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 | |
| 970501738309 | 05/01/1997 | 53018 | Concerns that low engine coolant light will illuminate during sustained driving. *yc | 11/06/1997 | |
| 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 | |||||
| 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 | |||||
| 990138003 | 09/01/1999 | 608380 | Some vehicles with 2.2l engines may exhibit a engine / transmission whine at 2800 - 32000 rpm. *tt | 11/24/1999 | |
| 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 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 06/19/2008 | 1 | ||
| I just got a used chevy cavalier a 97 model and it over heats constantly and there is a pop an sparks when starting the car and the lights won't turn off and now there is wobbling in the passenger side wheel and white smoke coming out the back . i only had it for maybe two days now and the fan to the motor won't come on now and i took it back to the car lot where i bought it from they have replaces the thermostat( airconditioner thing ) but it' still over heats .. and then i look in my book , and it gives a web site and there is all these recalls and the guy tells me when i call that the things going on with my car are not in the recall list accept for the something to do with speed but if that is the case why is the lights not cutting off and the car doing all these things .. i had a person look at it who works on cars and they told me that the spark is on the fuel injection side of the motor and i was lucky i didn't go up in flames .. is there any help in fixing this car since these are defects ? *tr | |||
| 06/15/2004 | 78000 | 1 | |
| The head gasket leaked water. as a result, consumer had to check the water level daily to make sure that engine would not overheat. *ak | |||
| 07/15/1999 | 50000 | ||
| Rack and pinion steering went out- was later a recall. head gasket cracked leaking oil and antifreeze. airbag recall. | |||
| 1 | |||
| When the driver pressed the gas pedal the engine light illuminated. *nlm | |||
| 19 | |||
| The engine overheated, and stalled. the spark plugs melted. the technician found the head warped, causing excessive internal exhaust heat. the dealer replaced the relay switch, removed the head and resurfaced. the electric fans don't turn on. the technician found the fan relay, ect sensor, and fusible link shorted(removed replaced). the vehicle had surged and died out. the sensor connector clip broken and was replaced. the console under the radio had cracked. the vehicle wouldn't start, due to multiple dtc plugs fouled. the vacuum line had broken, and the connectors were re-pinned. the vehicle wouldn't start until the engine cooled down. the alternator was not charging and there was poor battery contact to the terminal. the alternator was replaced. between the speeds of 25-30 mph, the vehicle felt like it was going to rev up. the transmission did not shift into gear. the transmission was replaced and the cooler lines were flushed. there was noise coming from the engine and or the defective timing chain. the tensioner was replaced/resealed, the timing chain was greased, and the serpentine belt was replaced. scc | |||
| 02/14/2003 | 71483 | 04/10/1999 | |
| I have a 1997 cavalier (the warrenty began in feb. '97). just recently found out i need the head gasket replaced at a cost of approximately $1200. noticed that many other owners have had the same problem, although in 96's. my car has 70,000 miles on it, and from what i've learned, a head gasket should last about 10 years of 100,000 miles. i would like chevy to get involved and pay for this, since it obviously seems to be such a problem with cavaliers. | |||
| 07/15/2002 | 50000 | ||
| Intermittently if vehicle starts , it will stall. the dealership indicated that this was caused by high oil pressure in the engine. ph | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 23000 | 2 | |
| Consumer states that when vehicle is cold it takes several attempts to start. when vehicle does finally start it will continuously stall. if started successfully vehicle has an excessively rough idle. ph the vehicle did not start in cold weather, the lights on the dash board didn't light. the vehicle was diagnosed as cold start followed by a hard restarting and high oil pressure related to the oil pressure pump in the engine. tsb#7761-09b. scc | |||
| 11/01/2002 | 04/17/1997 | ||
| Engine coolant leak. car has not been looked at by a mechanic yet. i've had to fill the radiator with fluid several times in the past month. the leak is becoming faster now, as i've had to fill it up two times in the past 4 days. | |||
| 06/28/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer took vehicle in for recall 02v07, however was charged 800 dollars for a new battery, consumer states that this seems awfully high. *slc the vehicle stalled due to a minor engine problem. the valve cover gasket and the arching spark plugs were replaced. *sc | |||
| 1 | 04/01/1997 | ||
