2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Complaints

View complaints related to 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 650 complaints submitted for the 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - WELLSBURG, WV

    I'D PURCHASED MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER IN LIKE-NEW CONDITION WITH ~20K MILES. MONTHS AFTER I'D STARTED DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL(MANUAL TRANSMISSION), THE RPM WOULD DROP WELL BELOW 1000 AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD STALL. WHEN IT WOULD STALL, IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN FOR A FEW MINUTES OF SITTING. I HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT AND NO ONE COULD FIND A PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T OCCUR AT A REGULAR INTERVAL, BUT INSTEAD HAPPENED RANDOMLY AT LEAST ONCE WITHIN 2 OR 3 MONTHS TIME. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 4.5 YEARS AND THE FUEL PUMP HAS STOPPED OPERATING COMPLETELY. THE PROBLEM WASN'T APPARENT UNTIL I TRIED STARTING MY VEHICLE ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 8TH 2009 AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE STARTER WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, BUT THE ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION UNIT WAS MAKING A DIFFERENT NOISE. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE EVALUATED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMPS PRICE RANGES BETWEEN $150-250 ON AVERAGE AND LABOR WOULD COST MORE. BY DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A COMMON CASE. AN O.E.M. FUEL PUMP ON A CAR UNDER 75K MILES SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 5 YEARS BEFORE DETERIORATION. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - WEATHERFORD, OK

    I OWN A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER. THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT ON IT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING GREAT I PULLED UP TO A STORE TURNED OFF THE CAR, RAN AN ERRAND, THEN THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I CHECKED ALL FUSES AND RELAYS, AND HIT THE BLEED OFF IN THE FUEL LINE. THE PUMP JUST QUIT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND MANY PPL BELIEVE THAT THE FUEL PUMP IN 2003 AND 2001 CAVALIERS HAS A DEFECT. IM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - AZLE, TX

    THE TAIL LIGHT/TURN SIGNAL BURNED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I REPLACED THE BULB 2 DAYS LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE WENT OUT I REPLACED THAT BULB AND SINCE THAT ABOUT EVERY 2 DAYS I BURN ANOTHER BULB I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THINKING IT WAS THE RECALL THEY HAVE ON THE TAIL LIGHT/TURN SIGNAL AND THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED IT THE FIRST TIME AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK I TOOK IT BACK WITH THE BULB BURNED OUT AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS FOUND I CAN'T GET THEM TO DO THE RECALL WORK BECAUSE THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTS BUT I AM PAYING 4.00 A BULB EVERYTIME IT BURNS OUT AND I HAVE DONE THIS FOR 2 MONTHS NOW AND I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO KEEP DOING THIS I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - SANTA ROSA, CA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER . THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT TURN SIGNAL WAS INOPERABLE. THE BULB HAD NOT BLOWN THEREFORE SHE SPECULATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V524000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL), THEREFORE SHE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. NO FURTHER REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 77,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - HOUSTON, TX

    VEHICLE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN BUSY INTERSECTION WOULD TURN OVER HOWEVER WOULD NOT START. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - MUKWONAGO, WI

    CAR LOST ALL POWER DUE TO ENGINE STALLING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE, CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - YORK, PA

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AFTER PARKING HER VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE FIRE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE WINDOWS OPENED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN SHE TURNED THE AIR CONDITIONER OFF GREEN SMOKE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE FIRE STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE GREEN SMOKE WAS PRESENT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER IS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 75,000. UPDATED 10/21/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE TURNED THE AC SWITCH TO OFF, SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS OFF, THE AC WAS STILL ON. UPDATED 10/20/09

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - SANTANA, CA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN IDLE THE VEHICLE STALLLED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, HIS RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - HOUSTON, TX

    FUEL PUMP FAILURE DURING HEAVY MORNING TRAFFIC ON AN EIGHT LANE HIGHWAY. CAR ONLY HAD 66,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT COST $980 FOR REPAIR. I HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS PART, AND THAT GM IS PRETENDING IT DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM. THE LAST PART TO GO ON A VEHICLE SHOULD BE THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD A 73 OLDS DELTA 88 WITH 380,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE FUEL NEVER HAD TO BE REPLACED. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO HAVE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECTIVE PART, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING IT CREATES A REAL SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
    - VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE IS 72,000.THE VIN NUMBER IS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE IS 72,000. BL

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE