Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| 08089-B | 11/01/2008 | 08089-C | 10027804 | General motors corp: special coverage adjustment; analog onstar deactivation. *pe updated 2/17/09. *pe | 02/09/2009 |
| 08202004 | 08/20/2004 | 10013058 | Sir light on, diagnostic trouble code b0036. *tt | 04/06/2005 | |
| 3056 | 01/01/2004 | 10009602 | Sir light on and a diagnostic trouble code b0036. *tt | 10/08/2004 | |
| 01592 | 01/01/2004 | 10005438 | 2003-2004 generation 5 onstar steering wheel control function explanation. sit bulletin 1416474. *tt | 02/27/2004 | |
| 090903 | 09/09/2003 | 10005059 | The body control module (bcm) may set a false code of b3785. gm voicemail log. *tt | 01/28/2004 | |
| 091503 | 09/15/2003 | 10005032 | This service vme message concerns a number of vehicles experiencing input speed sensor codes p0716 and 717. gm voicemail log. *tt | 01/26/2004 | |
| 01449 | 11/18/2003 | 10004245 | Diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0716, p0717. *tt | 11/24/2003 | |
| 01411 | 11/18/2003 | 10004215 | False code b3785. service vme. *tt | 11/21/2003 | |
| 01374 | 11/18/2003 | 10004157 | Sir light on and a diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b0036. *tt | 11/20/2003 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||||
| 080503 | 08/05/2003 | 10003871 | The purpose of this message is to provide information about a new product emission recall. the recall number of 03042. this recall is for vehicles in dealer inventory only. some of these vehicles may have been built with sparkplugs that | 11/05/2003 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - SOFTWARE | |||||
| 08089-B | 11/01/2008 | 08089-C | 10027804 | General motors corp: special coverage adjustment; analog onstar deactivation. *pe updated 2/17/09. *pe | 02/09/2009 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||||
| 3648 | 10018915 | Hesitation on acceleration after internal engine repairs - check injector harness orientation. *tt | 01/24/2006 | ||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 50000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. the contact stated that the gauges on the instrument panel failed and were providing inaccurate or erratic readings. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic to determine the cause of failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000. the current mileage was approximately 90,000. kmj | |||
| 11/15/2011 | 130000 | 1 | |
| The cluster on my 2004 chevy cavalier stopped working while i was on a road trip, i have done much research the past few days and came to the conclusion that the cluster in the 2004-05 chevy cavaliers are defective due to many other people having the same problem. this is a real safety issue because i don't know how much gas my car has, how fast im going and if my cars temperature is to high, if y'all could get to the bottom of this issue it will be greatly appreciated. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 50000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. the contact stated that the gauges on the instrument panel failed and were providing inaccurate or erratic readings. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic to determine the cause of failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000. the current mileage was approximately 90,000. kmj | |||
| 11/15/2011 | 130000 | ||
| The cluster on my 2004 chevy cavalier stopped working while i was on a road trip, i have done much research the past few days and came to the conclusion that the cluster in the 2004-05 chevy cavaliers are defective due to many other people having the same problem. this is a real safety issue because i don't know how much gas my car has, how fast im going and if my cars temperature is to high, if y'all could get to the bottom of this issue it will be greatly appreciated. | |||
| 12/01/2010 | 58000 | 1 | |
| All gauges on instrument panel quit working completely at first but now move around backwards or any direction they choose...never correct!!!!! this is very dangerous!!!!!! *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 52000 | 1 | |
| Erratic speedometer reading and occasional incorrect fuel gauge reading, i have on many occasions had the speedometer rise to 110 mph while driving at approximate posted speeds, approximate because i have no way to actually tell how fast i'm driving. after researching i found this is a major issue with many year 2001 and up gm vehicles with only the higher end cadillac type and larger suv's being recalled ( which have the same exact stepper motors that are causing the problems ). i guess gm figures it's only necessary to repair the speedometers on the 5000 lb plus vehicles traveling at unknown speeds in hopes of saving the smaller vehicles from being hit by them. i did call the gm dealer i bought the car new from and they said there are no recalls on my cavalier and it would cost approx. $300 not including labor for an exchange unit or send out and repair of my original. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 52000 | ||
| Erratic speedometer reading and occasional incorrect fuel gauge reading, i have on many occasions had the speedometer rise to 110 mph while driving at approximate posted speeds, approximate because i have no way to actually tell how fast i'm driving. after researching i found this is a major issue with many year 2001 and up gm vehicles with only the higher end cadillac type and larger suv's being recalled ( which have the same exact stepper motors that are causing the problems ). i guess gm figures it's only necessary to repair the speedometers on the 5000 lb plus vehicles traveling at unknown speeds in hopes of saving the smaller vehicles from being hit by them. i did call the gm dealer i bought the car new from and they said there are no recalls on my cavalier and it would cost approx. $300 not including labor for an exchange unit or send out and repair of my original. | |||
| 06/05/2012 | |||
| There is a well known problem with the horn after time/wear with the 2003-2005 chevrolet cavalier. there is a issue with the contact in the steering column to active the vehicles horn. the problem is caused by the rotating ribbon circuit contact under the steering wheel having a broken filament for the horn circuit, the part is known as a clock spring contact. the horn will not work by pressing either button on steering wheel, but will sound as part of vehicle security system by pressing key fob. this issue can lead to accidents, and injury. this is a know problem reported by many vehicle owners on different forums, databases, and searches. please fix or recall this part chevrolet, to prevent accident, injury, and death. | |||