| Temp. gauge malfunctions continually. | |||
| 08/30/1997 | 13 | 08/28/1997 | |
| Engine intermittently fails. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 02/28/2005 | 75000 | 3 | 07/10/1997 |
| Water pump leaking and needs to be replaced for the third time. one water pump was replaced under warranty. a second water pump failed just after the 36,000 warranty was up and cost me extra to replace because of the poor design of the engine which requires that it be removed to replace the water pump. the third has just failed for unknown reasons. the vehicle only has 75,000 miles on it. | |||
| 06/16/2000 | 4500 | 10 | 06/24/1997 |
| The temperature gauge in car rises to very hot. there is no steam or anything coming from car, but you must still stop on the highway and wait for the gauge to read cool before you can continue on. this also happens if you are on a line for any amount of time. because of this problem i own a car that i drive only around the neighborhood. *jb | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 65000 | 12 | 05/01/2001 |
| 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 | |||
| 06/12/2003 | 135000 | 3 | 08/20/2001 |
| 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 | |||
| 06/06/2001 | 51000 | 2 | 08/07/1997 |
| 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 | |||
| 03/11/2003 | 51000 | 1 | 07/01/1997 |
| I have a 1997 chevrolet cavalier that right after purchase (1998) the engine needed replacement. the dealer as per the service contract did this. skip ahead to now (2003), the car developed a coolant leak. it was looked at and tested by my local mechanic and was diagnosed as a bad head gasket. i called the dealer that replaced the engine and was told that the entire engine was replaced. i asked about them fixing the head gasket, as it should not be leaking (the engine has 38,000 miles on it) they said no. i called gm customer service, they said i would have to have it diagnosed by a gm dealer at the cost of $79.95. this was done, the dealer said it was a bad gasket and/or cracked head. gm customer service said that since the car was out of warranty and that only a short block was installed they would do nothing about it. my complaint is this; i've been lied to by my local dealer. the cavalier has this known defect. gm has done nothing to tell me about it, but they have issued a technical service bulletin about it to the dealers. and now they won't repair the vehicle, not will they offer to pay any portion of it's repair. i would like any and all help in forcing gm to fix this. *nlm | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 1 | 05/24/1997 | |
| Consumer noticed coolant leaking from vehicle. vehicle has not been examined by dealer yet.*ak dealer found cylinder head gasket and water pump leaking. replaced pump and head gaskets. manufacturer notified. consumer is aware of same problem with the 1996 models. *tt | |||
| 01/01/2097 | |||
| My car had started overheating really bad, and was going through coolant like crazy. so i called the dealership where i bought it and they charged way to much. so i took it to a radiator shop and had it looked at. they replaced the water pump and some hoses, and it still acted up. so i finally bought a whole new coolant tank, and yet still it continued to do the same thing. so i took it to firestone to have a coolant pressure test done. they told me that the head gasket had a leak in the front corner. they estimated it at costing about $800 to fix the head gasket. but then i took it upon myself to go buy a new cap for the coolant tank and i haven't had a problem with it overheating on me. that cap only cost me like $10. what concerns me is that the pressure cap that was originally on the car was a 15 psi cap and the new one i bought from the dealer was an 18 psi. they told me they changed the part for my car. i would like to know why i wasn't notified of this. that could have been the whole problem behind my car overheating.*lt | |||
| 11/01/2001 | |||
| The water pump and the head gasket are leaking. and it didn't show any engine check or any sign.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2001 | |||
| Engine cooling system leak. usually leaks after consumer parks or stops for a long time.*ak | |||
| 09/18/2001 | 1 | 05/01/2000 | |
| Dealer stated that in the past three months he has corrected two prior cases with same year, make and model.no safety defect. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1997 | 02/01/1997 | ||
| Windshield wipers stay in upright postion, coolant leaking. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| My concern is the car is only 3 yrs old and we are continueing to have problems occur, the cigarette lighter has a short in it as well. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1999 | |||
