smell in vehicle while driving. *ak | |||
| 01/25/1999 | 11/01/1998 | ||
| Contacted dealer and they advised of the evaporative purge solenoid and charcoal canister needed replacement as carbon monoxide was leaking. we have a warranty and they report it is not covered under the warranty. if gm had to replace the same parts in many of their other cars then why not this vehicle. the cadillacs, buicks, cutlass and over 400,000 vehicle they should recall this problem in the cavalier at no cost to the owner of the vehicle. we just purchased the vehicle a few months ago and purchased the warranty for 1,000.00. the dealer said it is not covered.my daughter purchased her first vehicle just a few months ago, and now it has a problem that they say she will needs to pay for. i think that this problem should be covered under the warranty we purchased and should be recalled just like the other vehicles were at no cost to the owner. thank you for taking time out of your busy day to answer our concerns. yvette hollis and aimee hollis. *ak | |||
| 1 | 04/21/1996 | ||
| Emmission control system failed. | |||
| 04/30/1998 | 1 | ||
| Water in air filter/plugs caused engine to backfire. | |||
| 01/16/1996 | 1 | 12/27/1995 | |
| Noise heard over bumps due to misaligned exhaust/heat shield. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 01/25/1999 | 11/01/1998 | ||
| Contacted dealer and they advised of the evaporative purge solenoid and charcoal canister needed replacement as carbon monoxide was leaking. we have a warranty and they report it is not covered under the warranty. if gm had to replace the same parts in many of their other cars then why not this vehicle. the cadillacs, buicks, cutlass and over 400,000 vehicle they should recall this problem in the cavalier at no cost to the owner of the vehicle. we just purchased the vehicle a few months ago and purchased the warranty for 1,000.00. the dealer said it is not covered.my daughter purchased her first vehicle just a few months ago, and now it has a problem that they say she will needs to pay for. i think that this problem should be covered under the warranty we purchased and should be recalled just like the other vehicles were at no cost to the owner. thank you for taking time out of your busy day to answer our concerns. yvette hollis and aimee hollis. *ak | |||
| 07/22/1996 | 1 | 03/23/1996 | |
| Oxygen sensor failed. (second vehicle on 601605) | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 09/01/1999 | 1 | 09/01/1999 | |
| Ets and check engine lift on all the time. from the time that i purchased the car these two lights remained on. the car would lose power while i was driving causing me to be left in the middle of intersections and traffic. i took the car back for repairs numerous times to the dealer and the seller and to various car repair places. but, no one was able to find the problem and repair it. a few years ago - i took my car for repairs to another chevorlet dealer and they told me that it was the catalytic converter. and that it would be cheaper to have it replaced tby someone other than a dealer. so, i took my car muffler repair and had it replaced (at a very expensive cost). the lights did not go off after the repair. i was told they had to be re set which they could not do. so, i took it to a car repair place and had the lights reset. it seemed to fix the problem. now, a year or so has gone by and the lights came back on. a few months later the car started to lose power again and i took it back to the muffler shop - they could find no problem . again i took it to a repair place and had the lights reset. at this time the lights have remain off, but the car still loses power off and on. *tr | |||
| The transmission cable runs against the catalytic converter. the catalatic converter got hot and caused the transmission cable to melt. the dealer will be notified. *ak | |||
| 8 | 07/08/1996 | ||
| Front brake rotors/engine/muffler/converter/seat/horn/power steering hose and wheel bearings failed. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 01/09/2005 | 100000 | 1 | |
| While driving any speed, the vehicle over heats and antifreeze would leak. the consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. the cause was not determined. please provide more information. *nm | |||
| 10/17/1996 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| After listening to a squeek noise from trunk area proceed to a clunking noise, i took vehicle in for service. was advised by dealer that rear strut and it's mount had failed requiring both to be replaced at a cost of over $800. i feel the failure of this assembly to be a manufacturers defect. muffler failed prematurely. water pump failed prematurley. starting to think 1996 cavalier was not engineered very well. | |||
| 09/25/1997 | 1 | 03/01/1996 | |
| Muffler replaced. *mjs | |||
| 08/01/1997 | |||
| Engine head gasket/struts/starter/transmission/ dome light/ paint/,muffler/seats and abs brakes have all gone badly at least once, and some have been replaced twice and are bad again. dealer was notified several times, but refused to check or replace. no longer doing business with them due to the service. i have been having to pay for all of the services. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Muffler defective. nlm | |||
| 1 | |||
| Muffler repaired twice due to failure. *yc | |||
| 8 | 07/08/1996 | ||
| Front brake rotors/engine/muffler/converter/seat/horn/power steering hose and wheel bearings failed. | |||
| 05/30/1996 | 1 | 04/08/1996 | |
| Muffler failed. | |||
| 12/23/1996 | 1 | 03/16/1996 | |
| Muffler bent. | |||
| 16 | 04/06/1996 | ||
| Muffler failed | |||