1989 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner Complaints

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN US 95 NORTH IN LAS VEGAS AT 65 MPH, THE IGNITION SUDDENLY TURNED OFF AND LEFT ME COASTING WITH NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS IN THE EXIT LANE. BECAUSE IT WAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, I WAS ABLE TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH AND TURN THE KEY AND ENGINE FIRED RIGHT UP AGAIN BEFORE I DECREASED TOO MUCH SPEED THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE 3 YEARS I OWNED THIS CAR. THE SECOND TIME WAS ON RAPART BLVD BETWEEN CHEYENNE AND LAKE MEAD, AGAIN IN LAS VEGAS. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COAST OUT OF TRAFFIC AND INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE I LEFT THE CAR BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. MECHANICS COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WHY IT CONTINUED TO DO THIS. I THINK GM NEEDS TO LOOK EVEN FARTHER BACK WITH THESE IGNITION ISSUES AS THE CAVALIER IS THE PREDECESSOR TO THE COBALT. I REPEAT THIS HAPPENED MANY TIMES AND THEY COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10573612

Incident

Mar 4, 2002

Mileage

106,000 mi

I PURCHASED FOUR FIREHAWK SS20 P215/60R14 RWL TIRES FOR MY 89 CAVALIERZ24 ON 04/19/01 IN JACKSONVILLE FL. AT STORE #005770 OR #018538-THERE ARE TWO NUMBERS. THEY HAVE BEEN ROTATED TWICE SINCE THEN. RECENTLY, I HAVE NOTICED THAT ONE OF MY TIRES IS SEPARATING ABOVE THE WHITE LETTERS IN PERFECT BI-SECTION OF THE MOLD OUTLETS(THE LITTLE RUBBER FINGER LIKE THINGIES HA HA). TO ME THIS IS ODD. I WAS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC FOR THE NAVY AND HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. AS A COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE GONE BY THE SPLITTING HAS BECOME WORSE AND IS STARTING ON THE OTHER MOLD OUTLETS. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE RUBBER COMPOSITION ON THAT TIRE FOR IT TO SPLIT OR SEPARATE LIKE THAT. THE TIRE IS DATED FOR LATE 2000 AND HAS A TREAD DEPT OF 5 STILL LEFT ON IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10060474

Incident

Feb 25, 2004

Mileage

120,942 mi

ENTIRE RED CAR BEGAN FADING ABOUT 1 YEAR AFTER DELIVERY. DOORS ONLY HAVE LOST ALL PAINT, INTEGRITY OF DOORS IS COMPROMISED DUE TO RESULTING RUST. I CAN LIVE WITH AN AUTO WHICH IS SLOWING FADING IN COLOR:THE PRIMARY CONCERN IS THE DOORS. BECAUSE IT IS SO OBVIOUS THAT IT IS SOLELY BOTH DOORS EXHIBITING THE POOR QUALITIY, THERE HAS TO HAVE BEEN A DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP AND/OR MATERIALS INITIALLY. THANKS FOR YOU QUICK ATTENTION TO REMEDY THIS FAULTY CONDITION. I HAVE SEEN OTHER AUTOS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL EXHIBITING THE SAME DEFECT

NHTSA ID

10070540

Incident

Jul 15, 1991

WHEN I COME TO A SUDDEN STOP OR PUSH MY BRAKES TO A CERTAIN PART DOWN, THE CAR DIES. ALSO ON THE RECALL OF THE FUEL TANK BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIPS COMPUTER DID NOT GO THAT FAR BACK ON THE MODEL THEY WOULD'NT DO IT.THE DEALER WAS KARNES IN SOMERSET KY.