| 03/25/2012 | 96000 | ||
| Speedometer is unreliable. sometimes it shows faster, sometimes it shows slower. sticks in place at times. next, the temp gauge made me think my car was running very hot and i bought a $25 temperature sensor first, that didn't help, so i was going to replace thermostat. then i learned about this being a problem with thousands of these cars, so i am not doing anything to it until there is a recall. i'll use a gps to tell my speed. i have had two speeding tickets over this because i had no idea the thing was not working right until it got really bad and started sticking in one place for days. each ticket will give me two points on my license because of this. my insurance will go up. also, i don't get paid for the time i take off to go to traffic court over these tickets. i am 65 years old and never had a ticket until these two. thanks, chevy. | |||
| 03/16/2005 | |||
| Instrument cluster fails to work properly on this model although i have taken it to the dealership 3 times before the warranty ran out. has never been repaired although they claim they fixed it. the fuel gauge, speedometer, tachometer, and temperature gauge are all affected by this malfunction. when i am driving down the road, it is very common for it to read that i'm going 30 miles faster than i really am and the extreme opposite also happens where i am sitting at a red light but going 70 mph. i have researched online and haven't seen a recall but i really feel that one is necessary in this case. it is unsafe to never know how much gas is in the vehicle, the speed in which you are travelling, or any of the other essential things that should be known while you are operating a car. | |||
| 12/02/2011 | 60650 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. while examining the vehicle the contact noticed that the instrument panel gauges were not functioning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the instrument panel would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the current mileage was 61,000 and the failure mileage was 60,650. | |||
| 12/02/2011 | 60650 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. while examining the vehicle the contact noticed that none of instrument gauges would respond rather the vehicle was on or shut off. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the instrument panel would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the current mileage is 61000 and the failure mileage was 60650. bml | |||
| 12/14/2011 | 50142 | ||
| My speedometer stopped working. apparently i'm not the only one this has happened to... i've been reading a forum on http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/cavalier/2004/accessories-interior/speedometer_stopped_working.shtml and between the mileage range of 30,000 and 50,000 this has happened to signifigant amount of people by no fault of their own. this is extremely dangerous for people who have no way to afford getting it fixed and chevrolet should be liable to fix this issue. they cannot expect to charge upwards of $500.00 to repair something that was poorly manufactured. | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 80000 | ||
| The power windows dont work . the guages dont work only guage thats works is the tachometer from my research these are two common problems with these cavaliers the windows is more of a convenience problem but the guages not working is a safety problem chevrolet should have to make this right | |||
| 05/03/2011 | 80000 | ||
| Speedometer first began to malfunction, followed by all other gauges. no gauges work properly now. speed is unknown, rpms is unknown, amount of gas in tank is unknown, proper function of engine is unknown. | |||
| 10/12/2011 | 58000 | ||
| Speedometer stuck at 60mph...its not that old of a car and only has 58 thousand miles on it this should be a recall with all the people complaining the same thing happened with the low miles rediculous!!! | |||
| 02/26/2006 | |||
| My 2004 chevrolet cavalier gauges quit working. i have been online and done some research and i am not the only one with this problem. they have many people that have complained about it. please do a recall so we can get this problem fixed. once my warranty of 30 days was up that's when everything quit working. | |||
| 03/18/2006 | 25000 | ||
| Own 2004 chevy cavalier with 62,000 miles on it. at 25,000 mi the instrument panel stopped working correctly i contacted gm and was told to take car to dealer and have it checked at a cost of 100.00 and if it was a cluster they might pay for repairs. the speedometer needle goes over past 110 mi when i am doing 20 mph, the gas gauge will sit on empty when there is a half tank, i did some research and found out that gm recalled trucks with this problem but did not include cars, this had to be done before 70,000 miles. i think they should recall cars and fix the problem at once. | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 30000 | ||
| My 2004 chevrolet cavalier has squirrely gauges . none of the gauges read correctly. however, once in a while one or more gauges do appear to be reading correctly. my gas gauge is never accurate. my speedometer is often pegged over to top speed or reads 45 mph when i'm doing 65. the only accurate gauge is the odometer. this problem has been going on for about 2-3 years. (no i do not have the money to repair it) researching this problem, i search google for the symptoms and this seems to be a common problem. i look on ebay and find vendors who repair squirrely gauges. my complaint is not unique. | |||
| 02/19/2011 | 162000 | ||
| Dash cluster abnormal operation, in regards to fuel gauge and speedometer. speedometer is inaccurate says i am currently traveling more the 110 mph when vehicle is at a state of rest. fuel guage also inaccurate sticks when engine is shut off, when restarted the fuel gauge moves in excess of its limits pinning against temperature gauge. during warmer weather the fuel guage doesn't work and neither will the tachometer. very dissappointed. contacted gm and was given the run around. customer care noted that no one has complained about this defect on these vehicles. very unsafe, don't know exactly how much fuel i have and have resorted in using a gps for speed reference. recall needs to be issued! | |||
| 08/22/2008 | 40000 | ||