| Since i bought the car, it has had numerous trips to the dealer for repair, including head gaskets, water pump and other things were replaced. each time i received the car back, it still makes a ticking noise that makes my car sound like a diesel engine. my car is not a diesel!!! i am unsure what to do now that i have had the car for this length of time. all the times it was in for repair, i was told that all small engine cars will make that noise. *ak | |||
| 06/01/1998 | 09/01/1997 | ||
| We have had problems with this car from the date that it was purchased. the brake rotor problems have been worked on several times, and it will stop for a while, but will continue to worsen with time. the abs light and low coolant light have been on and off for over and year and we were told that we would have to pay to have them fixed, the sound from the exhaust, possibly the catalytic converter, has been going on for over a year and again, we were told we needed to replace it, that it was not covered under warranty. then engine is sounding more awful as time goes on...lots of noise under the hood especially at crusing speed, and then again when slowing to a stop, and more recently even when idling. not only was this car not serviced properly when i would bring it in with a complaint, but i feel as if the dealers were purposely putting me off just so the warranty would run out and i would have to fix these problems myself. obviously i am not the only on that has had similiar problems. and also, the car has been leaking antifreeze for a number of months, but cant seem to find the leak. definitely can smell the burning antifreeze, especially after an extended trip. *ak | |||
| 12/15/1999 | 4 | 10/01/1996 | |
| 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 | |||
| 03/17/1998 | 1 | 04/23/1997 | |
| Water pump cracked, leaking fluid. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 09/01/2001 | 2 | 06/01/2097 | |
| Have put 3 alternators on this car, even when under warranty before 12,000 miles (approximately). brakes have been replaced at least 3 times. now, the brakes have failed completely and the abs light came on. dealer says no recalls, except for the ignition system. scheduled that for repair 7/23/02. seat belt plastic covers snapped off (belt loose on one and hit by car door when shutting it. the other one just popped off. belt continues to slip off engine, causes stalling even if driving 55 mph. now brakes intermittently failing. left front brake continues to have brake dust accumulate on wheel cover. car has 110,000 miles on it (engine repaired last year). car is also overheating; has had tstat replaced, radiator fluid. what else could cause this, i don't know. | |||
| 06/20/2000 | 4 | 02/01/1997 | |
| For those of you with problems with your engine coolant, i finally got mine fixed. after telling me it was the temperature sensor and the thermostat it ended up being a crack in the radiator cap, something that costs $10. a good way to prevent engine shutdown is to turn your vent fan to hot air, as hot as u can get it. that will bring down the tempature reading, everytime. something to look for when your stuck in traffic alot, thats when it happens when you idle to long.*ak | |||
| 08/31/1998 | 1 | 09/09/1996 | |
| Coolant temprature sensor failed. yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 01/06/2005 | 96000 | 15 | 04/10/2000 |
| Head gasket replaced @27000 miles, fuel pump @ 30000 and again at 96000 miles. brakes replaced 2x a year for 5 years. driver's side door doesn't seal properly. fan only works on speed 3 or 4. *nm | |||
| 04/01/2004 | 103000 | 1 | 12/09/1999 |
| Head gasket broke. looking at $2,600 to fix, even though low miles. *ak | |||
| 04/06/2003 | 84993 | 01/20/2002 | |
| 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 | |||
| 06/06/2001 | 51000 | 2 | 08/07/1997 |
| 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 | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 1 | 05/24/1997 | |
| Consumer noticed coolant leaking from vehicle. vehicle has not been examined by dealer yet.*ak dealer found cylinder head gasket and water pump leaking. replaced pump and head gaskets. manufacturer notified. consumer is aware of same problem with the 1996 models. *tt | |||
| 11/01/2001 | |||
| The water pump and the head gasket are leaking. and it didn't show any engine check or any sign.*ak | |||
| 06/19/2001 | 1 | 12/01/1997 | |
| Mechanic at dealership said that they had received letters that this was occuring on these vehicles due to small hole for oil to chain clogging but i had no recalls or warnings of this. this car has relatively few miles on it and at the time this happened, i had just stopped to turn into a parking lot. there could have been a serious accident if it had happened during the turn or if i had been driving down the road as the car lost power immediately. if the dealerships are receiving letters, why aren't the owners. i realize that there can be failure of this part, but if the failure is due to the clogging of the area that keeps the chain oiled, then this is a defect in the car not the wear of the part.*ak | |||
| 06/01/2001 | 06/01/2000 | ||
