2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Complaints

MY CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT START. WOULD RUN FINE, START SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THEN NOT START. LEFT ME AND MY YOUNG DAUGHTER STRANDED, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOOD IF IT WERE IN A BAD PART OF TOWN OR HAD I NOT HAD FAMILY CLOSE TO COME GET ME. NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO START AT ALL, DON'T HEAR THE FUEL PUMP PRIME. A MECHANIC TOLD ME TO HIT GAS TANK WITH MALLET WHILE TRYING TO START IT. IT STARTED BY DOING THAT, AND I WAS TOLD THE FUEL PUMP IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS GOING TO COST OVER $700...MONEY I DON'T HAVE. THIS I AM FINDING TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR....CHECK OUT THIS DISCUSSION FORUM FOR MANY MORE COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AT........ HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-CAVALIER/TVINIC5TFU5SFSI5H ............. THIS CAR REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR THE FUEL PUMP, IT IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE VEHICLE HAS YOKOHAMA ALLEGIANCE IV TIRES, SIZE P19570R14 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING RATTLING NOISES. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE NOISE. DURING DECELERATION, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. HE ABRUBPTLY STOPPED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. HE THEN NOTICED FRONT END DAMAGE AND IT APPEARED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION. HE TOOK THE TIRE TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR INSPECTION. IT APPEARED AS IF THE TIRE STRUCK A CURB AND WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DID NOT STRIKE ANY CURBS, WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE TREAD TO SEPARATE SO SUDDENLY. HE BELIEVES THIS IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,836.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Z24. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PAINT ON THE HOOD, ROOF, TRUNK AND SPOILER OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO CHIP AND PEEL OFF. AS TIME PROGRESSED, HE NOTICED THAT OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 09/16/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/18/08. *JB

WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR CUTS OUT AND DIES AND THEN DOESN'T RESTART. THIS IS DUE TO A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS DESIGN RELATED. THE PUMP FAILED AT 90,000 MI. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. IN MARCH OF 2005, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AND THEY STATED THAT SHE NEEDED A RELAY SWITCH AND A NEW WIRING HARNESS. THERE WERE NO FAILURES AT THAT TIME. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WAS GETTING HOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT SHE NEEDED ANOTHER NEW IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS AT THE COST OF $403.23. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING- NO OUTSIDE FORCES (EG. ROCK) IN THE MIDDLE ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO. DASH CRACKED DOWN THE MIDDLE 3/10/08- NO REASON. WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY BAGS OPERATING CORRECTLY. KNOW OF MANY OTHER CAVALIERS WITH SAME DASHBOARD PROBLEM. *TR

DASH IS CRACKED RIGHT WHERE IT MEETS THE WINDOW IN THE CENTER AND TO THE FAR RIGHT. ALSO, THE CLEAR COAT & PAINT ON THE ENTIRE CAR IS COMING OFF. *TR

FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY. ONLY EVER GOES DOWN TO HALF WHEN IT SHOULD REALLY BE READING "EMPTY." NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS REALLY IN THE TANK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH IN COLD WEATHER, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED AFTER FIVE MINUTES. IN WARM WEATHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD TAKE 30 MINUTES TO RESTART. THE WIRE HARNESS THAT CONNECTS TO THE FUEL PUMP SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE WIRE HARNESS WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED 4,000 MILES LATER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

I WAS DRIVEN HOME FROM WORK (100 MILES BOTH WAYS) 65MPH THEN IT STOPPED ACCELERATING PULLED OVER 2 MIN. LATER BACK ON THE ROAD 1 MILE LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. FORCED IT TO MAKE IT TO TOWN 1AM. LEFT IT AT A GAS STATION. CAME BACK IN THE MORNING TO TAKE IT BACK TO DEALER (45 MIN DRIVE) IT BROKE DOWN 6 TIMES!!! I'VE HAD IT 9 DAYS!!! DEALER SAID IT WASN'T HIS PROBLEM BUT BECAUSE MY 7 MONTH OLD BABY WAS W/ME HE CHANGED THE FUEL FILTER AND SENT ME AWAY. 45 MIN LATER I WAS BROKEN DOWN ON A HIGHWAY 1 HOUR IT STILL WOULDN'T START. A MAN PULLED UP CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD HIM TO TOW IT BACK TO THE SHOP. NEXT DAY HE WORKS ON IT END OF DAY SAYS IT MUST BE ELECTRICAL. I GAVE HIM $4800 CASH!!!! I DON'T EVEN WANT THE CAR BACK!!! HE NEEDS TO GIVE ME MY MONEY CAUSE IT IS A LEMON. *TR