| My car failed to start 8/21/08 so i took it to my mechanic. the car was only 4 years old at the time and was still under my extended warranty thank goodness. he determined it was my ignition switch. since i am the original. single owner of this vehicle, i knew this was the original ignition switch to the car when purchased new in 2004. my mechanic replaced the switch with a napa oe part. now, on 3/29/11, my car failed to start again and left me stranded. i had to have my car towed to my mechanic and then find a way home from work. i then had to borrow a friend's car just to get to work the next day. as discoverd by my mechanic, it was the ignition switch again. this repair completed on 3/30/11 was with an ignition switch that was purchased from a chevy dealer hoping this will make a difference. i have had several cars and not one time have i ever had to replace an ignition switch in any of them much less twice in just 2 years 3 months like have had to with this car! this repair cost me $280 this time and the incovenience of finding an alternate way to and from work. i am disgusted at the faultiness of this car's electrical system. i have had other electrical issues including having to replace the entire instrument panel when the car was only 2 years old and replacing the electric window switch twice. i truly feel chevy needs to address my issues. | |||
| 06/05/2010 | 100000 | ||
| Entire dash cluster doesn't work!! speedometer says going 80mph when sitting still. temp gauge says it's overheating when car is off. gas gauge is now going haywire. going on vacation is hard when you don't really know how fast you're going. something needs to be done about this because a cluster for this car is $270. then pay someone to put it in. there are too many 2004 cavaliers having this issue for this to not be recalled | |||
| 03/15/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. the contact was driving approximately 70 mph when she noticed that the speedometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge and rpm gauge failed intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for the failure. she contacted the manufacturer and was advised there were no recalls on the vehicle and that they were unable to assist. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 130,000. | |||
| 03/15/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. while driving approximately 70 mph she noticed that the instrument cluster was not working properly. the stated the failure started with the speedometer approximately two years ago, now the fuel, temperature and rmps gauges works intermittently. the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer for the failure. she contacted the manufacturer and was advised there was no recall and the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 130,000. vwb | |||
| 01/17/2011 | 107000 | ||
| Gas guage malfunction 1month ago, went half way to the right of full upon fill up, have been keeping track of gas by trip miles.this fuel guage is halting the temp guage from rising to normal. today 1/17/11 started car this morning and speed guage is pointing straight down to steering wheel. proceeded to drive 8 minutes to work all the time the dash was going crazy the milage spot had the word error on it,& every light was on, on the dashbooard- all of them. apparently this has been a problem for sometime with this car. gm is aware and doing nothing.i have found out by looking it up on the internet tonight. through my research im guessing i need a dash cluster at the cost of 500.00. i feel a speedomoter should last for at least 10 yrs, my car is 6yrs old. i bought this car brand new and have followed the reccommended service. | |||
| 01/01/2011 | 60000 | ||
| My wife's 2004 chevy cavalier has a wrong speedometer indication. it says the car is going 60 mph while not being moved at all. when the car reaches high speeds at the freeway it says the car is going at 120 mph and hits the top of the gauge. the oil temperature indication also shows 190 degrees with engine not running, and with engine running it goes to red band indication. | |||
| 12/25/2010 | 36505 | ||
| I own a 2004 chevrolet cavalier ls with 36,531 miles on it. yesterday, i went to drive the car and had no speedometer function ---------- the needle just sat on 0 mph no matter what speed i drove. i feel that this is a major safety issue and needs to be addressed. i have also read of the many hundreds of reported failures of the same kind concerning the instrument panel in these and many other gm products built during the years 2000 through 2005. why are the trucks/ suv's instrument panel problems a recall and the documented problems of the cavalier (for the same years) not a recall? it appears to me that the relative cost of each vehicle plays a part in your decision and possibly the end of the manufacturing run of cavaliers in 2005 has skewed your judgement. i find this instrument panel problem a serious driving concern for all who share the road. i also have been in discussions with others who have experienced this problem and there is a suggestion from the gm dealers that the problems of the old gm are not the problems of the new gm (2009). since my taxes pay your salary to keep me safe (without bias) and my taxes and future earnings make me a shareholder of the old/new gm, it would appear to me that this big problem could be solved between the parties because we are all on the same side and in the same family. shame on you for not declaring this a recall for the cavalier instrument panel. i still have the car and have not had the problem repaired. i also will not allow my family to drive this vehicle any more and i am not sure i will pay the approximate $500.00 to have it repaired. this reminds me of the lack of a recall for the 3.4liter v-6 motor that i had in my 2003 buick rendezvous with all of its associated problems with head and intake gaskets..... i paid the $1,500.00 to have the intake gasket replaced....... hope the new gm gets its act together fast........as for me i will be spending my hard-earned dollars on japanese . | |||
| 11/23/2000 | 107200 | ||
| The trunk latch on my cavalier won't latch. this is the second time it has broke with the same problem. i replaced the trunk latch about three years ago i rarely use my trunk. also the defrost,vent knob quit working it turn but won't switch to defrost or the different vent settings. the cd player won't take, or play cd's. there was a fly on my windshield right around a year after i bought the car and i barely tapped the windshield and the windshield cracked all over. | |||
| 01/07/2010 | 100988 | ||