| I noticed that my 1997 chevrolet cavalier had been leaking coolant, when i proceeded to find the leak i was unsucessful. many other complaints on your website have proven to have the same problem. the leak appears to be around the front head gasket. it could possibly have a cracked head. this sounds like a logical explanation due to the violent vibration from the engine, white smoke from the tail pipe and overheating.the coolant must be leaking into the fuel mixture at the head. the car is at an undriveable state. dealerships which i have contacted told me about recalls of a similar nature for the 1995 and 1996 cavalier models. why hasn't there been a recall on the 1997 model? thank you. *ak | |||
| 2 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| Pistons replaced after much debating, noise is occorring again. *ak | |||
| 08/08/2000 | 02/01/1997 | ||
| Defect 1: abs light would come on when making a left hand turn. abs would no longer activate while light was on. defect 2: alternator--went out while driving in city traffic, rush hour. had previously asked dealer to check, but they claimed it was functioning properly. defect 3: rack and pinion steering assembly--went out shortly after alternator, while driving in the dealership parking lot. defect 4: timing chain tensioner--technician said this caused major engine damage--gears, head, etc. defect 5: horn--has worked sporadically, at best, for the last year and a half. seemed like a short. | |||
| 11/01/1999 | |||
| Since i bought the car, it has had numerous trips to the dealer for repair, including head gaskets, water pump and other things were replaced. each time i received the car back, it still makes a ticking noise that makes my car sound like a diesel engine. my car is not a diesel!!! i am unsure what to do now that i have had the car for this length of time. all the times it was in for repair, i was told that all small engine cars will make that noise. *ak | |||
| 05/05/2000 | 09/01/1997 | ||
| Loud knocking coming from engine. took it in to dealer and was told that piston is rocking in cylinder, and that gm cannot do anything about it and that extra warranty wont cover. | |||
| 01/10/2000 | |||
| Defective head gaskets leaks coolant which may spray unto the engine compartment and cause a fire. common problem. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 1 | 09/21/1997 | ||
| One engine mount failed. nlm | |||
| 1 | 09/21/1997 | ||
| Oil pan seal failed and had to be resealed. nlm | |||
| 1 | 09/21/1997 | ||
| One engine mount failed. nlm | |||
| 1 | 09/21/1997 | ||
| Oil pan seal failed and had to be resealed. nlm | |||
| 09/22/1999 | 1 | 11/01/1996 | |
| Car was taken in to dealer twice for a water leak. they did nothing. we gave up and about 38000 mile later, we had a blown engine head gasket. *ak | |||
| 04/12/1997 | |||
| When driving at any speed tranmission failed and vehicle stalled. also, when applying the brakes, they went straight to the floorboard and squeaked. brake rotors and motor mounts were replaced. also, fuel pump is going out . *ak | |||
| 08/23/1997 | |||
| While driving vehicle will stall intermittently, speed is approximately 35-70 mph. no indication as to when the vehicle will cut off. dealer and manufacturer cannot duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 05/29/1998 | 9 | 02/01/1997 | |
| On may 29 1998 my cars ets/ engine check light came on, and i took it to a chevrolet dealer to find out what the problem was. they told me that it was the number 2 engine cylinder misfiring, and they tried to fix the problem. within the next few days i was back for the same problem. this time the called the technical assistant for help, and they did this another time as they did not fix the problem. i then move to ft. polk la. as i am in the military. on 1 jan 9, the same problem started up again. this time they did the same thing the other shop did. i have had my car in the shop for a total of 4 times that they have worked on it, replacing the cylinder cap/fuel injector and coil housing. and they talked to the technical assistantce personnel at chevrolet. the last time i had my car in the shop was 29jan 99, and they hooked a computer up to it. drove it for a week to try to creat the problem so they could take a picture of the system. but the lights never came on. so they gave me back my car with the problem still not fixed, and the chevrolet corp. won't do any thing about the problem, but continue to work on it under the warranty. i have been told that they can't fix the problem, and the technical assistants are out of suggestions. i have filed a complaint with the chevrolet corp, and feel that nothing will be done about my problem. i feel that they have had several attempts to fix the problem and can't , and they won't replace the car. *ak | |||
| 05/22/1997 | 1 | 02/14/1997 | |
| Cracks in crank sensor. | |||
| 06/13/1997 | 1 | 12/18/1996 | |
| Oil pump failed. | |||
| 05/01/1998 | 10/01/1998 | ||
