2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. SAFETY DEFECT IS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE ROLLS BACK WHILE ON A HILL. WHILE IT IS IN DRIVE IT ACTS AS IF IT WAS STANDARD TRANSMISSION. HAPPENED ON AND OFF SINCE 2003. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IDLES TOO LOW WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS. *JB

DT: 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON AND THEN WENT OFF. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT STEER IT. THE CONTACT STATED IT WAS A CLEAR DAY, THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC , AND NO REASON FOR HER TO LOSE CONTROL. THERE WAS A CODE FOUND, B2625 FOR DISPLAY DIMMING PULSE. IT APPEARED TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTING DISPLAY. THERE NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS POWER FAILURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER SUSTAINED BRUISES AND HAD A BACKACHE. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM *JB

MY SPEEDOMETER IS NOT READING CORRECTLY AT TIMES THAT ARE NOT PREDICTABLE. TODAY FOR INSTANCE IT HAS LOST SPEED BY READING AT 5 MPH WHEN I AM DRIVING AT 40 MPH! IT HAS EVEN READ AT 85 MPH WHEN I WAS ONLY DRIVING AT 50 MPH! I HAVE TAKEN THIS PROBLEM TO DEALERSHIP AND STILL NO RESULT. NOW MY TEMPERATURE DIAL IS GOING BONKERS. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL POST ON SITES ABOUT THE DASHBOARD/CAR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS! I NOW HAVE MY FIRST SPEEDING TICKET DUE TO THE RESULT OF THIS! *JB

2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER REAR TAILLIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY FAILED.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED COMPENSATION THE ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH HER VEHICLE. *SC

JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY MY CALL RESULTING IN ODI NUMBER 10133041. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, PRIOR TO THE BELT BREAKING, MY CAR'S ALTERNATOR HAD A "HARD SPOT". THIS MEANS THAT IT WOULD SEIZE AND LET GO. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE ALTERNATOR SHOULD NOT SEIZE UNLESS THERE IS A COLLISION WHICH IN TURN STOPS THE ENGINE. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK THIS RANDOM SEIZING, I BELIEVE, IS WHAT CAUSED MY "UNDIPLOMATIC", STEERING AND BRAKING PROBLEMS - WITH LOSS OF CONTROL RANGING FROM 1/2 SECOND TO 2 SECONDS AT A TIME. ON THE REPORT ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALTERNATOR REPAIR, I AGAIN REPORTED BRAKING PROBLEMS (NOT JUST THE DOCUMENTED NOISE), AND THE ODDBALL SENSATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. BOTH LINES OF COMPLAINT WERE ATTRIBUTED TO THE SEIZING UP OF THE ALTERNATOR. TO ME, THIS MEANS THAT MY LIFE, AND THE LIFE OF ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD WITH ME - WAS AND STILL IS STILL AT THE MERCY OF A WEIRD ALTERNATOR, WHOSE INTERMITTENT FAILURES RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER TO THE STEERING PUMP, AND THE BRAKES - RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR UNTIL THE BACKUP KICKS IN - WHICH TAKES FROM 1/2 SECOND TO 2 SECONDS. I WISH TO MAKE VERY CLEAR - I DO NOT BLAME THE DEALER FOR LACK OF ABILITY TO ADEQUATELY REPAIR WHAT IS AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW. IN ADDITION, IN THE COURSE OF RESEARCH, I HAVE LEARNED THAT MOST ALL NEW CARS REGARDLESS OF MANUFACTURER ARE DESIGNED THE SAME WAY. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD, AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ON AN INDUSTRY WIDE SCALE. AT THIS STAGE, STEERING, ACCELERATION, AND BRAKING ARE ALL ERRATIC. SOUND IN THE FRONT TIRES IS LIKE A CLIP-CLOP. I AM NOT A MECHANIC, BUT IN READING THE DESCRIPTIONS PLACED HERE, I MUST ALSO WONDER IF THE CRASHES AND AIRBAG FAILED DEPLOYMENTS IN SEVERAL POSTS WERE ALSO DUE TO A SEIZING ALTERNATOR PRIOR TO THE MVA.*AK

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVILER. WAS LOSING CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES. IT STARTED IN THE WINTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DIRECTION THAT CAR WAS HEADED WAS THE WAY IT STAYED. ALSO, SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A HUM IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH LASTED A COUPLE OF SECONDS EACH TIME. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT IT DID NOT SOUND TO THEM AS DANGEROUS. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM FINALLY CAME TO AHEAD IN JUNE. LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. THE BELT BROKE, AND THE ALTERNATOR SEIZED. WHEN THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER THEY CONCLUDED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BELT MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO HEARD A GRINDING NOISE IN THE BRAKES. THE DEALER NEVER DID ANY REPAIRS TO THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT THE KEY WAS HOT AFTER IT HAD BEEN IN THE IGNITION. AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THE CAR WENT BACK TO THE DEALER , AND SHE DID NOT HAVE THE TIGHTNESS TO THE STEERING. BUT, THE CAR WAS STILL PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE BRAKES WERE SPONGY. THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND IN THE FRONT WHEEL. THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE SPEED OF THE CAR. AND ALMOST HAD A COLLISION. *AK

DT: 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE TRUNK LATCH BROKE APPROXIMATELY 3 OR 4 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS REPLACED. THEN, A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AND THE FOURTH LATCH FOR WAS PUT ON THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, THE CONSUMER HAS AN APPOINTMENT A TDEALER TO HAVE THE FIFTH LATCH INSTALLED. THE LAST TIME IT WAS INSTALLED THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THEY PUT IN A LATCH FROM A DIFFERENT VEHICLE AND THAT ONE LASTED 8 MONTHS. THE MANAGER STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT THERE WERE OTHER CUSTOMERS IN THE WAITING AREA THAT HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS SAME VEHICLE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THE CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE. *AK

HAD CAR PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. PUT CAR IN REVERSE, BACKED UP AND THEN WENT TO DRIVE. DROVE ABOUT 15 FEET AND ENGINE DIED. HAD CAR TOWED TO SHOP AND THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED.

THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING REPAIR FOR A MINOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON 11/11/04. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMOVED WITHOUT BEING REPLACED. DIAGNOSTICS ON THE AIRBAG MODULE SHOWED THAT THE AIRBAGS HAD BEEN DEPLOYED AND WERE MISSING. THE AIRBAG DASH WARNING INDICATOR ALSO HAS BEEN DISABLED SOMEHOW. NONE OF THESE DEFICIENCIES WERE REPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE VEHICLE PURCHASE. IT IS UNCERTAIN WHEN THE ORIGINAL REPAIR WAS MADE AND BY WHOM. THE ACCIDENT ON 11/11/04 WAS NOT SEVERE ENOUGH FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. NO INJURIES RESULTED FROM THE MISSING AIRBAGS.

DT: CONSUMER HAD RECALL ON TSTOP LIGHT AND TURN SIGNALS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO FOX CHEVROLET FOR REPAIRS, AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL OR STOP LIGHT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. CONSUMER CALLED FOX CHEVROLET, AND DEALER SAID THAT HE SHOULD BRING VEHICLE IN NEXT THURSDAY. CONSUMER WANTED TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE HE FELT THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE WITHOUT PROPER LIGHTS. HE DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE UNSAFE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK.*AK *NM