| All gauges in my cavalier have stopped working (speedometer, temp gauge, rpm's..) the car dies randomly while driving, dies when stopping. i actually tried to pull my car over because it was acting like it was going to die and while i was pressing the brakes it was trying to go!! very scary!!! could have wrecked! | |||
| 06/21/2010 | |||
| In the winter my chevy cavalier's speedometer started to be disfunctional, it would read say 30mph while i was in park. over the summer the problem got worse and i had to resort to using a gps to know my speed. the problem isn't limited to the speedo though, i have also experienced this with the temperature gauge. | |||
| 09/01/2006 | |||
| My dashboard doesn't work properly. all of the guages, with the exception of the odometer, does not work. this includes fuel, speedometer, rpm, and temperature guages. it started with my temperature gauge. i thought the car was overheating when it really wasn't. then my fuel gauge went out. then it was the speedometer and rpm guage. all of the guages, except for the rpm, move up and down, but none of them are accurate. the speedometer can get stuck at 0, 60 or move off of the guage entirely. it is obviously not very safe not knowing how fast you are going, or if your car is overheating or not. it is my understanding the entire dashboard has to be replaced, but i am not 100% certain. | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 60000 | ||
| I have a 2004 chevrolet cavalier and the speedometer failed on me. i replace the speed sensor but problem is not resolved. i fear this could be a dangerous situation on the road and should be recalled. | |||
| 06/17/2010 | 31000 | ||
| 2004 cavalier guages go crazy. 110mph in the driveway, tachometer says 9000 rpm when i am idling. gas guage is no longer reliable.. particularly a problem in cold and damp weather, hot weather and on open highway. i never know how fast i am driving, whether i will run out of gas, or if the engine rpm's are so high the mototr will explode.. 31,000 miles on the car so it is low mileage. | |||
| 08/07/2009 | 41625 | ||
| Defective instrument cluster/panel. speedometer doesn't read the proper speed limit and the temperature gauge will not reset (?) it just keeps going clockwise around the dial. | |||
| 05/16/2010 | 57000 | ||
| Car caught on fire in the wiring in the floor left of the brake pedal. driver and passenger escaped the vehicle with just minor injuries. a passer by cut the battery cable and the fire/smoke stopped. | |||
| 06/13/2009 | 51000 | ||
| I have a 2004 cavalier and all the gauges have stopped working. once in a while the rpm gauge works. i investigated and have found various websites with lots of other people experiencing the same problem. the cost of repair is 500+ dolars with no simple do it yourself fix available. | |||
| 01/01/2008 | |||
| All the dials in the instrument panel go haywrie. i have tried disconnecting the batery but it still hapens. don't know how fast i am going who how much gas is in the car. or even if the temp is okay. | |||
| 07/30/2008 | 90000 | 1 | |
| About a year and a half ago the speedometer on my 2004 cavalier stopped working correctly, it will stick at random places on the dial, even when not driving. sometimes the needle will point straight down at the odometer and stick there also. the problem seems to get better with warm weather, but is still not right. now if that wasn't enough, the tachometer has started to stick and not register at all when it is very cold outside, like the speedometer though, the tachometer works better in warmer weather. coolant temp. gauge sticks also when it gets cold out. these problems are very repairable, i just can't believe by the number of complaints that a recall has not been issued for this problem yet! this is surely a safety issue. please gm do a recall on these cars before you pull off a toyota. *tr | |||
| 01/12/2008 | 1 | ||
| I noticed in the cold my speedometer would show the incorrect speed or just stop. over the course of about 6 months my temp gauge started to do the same thing. followed by my rpm gauge, then the gas gauge. i did some online research and found out the only thing i could do was to get a whole new cluster which is a bit pricey. *tr | |||
| 01/28/2010 | 34500 | 1 | |
| Speedometer runs up to extreme limit at any speed and tachometer freezes up. *tr | |||
| 01/05/2010 | 82000 | 1 | |
| Speedometer failure 2004 chevrolet cavalier gauge cluster failed at 82000 miles. unsafe. cannot determine mph. *tr | |||
| 12/22/2008 | 39000 | 1 | |
| Dash cluster failure. rpm gauge running backwards and sticking, fuel level indicator incorrect, speedometer sometimes incorrect. when this happened i looked it up online to see if i could diagnose the problem. it seems that this is an extremely common and potentially dangerous problem. *tr | |||
| 08/27/2007 | 1 | ||
| 2004 chevy cavalier. when the car slows down to a red light or stop sign, or you just reduce your speed, it will cut off on you. *tr | |||
| 11/22/2006 | 1 | ||
| The fuel gauge and speedometer failed for the past two years in cold weather. i now have 48,000 miles on the car. the car was diagnosed with a defected instrument cluster and gmc told me it was not their problem and the cost to fix it is $480.00. *tr | |||
| 03/28/2008 | 75000 | 1 | |
| Defective stepper motors on the cluster instrument panel. now affecting fuel gauge,speedometer,and tachometer on about a year now. just found out what is causing the problem. gm already recalled trucks and suv's. no recall on cars yet. *tr | |||
| 10/14/2008 | 52000 | 1 | |
| 2004 chevy cavalier, speedometer is crazy 1999 chevy cavalier, gas gague is busted both repairs are exceedingly expensive/dangerous, would like a recall. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 74 | 1 | |
| We have 2 2004 chevy cavaliers. on one of the cavaliers not to long after we bought it, the speedometer went out on it and we couldn't read the mileage on the car. we have tried to buy used ones and put then in the car and that failed and you still can't read the mileage on the car. on the second cavalier the speedometer is acting funny. when the car sets for overnight and the next morning you go and turn it on it says that you are going a high amount of speed, when it has been parked for a long time. it keeps occurring daily, and then sometimes when your driving it will say that your go 0 mph, when you are driving down the highway. we have looked to get these fixed, but the local chevy dealer that we talked to has said that he has had several complaints of this going wrong in the cavaliers and the chevy trucks. both of my cars have around 74,000 miles on it, and if other people are having the same problem, a recall needs to be issued, and we think the company should pay for it, since it has happened in both cars around the same mileage point. *tr | |||