| Front brake pads/rotor wore out, causing vibration when brakes are applied. also dealer replaced engine mounts/ignition switch. brake line was found rubbing against axle shaft and was fixed. in addition, front end shakes/vibrates. | |||
| 06/01/1997 | |||
| Vehicle completely cuts off in the rain while driving at any speed. dealer was contacted, and states it is a faulty design of the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 7 | 08/01/1997 | ||
| Engine cylinder failed, causing oil to leak. also, power steering fluid leak. | |||
| 08/01/1997 | |||
| The defective electrical instrument panel system malfunctioned, causing inaccurate reading of the odometer/fuel gauge, and then the engine stalled. also there is a ticking noise from the engine. dealer replaced piston rings and rods due to the manufacturer's incorrect size. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 02/13/2003 | 109848 | 1 | 08/14/2001 |
| My mother has a 1997 cavalier which she bought used. since she has had the vehicle there has been two recalls and upon further investigation on my part i found on your site 5 more totaling 7 in all. she bought the car in august of 2001. when the car reached 109,000 the oil pump went out and she had to spend 3,000 dollars to get another engine put in, and she don't even have the car paid off. with these newer cars 109,000 is nothing and even in the older vehicles i have never had an oil pump go out with that little bit of miles on the engine. i have friends who are mechanics that i have talked to and they have told me that they have had a lot of these particular engines being the 2.2 liter with bad oil pumps in them. this is the reason i am filing this complaint for my mother. my brother has a 2000 cavalier with 239,000 miles on it and has never had a bit of problem so most likely it was in a particular year of vehicle that bad oil pumps were installed. he also has the 2.2 liter engine. so could you please find out if this is an on going problem because i sure would like to get my mothers money back because she is on a fixed income. *jb | |||
| 02/01/2003 | 162800 | 2 | |
| When first started strong gas fumes in car; then hesitation/stalling while driving, has gone dead two times; rough idling. | |||
| 08/14/1999 | 10 | 04/25/1997 | |
| The consumer has experienced a number of stalling with this vehicle, almost causing accidents in a few cases. the consumer has contacted the manufacturer, and there has been an attempt to repair, but the problem still occurs. the consumer is concerned that this problem could cause a serious accident which could lead to death /serious injury, and would like to have the vehicle replaced for one she can trust. *scc *dt | |||
| 09/16/2002 | |||
| While driving engine check light came on , vehcile started to shake and stalled out. engine had blown.*ak | |||
| 10 | 12/01/2001 | ||
| About 1-2 months ago my wife tried to start the car and she said that all of the systems(i.e. windshield wiper blades, interior warning lights, etc.) started going off all at once, the brake pedal would't push in, there was a loud buxxing noise, and the car would not start. ever since we have had to try several times before the vehicle would start and there have been multiple occasions when we are driving along (speed doesn't seem to play a role) and the car will react in a similar manner and stop running. after this happens, it can take us up to 10-15 minutes to get it started again. just this morning it happened again and if the truck behind us had not swerved as it did, it would have totalled our car. we then spent almost 20 minutes in the middle of traffic trying to start our car.(this was submitted by brian quinney - husband of said owner). *ak | |||
| 03/15/2002 | 1 | 10/01/2001 | |
| I learned that technical bulletins were given with regard to this problem. it appears to be a manufacturer defect after reviewing numerous consumer complaints and technical bulletins. *ak | |||
| 04/18/2002 | 1 | ||
| While traveling on the parkway without prior warning the vehicle shut down. the dealership is aware of the problem. nlm | |||
| 08/01/2001 | 15 | ||
| Vehicle stalls at slow speeds and in stop and go traffic. will start again after 5-15 minutes. taken to dealer, cannot remedy. vehicle has stalled about 15 times. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1996 | 10/01/1996 | ||
| When ever the car is started there is a bad knocking/ticking sound as if your car was low on oil...and even when the oil is changed and/or checked and the oil level is fine...the problem still occurs...i have notified the dealer more than 20 times about this problem(while under warranty) and they could not find what was causing the problem..their (chevy's)engineer was even in town at one time and they had to bring it in then and he/she could not even figure out what was causing the problem....if he can't figure out what the problem is..then i think they need to investigate further and pull the engine completely down there could be a serious problem that could cause the engine to have to be replaced and want the owner to cover the charges when it is not even the owners fault...can you please let me know what i need to do to get a recall done on all the cavaliers that have this problem. *ak | |||