| 07/13/2007 | 42000 | 1 | |
| I started looking for a fix for my wife's car and i have found that across the nation there are people driving with no speedo, tach, dash lights, or horn. this is a different mix of prbs for each but they all come back to the dash of the chevy cavalier. *tr | |||
| 11/16/2008 | 35000 | 1 | |
| I started the car when the fuel gauge went above the full mark even though it was at a half tank, after shutting it off and restarting it a couple times it eventually corrected itself. a week later this happened again but it would not correct itself though. then while driving the speedometer and tachometer started to give bad readings. the tachometer was reading at below zero rpms while at idle and it would go up to about 6,000 rpm while driving, the speedometer would read about 30-40 mph over the speed limit while i was driving and would sit at about 20 mph when i was at idle. the dealerships said that replacing the instrument cluster would correct the problem. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| So, the problem started about a month ago. i noticed that my speedometer in my cavalier would randomly freeze and stop working. i noticed that once i would turn the car off and then turn it back on it would be fine, and it would work properly for the rest of the day. after about a week of it freezing up like this, i was really getting ticked off. one day it started working fine and for about a week or so it worked perfect with no issues at all. then about a week ago it really started freaking out. it said i was going 110 when i was only going like 40, and turning the car on and off does nothing. it stays frozen no matter what it do. if i drive on the highway, it actually goes past the gauge limit and points straight down where my odometer is and stays there. it is so annoying! i decided over the weekend i would take it into a mechanic to have it looked at. do you know what they told me? they told me it would cost $675 to fix it, b/c the whole speedometer needed to be replaced. i can't believe i am going to pay almost $700 to take care of a problem that chevy created. *tr | |||
| 10/14/2008 | 48000 | 1 | |
| My 2004 chevy cavalier's speedometer is not working and the local dealer says they would have to send the cluster to a larger shop. i cannot be without my vehicle and it will also cost from 300.00 to 600.00 at the local dealer and there will also be an additional charge at the larger shop. *tr | |||
| 10/22/2008 | 82000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. ls . sometimes the speedometer sticks, show the wrong speed, goes off the gauge past the highest speed on the gauge or a speed below the actual speed. the fuel gauge does the same thing. the fuel gauge sometimes goes past full with the needle going into the temperature gauge. there should be a recall for this car problem. not knowing the correct speed poses a potential hazard, especially taking a curve too fast. this is a genuine safety issue. additionally there is the legal aspect if you're ticketed for speeding when you don't know how fast your are going! this also poses a hazard to pedestrians as well as other drivers. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 54000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. first the speedometer started sticking then it stopped working totally and is now stuck on 110 mph. then my tach and temp gauges started sticking or not working at all. this is not a coincidence cause i just found out that they have a recall for 2004 trucks. there should be one for this car as well. i mean it is the same freaking problem as they had with the trucks. there is tons of complaints for this same problem. first and last time i ever buy a chevrolet unless they show me they care about there customers. *tr | |||
| 06/10/2008 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2004 chevrolet cavalier 2-dr coupe. the instrument panel is not working correctly. the gas gauge pointer works only part of the time. it will show (0) zero gas, even after a fill-up. the temperature gauge works the same way, sometimes, the pointer will move and sometimes it stays at the (0) temperature position, even while being driven. the speedometer pointers turns counter-clockwise. the only gauge that seems to work properly so far is the tachometer gauge. the car was purchased new and has about 53,000 miles on it. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2007 | 75000 | 1 | |
| My temperature gauge fluctuated for about a month and then it just moved to the bottom and points to the bottom part of the instrument panel and i can not tell if my car is overheating.,and my speedometer likes to freeze every once in a while. *tr | |||
| 05/20/2005 | 1 | ||
| Out of nowhere my temp. gauge went out followed by the speedometer, rpm, fuel all my gauges have gone out. can't find the problem without replacing the whole thing. *tr | |||
| 07/10/2008 | 84100 | 1 | |
| First, thank you for listening. i have a 2004 chevrolet cavalier base model. 2.2 ecotec engine. the abs, lowtrac, and service light comes on in the vehicle when placed in drive or reverse. car hesitates and wants to shut down every time!! when it first started to happen, it could be shut off and re-started and the lights would go out. now they are is on all the time! i have also noticed when on slippery roadways the abs does not work in the vehicle> i have slid sideways and through intersections . a horrible noise comes from the car when the brakes are applied when the lights are off in the car if they do not come on right away. i apply the brakes, and the awful growling and noise that comes from the car is very scary. i am afraid to let my wife even drive sometimes. i have not reported this to the dealership yet as i am waiting to see if this is a recall. if it is, i can have the repair done for nothing. i feel it should be done for nothing as if this is a defect in the vehicle that could cause terrible harm or even death if this occurs while driving.. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 45000 | 1 | |