| 04/16/2001 | |||
| Vehicle stalls when first starting up. takes a few times before vehicle will stay running. engine check light and ets light have been on. dealer cannot remedy problem. *ak | |||
| 04/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer had just gotten home and parked vehicle. 5-10 minutes later, horn was blowing. consumer looked outside front end of vehicle was on fire. dashboard and steering column were completely destroyed. chevrolet dealer said they couldn't find anything wrong. therefore, they wouldn't be liable. allstate insurance adjuster took one look,and could tell it was an electrical fire. chevrolet dealer was not responding to insurance adjuster. vehicle was under extended warranty when it caught on fire.*ak engine light illuminated, dealer had replaced the oil pump, solenoid, and exhaust however light still illuminated. battery light illuminated. windshield wiper skips and chatters across windshield, dealer replaced blade. trunk would not open from inside lever, compartment lid release broke. clicking noise was heard when turning steering wheel, dealer could not find problem. *slc | |||
| 03/19/2001 | 0 | ||
| Consumer stated that sometimes could try to start engine but it will not start. consumer had taken vehicle to dealer and could not find what was causing problem. also, fuel was leaking and vehicle could get on fire.*ak | |||
| 4 | |||
| Vehicle will stall while idling and without warning , dealer has replaced throttle positioning center, and reprogrammed pcm, but defect still occurring, and causing safety hazard. *ak | |||
| 07/30/2000 | 4 | 09/01/1997 | |
| The engine has stalled multiple times while driving. the dealer has been unable to identify or rectify the problem. the power steering and brakes become difficult to operate when the vehicle stalls, and because it seems to occur randomly may lead to substantial injury if the vehicle stalls while in traffic. *ak | |||
| 07/30/1999 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| 1). wheel bearings wearing out then tires and when driving on wet pavement cant go more than 40 mph or car will spin around in road . back left brake light always not working. engine with only 12,000.00 miles knock bad untill warmed up and some times dont stop when warm.ignition switch will lock up and cant get car to crank must wiggle and giggle to get it to work.horn has not worked since bought car.transmission clatters when trying to give to much gas | |||
| 07/15/2000 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Blown head gaskets/valve covers on vehicle with just over 30,000 miles. vehicle's warranty is up due to a purchase date of sep96. please advise on any recall information. i was told this is comon with cavaliers. *ak | |||
| 06/12/2000 | 4 | 03/01/1997 | |
| Complete engine shut down while in rush hour traffic at 25 mph on 3 separate occurrences. each occurrence was 24 to 48 hours after a oil change and topping off fluids at the same dealership where the vehicle was purchased. after each oil change, the smell of hot oil was prevalent the next day. after the first engine shut down occurence, the dealership inspected the car but found nothing wrong. the engine has shut down on jan 12, 1999, apr 12, 1999, and june 12, 2000. oil changes took place 3 days before each occurrence. the engine has never shut down in traffic without a recent oil change. the vehicle speeds at the time of the engine shut down have all been approximately 25 mph due to rush hour traffic while on the expressway. *ak | |||
| 06/02/2000 | 5 | ||
| While driving all signal lights came on, and engine lost power. there was no steering, and finally vehicle had to be towed. vehicle had been repaired for the same problem onc ebefore. *ak | |||
| While traveling at any speed intermittently vehicle would stall and lose power. dealer has repaired vehicle three times, but problem returns. . please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 06/01/1998 | 09/01/1997 | ||
| We have had problems with this car from the date that it was purchased. the brake rotor problems have been worked on several times, and it will stop for a while, but will continue to worsen with time. the abs light and low coolant light have been on and off for over and year and we were told that we would have to pay to have them fixed, the sound from the exhaust, possibly the catalytic converter, has been going on for over a year and again, we were told we needed to replace it, that it was not covered under warranty. then engine is sounding more awful as time goes on...lots of noise under the hood especially at crusing speed, and then again when slowing to a stop, and more recently even when idling. not only was this car not serviced properly when i would bring it in with a complaint, but i feel as if the dealers were purposely putting me off just so the warranty would run out and i would have to fix these problems myself. obviously i am not the only on that has had similiar problems. and also, the car has been leaking antifreeze for a number of months, but cant seem to find the leak. definitely can smell the burning antifreeze, especially after an extended trip. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1999 | 10/01/1996 | ||