| My complaint is a domino effect within the instrument cluster. here is what happened, in order: 1) temperature gauge needle over extends itself clockwise past the maximum threshold, so that the needle is pointing to the right (passenger side). the needle will unpredictably reset itself to that position when the vehicle is powered off and turned back on, or it will just remain stuck in that position. 2) the temperature gauge needle, now stuck pointing to the right, physically interferes (a fight so to speak) with the speedometer needle which is frantically trying to push its way past a stubborn temp gauge needle. the speedometer cannot push itself past 10 miles per hour. 3) speedometer,despite being the bigger needle, loses and dies completely... sitting lifelessly at -1. ohhh the irony. 4) about 1 month later the fuel gauge over extends itself and commonly points to the right, or in any random direction. the fuel gauge sometimes sticks when the vehicle is powered off, or will reset and find another completely inaccurate position to remain in. i think it is just jealous of the other two. conclusion: i am driving -1 mile per hour down the freeway with 147% fuel capacity in a vehicle whose engine is running at over 570 degrees f. but that is ok because chevy told me it isn't a safety issue, so every thing must be perfectly fine! *tr | |||
| 09/15/2006 | 30000 | 1 | |
| The car has a major wiring or electrical problem, but its not detected by mechanics. i have a temp gauge that is all over the place, sometimes it even touches the far bottom right side of the control panel. the speedometer is no longer working, driving or parked i am going -3 miles an hour. the rpms work when they feel like it which is rarely. the only gauge working is the gas. in addition to this, the car cuts off while driving. all of this has been for the last year and a half and continues to date. i have been in mid-left turn on major intersections of los angeles and it just died. i commute on the 110 fwy and it has just died, always while i am accelerating never parked. then in a few seconds you crank the key and your off and running again. it is so scary because it is so unpredictable. i have received speeding tickets not knowing my speed and mechanic cant find the problem. what do i do??? *tr | |||
| 05/27/2008 | 117000 | 1 | |
| The tachometer is failing to work, the speedometer is failing to work, the drivers side window went out, and the service engine light stays on with the abs and track off lights stay on. this is constant. now, i am worried that the speedometer will have a problem when i am driving my children. there doesn't seem to be a clear cut fix for this when talking to the chevy dealer. *tr | |||
| 04/14/2008 | 77000 | 1 | |
| Some times the speedometer would change to 100 mph while driving at approximately 55 mph or would just drop to zeromph. the tachometer would not change. had it into the dealer several times but it would work ok. the dealer said he could not do anything under warranty unless he could see the problem and analyze it because it could be the cluster ,loose wire or another part. it happened at least 1 or 2 times a week on my way to work . i set up with dealer to have him come to my work to check it out if malfunctioned. some times when i stopped the speedometer would read any where from 10 to 45 mph. finally malfunctioned and dealer was able to check it out. cluster was replaced on warranty. *tr | |||
| 08/20/2006 | 5000 | 15 | |
| I bought my car, a 2004 chevy cavalier with 21 miles on it. since then i have tried to return it and now the minor but frequent issues are much bigger and more frequently! first my trunk latch broke a week after purchase. the cd broke the next week, cigarette lighter broke, and passenger seat wouldn't move. this was the first two months of ownership. a few months ago the fuel gauge broke, temp gauge and ac. they couldn't verify it so couldn't repair, until it completely failed this month. also, i was left stranded at 2:30 am with my 3 year old son when the clutch fell through the floor. it was repaired and now the rpms shoot up to 6000, is unresponsive to any pedals, and requires turning the engine off. this happened in san francisco on highway 101, i am truly afraid for the safety of myself. son, and others driving this car or near one. there are many other unmentioned things that have occurred, too many to tell in this summary. they of course can't duplicate this major problem and therefore can't correct. also they state it doesn't fall under lemon, but what is at stake our lives. *jb | |||
| 06/11/2006 | 80 | ||
| While driving my car, the engine would completely shut off. at first it would happen when i was at a complete stop. however it began to happen while the car was in movement. i tried to crank the car to take it to the shop and it wouldn't crank at all. the problem couldn't be identified on a diagnostic test and it wasn't the spark plugs. i was told to replace the computer to see if that was the problem. the auto shop was not even sure that it was the problem. this computer cost $650 not including labor. now my engine light continually flashes and the car jerks. however when i take it to the auto shop they say that i have gotten bad gas. they can't find another problem. i've changed where i get my gas and it still happens daily. out of 3 hours of driving it may run normally about 1- 1.5 hour. *nm | |||
| 10/26/2005 | 30300 | 1 | 08/10/2004 |
| Dt: while driving the contact's vehicle was involved in an accident due to a possible medical condition. the vehicle caught on fire immediately upon impact. the vehicle was deemed a total loss from the insurance company. a representative from the manufacturer inspected the vehicle and was unable to determine the cause of the fire due to the extensive damage. the solid fuel lines were intact as well as the gasoline tank. *ak updated 02/26/06. *jb | |||
| 10/10/2005 | 37100 | 8 | 07/22/2005 |
| I bought the car used with over 29,000 miles on it in july of 2005. the car stops running at any speed traveled, everything locks up so it is hard to steer off the road. after i finally pull of the road i put the car in park, turn the ignition key off and then turn it on again it starts back up. this has happened many times. the first time i took it to the dealership and they told me that since it wont happen to them while they drive it there is nothing wrong, so go home and call us if it happens again. so i did. the 2nd time it was in the dealership they put it on a diagnostic test and fixed 2 things. now the warranty ends and it is still doing the problem. i have called and made an appointment but was told i would have to pay for the repairs anyways because the warranty ended a little over 1,000 miles ago. i drive in this car everyday to work which is a half hour away from my house and to school 1 day a week which is 3.5 hours from my house. i also have my child in this car at all times. i feel this car is a hazard to all that drives in it and i honestly feel that there may be an accident in the future if this doesn't get fixed. *jb | |||