| Horn: has never worked from the time the car was received. have had the dealer fix it 3 times but it still doesn't work. heater fan: failed during the winter of 1997. past warranty period?? have not gotten it fixed yet. engine problem: stalls intermittently while driving after the car has warmed up, especially when coming to a stop. will hesitate and jerk while driving it. have replaced: spark plug wires, plugs, fuel filter, fuel pump and have had the catalytic converter checked. problem is not resolved. unable to drive it more than 2 miles. ignition: key would not turn in ignition/ replaced by dealer x 3. | |||
| 09/30/1999 | 08/01/1997 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1998 | |||
| When driving at any speed there is a knocking noise coming from the motor. also, when vehicle is in park there is a knocking noise, and when applying the brakes, the pedal is soft and hard. the dealer replaced the sensor within the brake. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1997 | |||
| When driving at any speed vehicle stalls and cuts off without prior warning. fuel pump had been replaced twice, and parts within the transmission have also been replaced. but vehicle continues to stall. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1997 | 6 | 08/25/1997 | |
| Engine dies unexpectedly on several occasions, unable to determine failure. mjs | |||
| 08/26/1997 | 200 | 06/01/1997 | |
| The engine stalls at odd times making the vehicle, which has power assisted brakes and steering, difficult to control. the dash rattles constantly. the dash was replaced in an attempt to fix the stalling problem but it also rattles constantly. my wife and i have contacted the manufacturer and they displayed blatant disregard for our problem by saying that they were going to abide by their 3 year/ 36000 mile warranty( which is exactly what they are not doing, since the vehicle is still not repaired). this vehicle is dangerous! | |||
| 06/05/1997 | |||
| While driving down the road and coming to a stop light, and when coasting while making a turn with air conditioning off, vehicle shut off. consumer contacted dealer and manufacturer. *ak | |||
| 06/21/1999 | 4 | 03/01/1997 | |
| Car lost power and shut off when a/c changed to vent recranked easily. | |||
| Vehicle will not start unless driver door is open. cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 09/09/1997 | 3 | 01/24/1997 | |
| Vehicle continually hesitating/stalling, replacement of faulty fuel pump and pressure regulator did not rectify engine stalling. mjs | |||
| 09/12/1997 | 5 | ||
| When driving the vehicle cuts off without prior warning. vehicle has been in the dealer's shop five times for repair problems, and they can't determine the problem. *ak | |||
| The engine cuts off while driving and the steering goes out with it. dealer can't find the problem. *ak | |||
| 05/06/1997 | 04/01/1997 | ||
| There is a constant, loud ticking sound that can be heard in the engine compartment. it sounds like bad lifters. as time goes on, it is getting worse. | |||
| 10/26/1998 | 1 | 02/14/1997 | |
| Engine failed. | |||
| 4 | 07/21/1997 | ||
| While driving in traffic the vehicle stall and the engine completely shuts down. dealer replaced the ignition coil module which has not corrected the problem. latest repair attempt was for a short in the pcm ignition circuit, which appears to have solved the problem. *ak *ml | |||
| 4 | |||
| While driving the vehicle bucks at one point as if it lacks gas and it also stalls. dealer has been contacted. *ak consumer recieved recall to replaced pcm. pcm replaced 4 times however problem still exist. consumer received recall to replace the ignition switch. *tt | |||
| 10/26/1998 | 1 | 02/01/1997 | |
| Engine failure after numerous service problems. ie: failure of fuel pump, failure of coil and housing as a result of oil residue and cracks around the crank sensor, failure of iac motor, total ignition failure on four occasions. complete engine failure directly related to problems outlined in gm service bulletin. automobile had not reached recommended mileage for first scheduled tune-up as per manufacture recommendations. contact of gmac customer service resulted in no assistance in the engine replacement. | |||
| 03/04/1997 | 1 | 12/18/1996 | |
| Engine continually stalling. | |||
| 1 | 12/26/1996 | ||
| Engine is overheating. | |||
| Engine constantly makes noise/rattles. | |||
| 07/02/1998 | 2 | 06/26/1996 | |
| The engines stalls. additionally, the brakes fail and pedal goes to the floor. | |||
| 04/25/1998 | |||
| Daughter was driving and vehicle began to swerve because of another vehicle. went into the center of medium, traveling approximately 60 mph. witnesses stated that vehicle spun around and caught on fire. when the vehicle stopped after hitting the medium, caught on fire. the hottest part was in the rear, above the left rear wheel. the vehicle was mostly burned. there was no body damage. also, headlights were not broken in the front fender. vehicle was still under warranty. dealer cannot duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1997 | |||
| While driving, for no apparent reason, the vehicle stalled which almost caused an accident. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak | |||
| When making making a turn, the vehicle engine shuts down, causing the vehicle to stall. please describe any details. *ak | |||
| 09/14/1997 | 3 | 05/19/1997 | |
| When driving vehicle intermittently stalls and cuts off. owner has had vehicle into the dealer three times for the stalling. *ak | |||
| 02/06/1997 | |||
| Intermittent stalling/hesitation. *ak | |||
| 10/26/1996 | 1 | 09/30/1996 | |
| Engine fire. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 1 | 02/02/2000 | |
| Dt: contact states the timing chain on her vehicle broke on a busy road. the timing chain has been replaced, but within 6 months the timing chain broke again. the engine was replaced in the vehicle. the car started making a loud knocking noise, now the vehicle will only go approximately 15 mph.*ak | |||
| 06/23/2004 | 189000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle was involved in a collision. while driving vehicle stalled, resulting in a rear end collision. upon impact, air bag failed to deploy on driver's side. driver sustained injuries. *ak | |||
| 01/04/2003 | 87469 | 1 | 11/12/2002 |
| Knocking noise keeps getting louder. happens all time happens more when speeding up.*ak | |||
| 4 | 09/23/1996 | ||
| When serpintine belt gets wet when driving through puddle, vehicle stalls for a moment and experiences loss of control. nlm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| When starting vehicle a strong odor enters passenger's compartment, following extreme vibration in the front end, cause unknown. dealer can not identify the problem. please give any further details.*ak | |||
| 06/01/1998 | 09/01/1997 | ||
| We have had problems with this car from the date that it was purchased. the brake rotor problems have been worked on several times, and it will stop for a while, but will continue to worsen with time. the abs light and low coolant light have been on and off for over and year and we were told that we would have to pay to have them fixed, the sound from the exhaust, possibly the catalytic converter, has been going on for over a year and again, we were told we needed to replace it, that it was not covered under warranty. then engine is sounding more awful as time goes on...lots of noise under the hood especially at crusing speed, and then again when slowing to a stop, and more recently even when idling. not only was this car not serviced properly when i would bring it in with a complaint, but i feel as if the dealers were purposely putting me off just so the warranty would run out and i would have to fix these problems myself. obviously i am not the only on that has had similiar problems. and also, the car has been leaking antifreeze for a number of months, but cant seem to find the leak. definitely can smell the burning antifreeze, especially after an extended trip. *ak | |||
| 06/19/1998 | |||
| When accelerating from a braked position, there is a vibration noise that comes from the rear exhaust, axle or strut area. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||
| 07/30/1999 | 3 | 08/01/1998 | |
| In jul7 of 1999, the ets off light and theengine check light came on. the mechanic said the computer showed due to emission regulations, the egr valve needed replaced. replaced the valve, a month later the two lights came on again. i was told the egr valve was defective. had it replaced again. a couple months later, the two lights came on again. the mechanic told us the system was very sensitive, but the egr was fine and just reset the lightls. last week the two lights came on again, the egr was replaced again. the next day, the car started jerking fiercely and the two lights came on again. i don't know what the problem is with this system and we are having a difficult time finding the problem. i don't know if it's a computer defect, a valve defect or what. but it's not save to have a vehicle that constantly shuts off the traction system due to this problem and causes the car to jek while driving. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 04/09/2002 | |||
| While traveling on highway heard a thumping noise. manifold : engine, above the spring holding the bracket, broke. dealership is aware of problem.*ak | |||
| 1 | 10/01/1997 | ||
| Muffler failed. yh | |||