| 06/30/2005 | 7194 | 4 | 10/01/2004 |
| 2004 chevrolet cavalier developed a problem with starting as well as stalling.*mr the vehicle has been taken tot he dealer numerous times but they have not been able to permanently alleviate the problem. *nm | |||
| 09/26/2004 | 6342 | 3 | 04/30/2004 |
| Dt: while driving and without warning the vehicle died. this has happened three times. the dealer said it was something different every time. the manufacturer was contacted, but would not return the consumers call. she called three times. the dealer said the problem was an ignition switch the second time. the third time they replaced/programmed the pcm. the first time they replaced a module 3.107, seal 3.112. *ak the power windows would not roll down. *jb | |||
| 12/19/2003 | 1000 | 11/30/2003 | |
| Electrical problem with 2004 chevy cavalier. within a few weeks of purchase (purchased new) car has had electrical problems that have gotten worse over the year of ownership. driver side window will not open or close at times, pre-set radio stations change at times, and interior light will turn on and off by itself at times. *nm | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 01/20/2004 | 10 | 13 | |
| Consumer complained that when manually shifting vehicle stalled. the key had to be removed from the ignition to restart the vehicle. also, sometimes vehicle stalled when shifting too fast. occasionally, the stalling occurred on the highway. during this time it could be dangerous to have to remove the key from the ignition. the dealer claims that the vehicle was designed to do this. the problem occurred more than twelve times. *ak *nm | |||
| 12/10/2003 | 100 | 8 | 12/05/2003 |
| A strong fuel odor entered the inside of the vehicle when the vents were used. this odor caused nausea and headaches to any one riding in the vehicle. at any temperature, the vehicle took a very long time to crank up. also, while driving at 50 mph, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and bogged down. the vehicle would eventually pick up speed and act as if nothing ever happened. these problems occurred eight times. *ak there was rattle in the drivers side door panel due to the regulator, there was also an intermittent noise on the passenger side rear, the vehicle would not start due to the power train control module, the engine was hard to start at times and was unable to be duplicated, the engine would lose power, the driver door made a rubbing noise, the floor area was buckling, and the a/c displayed a burning smell. *sc *jb | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 10/29/2004 | 1 | 03/01/2004 | |
| Consumer received a recall notice(04002) regarding the ignition circuit thermal. the dealer refused to do the work!!! service manager patricia barona. *jb the consumer requested that the information given to be disreguarded because information was on the consumers 2001 that was traded for 2004. *tc | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||
| 05/04/2004 | 13200 | 6 | 10/24/2003 |
| When starting the vehicle, every month or so it will turn over once and the power will shut off and when i let off the key it will come back on. then try to start again and it will. maybe a problem with the ignition or starter.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - INSTRUMENT PANEL | |||
| 12/01/2010 | 58000 | 1 | |
| All gauges on instrument panel quit working completely at first but now move around backwards or any direction they choose...never correct!!!!! this is very dangerous!!!!!! *tr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||
| 04/05/2006 | 24000 | 3 | 04/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. while driving 5 mph, the engine intermittently stalled. the failure occurred while making a turn in first gear. the rpm decreased to 400 rpm and there was a loss of power steering. when the vehicle stalled, the contact released his foot from the clutch and the motor increased the rpm's automatically. when the key was turned in the ignition, the vehicle failed to start intermittently until approximately ten attempts. while driving 55 mph, the speedometer displayed 30 mph. when the gas tank was full, the fuel gauge would display half a tank. the temperature gauge also malfunctioned. the vehicle would not overheat, but the gauge would read hot. the dealer was unable to diagnose or repair the failures. the failure mileage was 24,000 and current mileage was 37,500. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||
| 11/04/2007 | 1 | 06/02/2005 | |
| Electrical fire in a 2004 chevy cavalier. always had electrical problems, check engine light has come on and speedometer sticks everytime it rains. the air bag light had come on and we were afraid that it was going to deploy and if it did we would have gotten into an accident. when it was continued to drive, all that was smelled was smoke and all of a sudden the interior lights all went out and the smoke became heavier and all the wires were dangling down and melted. the car was towed and needs to be rewired and that will cost about $1100.00. good thing no one was hurt and it didn't all the way catch fire. i now don't have a vehicle and i am afraid to drive it when it gets fixed because i don't want it to happen again. i have heard from others that they have problems with the same car and how the speedometer sticks and other electrical problems. *tr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||
| 03/05/2004 | 6208 | 1 | |
| Consumer started vehicle to warm it up and went back into the office. vehicle was in flames within 10 minutes. the flames were under the hood. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 08/20/2006 | 5000 | 15 | |
| I bought my car, a 2004 chevy cavalier with 21 miles on it. since then i have tried to return it and now the minor but frequent issues are much bigger and more frequently! first my trunk latch broke a week after purchase. the cd broke the next week, cigarette lighter broke, and passenger seat wouldn't move. this was the first two months of ownership. a few months ago the fuel gauge broke, temp gauge and ac. they couldn't verify it so couldn't repair, until it completely failed this month. also, i was left stranded at 2:30 am with my 3 year old son when the clutch fell through the floor. it was repaired and now the rpms shoot up to 6000, is unresponsive to any pedals, and requires turning the engine off. this happened in san francisco on highway 101, i am truly afraid for the safety of myself. son, and others driving this car or near one. there are many other unmentioned things that have occurred, too many to tell in this summary. they of course can't duplicate this major problem and therefore can't correct. also they state it doesn't fall under lemon, but what is at stake our lives. *jb | |||
| 01/10/2006 | 40000 | 4 | 04/10/2004 |
| I have had problems with brake grinding since i bought my 04 cavalier. it has been into the dealership 3 times and each time i was told there was only rust build up and it was sanded off only to reccur. the last time in the dealership, i was told my car was no longer under warranty and if i wanted a brake job done it would be in excess of $140.00...this...was for the same problem the car was in for the previous 2 times and no new brakes installed..only the rust ground off. my check engine light periodically goes off and on and the dealership cannot determine why. i no longer have any lights on my radio/cd player..i can play cd's and use the radio but have no idea what station etc i am on. shortly after this occurred in like 2 weeks, i lost my speedometer...it works briefly and then sticks at 90 mph ( the odometer works however) the dealership checked fuses and said all was fine. they said it appeared to be a cluster module and even though the part was not that expensive, the labor would be the most because it entailed them removing the dash board. the cost factor of over $400 was verbally given to me. i live on a fixed income and cannot afford this. they said there were no recalls and given my car is off warranty, i would need to absorb this cost myself. i bought this car brand new and feel that after less than 2 years of owning it, these problems should not have happened. i gave an estimated account of dates of incident been they have been on going and can be verified through the dealership i bought it from as i have taken it no where else for service. i am registered with carstats and there have been several complaints of the same things i am experiencing. *jb | |||
| 08/10/2004 | 0 | 3 | 05/10/2004 |
| Bought a brand new 2004 cavalier approximately april 2004. since purchase date,car has been into dealership due to loud grinding noises in brakes 3 times. first time to best of my knowledge within 6 months of ownership. every time i have been the noises are rust buildup on shoes and pads. the remedy was to sand the rust, it worked but temporarily. i had the car in again november 2005 for this same thing & my check engine light stayed on. my car was still under warranty. the tech told me i had rust & the rotors were a little out of round. he told me the car had 30,000 miles on & they couldn't do new brakes as warranty it would cost me about $140.00. the check engine light was attributed it to having some floats in tank from gas that affected a sensor. wouldn't cause problems they said & it still happens. the 2nd visit to the dealer they fix a side mirror & defroster..didn't work. 1 week ago, i have use of radio & cd player only no lights/radio now. the next day i started car up my & speedometer says 35 mph idling. going with traffic flow it registered 105 & is now stopped there. mileage gauge, gas and other lights still work as does gas gauge. i called a local chevy dealership near me & inquired as to an aprox. cost to have radio & speedometer fixed/looked at. warranty now is off. i was told labor be the expensive part..looking at $400 or more. i live on a fixed income & can't afford this. brakes/radio/speedometer are nothing i caused. i was never offered to have brakes replaced. speedometer issue is very dangerous. i have checked websites to see if there were complaints like mine& there are. i have guessed the incident date i cannot recall exact date i took car in for the 1st brake issue. *jb | |||
| 09/01/2005 | 4 | 09/01/2005 | |
| Dt:the contact stated the dashboard light kept going out. the vehicle has been in repair shop four times for the same problem. the contact was on her way to the dealership to pick up the vehicle and was unsure if the problem had been corrected.*ak | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 50 | 06/05/2004 | |
| My 2004 cavalier has the dash cluster going out. therefore, my speedometer is not working correctly. there have been several times that i have had to slam on brakes because i was going around a curve too fast, but thought that i was slow enough. the dealer has told me there is no recall because it is not a safety issue. well, i feel that it is. this is a manufacturer's defect, but yet they are charging people to fix the cluster. the cost run up to $350.00 if not more. i am also at risk of getting a ticket. i have e-mailed gm, but have not received a response. i do know for a fact that this is happening to other 2004 models also from speaking with the local dealerships. please help in this issue before somebody possibly is hurt. *jb | |||
| 08/08/2005 | 1 | 09/20/2004 | |
| While driving home from work with my 2004 chevrolet cavalier, 4 dr sedan, vin # 1g1jc52f247310960 traveling about 45 mph on monday, 8/8/05 during daylight hours ,i looked at the speedometer and lo and behold it registered zero. the zero reading continued for up to 20 minutes before it began to record speed. i brought it to lou bachrodt chevrolet the same day at 5500 n state rd. 7, coconut creek, fl 33073, telephone #(954) 247-3000, invoice #cwcs429696. today, 8/9/05 and was told that they couldn't find anything, and therefore could not replace or repair the speedometer components and related equipment. therefore, nothing was done and i was sent on my way. i feel my safety and the safety of others are at risk if this happens again which it probably will since there is no explanation for it. if i am going through a school zone and not know what speed i am traveling at, this could lead to a dangerous situation for the children, myself and other motorists. *nm | |||
| 04/13/2004 | 2491 | 5 | 12/30/2003 |
| Dt: consumer stated that the wiring harness behind the dashboard went bad, and then there was a clicking noise from the front end. consumer stated that there appeared to be an electrical problem with the vehicle because the radio had to replaced 3 times, and the alarm went off at random. also, dealership replaced the body module control unit. the front end had a service bulletin on the wheel covers and the clicking noise was a result of this. they have fixed the problem with the wheel covers twice. *ak | |||