NHTSA ID

10008329

Incident

Feb 23, 2002

Mileage

83,000 mi

THE DOOR FRAME ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THIS VEHICLE HAS CRACKS EXTENDING OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS FROM THE DRILL HOLE FOR THE STRIKER. THIS PRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. SHOULD THE VEHICLE(FOR INSTANCE)BE HIT BROADSIDE ON THE DRIVERS REAR QUARTER (JUST BEHIND THE DOOR) THE DOOR LOCK STRIKER WILL MORE THAN LIKELY TEAR OUT, & THE DRIVER COULD BE EJECTED, OR REAR PASSENGERS INJURED BY THE ENTIRE COLLAPSE OF THE REAR QUARTER PANEL & UNI-BODY STRUCTURE. THERE ARE STILL A GREAT NUMBER OF VEHICLES LIKE THIS ON THE ROAD. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM WITH [XXX]'S VEHICLE & OTHERS LIKE IT. I WILL BE DOING THE SAME. SINCERELY, HER AUTO TECHNICAN FRIEND. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

766545

Incident

Sep 1, 2002

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE INTERIOR SEAT BACKS FLOP BACK AND FORTH. SEATS WILL COME UP AND DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SEAT BACKS DO NOT LOCK IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. *YH

NHTSA ID

898517

Incident

Nov 5, 1998

VEHICLE HAS HAD 3 KNOWN ECM MODULES REPLACED IN ITS LIFE OF 11 YEARS. *AK

NHTSA ID

736524

Incident

Nov 14, 2000

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL THE GAS TANK COMLETELY, FUEL FLOODS OUT OF THE UNDERBODY OF THE VEHICLE ONTO THE GROUND. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

852706

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A BAD ACCIDENT. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH AND ANOTHER VECHICLE HIT HIM FROM THE BLIND SIDE. HE WANTS TO NO WHY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

851468

CLUTCH SYSTEM SPECS ON PARTS WERE CHANGED. THIS CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO LOCK UP IF AIR GETS INTO LINE. CAN NOT GET OUT OF GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

844852

Incident

Jun 7, 1999

FUEL SYSTEM FAILED / FUEL GUAGE OVERHEATING. *YC

NHTSA ID

547271

THE HATCHBACK LATCH EXPERIENCING FAILURE, ADJUSTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH NOT SUCCESS. HOWEVER, WHEN THE HATCHBACK IS FULLY CLOSED ANY SMALL BUMP WHILE DRIVING RELEASES THE LOCK AND POPS THE DOOR OPEN, WHICH ALLOWS EXHAUST (FUMES) TO ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *YC

NHTSA ID

547296

NO PROBLEM DESCRIBED.

NHTSA ID

540350

WHENEVER DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT 40MPH, WOULD HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING. THEN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ALWAYS GO TO THE RIGHT. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED THAT IT WAS THE RACK AND PINION. *AK

NHTSA ID

821074

Incident

Nov 5, 1997

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE SEAT BELTS WOULD LOCK UP WHEN LEANING FORWARD; WOULD ALSO OCCUR WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. THERE IS NO GIVE. HAVE TO PULL/JERK TO TRY TO RELEASE BELT FOR ROOM. ITS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALR CANNOT LOCATE REASON FOR LOCK UP. *AK

NHTSA ID

816476

Incident

Dec 18, 1996

FUEL PIPE LEADING INTO FUEL TANK LEAKED.

NHTSA ID

519299

HEATER CORE WENT BAD, ANTI-FREEZE LEAKED OUT OF RADIATOR AS A RESULT. *AK

NHTSA ID

807743

Incident

Jan 15, 1997

EXTERIOR FINISH ON VEHICLE HAS DEGRADED SEVERELY DESPITE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

512190

WHILE DRIVNG THE VEHICLE THE BACK DOOR UNLATCHES FOR NO REASON, ALSO REPLACED POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

802055

Incident

Jul 15, 1996

WATER PUMP, SPARK PLUGS AND SERPENTINE BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID

509166

Incident

Apr 25, 1994

CV JOINT BOOT STRAP IS VERY CLOSE TO THE OIL FILTER AND DAMAGED FILTER CAUSING OIL LEAKING AND MOTOR TO SIEZE DUE TO DESIGN LOCATION FLAW.

NHTSA ID

507660

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED. (FIRST VEHICLE ON 507067)

NHTSA ID

601605

Incident

Jul 22, 1996

SEAT BELT BROKE, CAUSING INJURY. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)

NHTSA ID

506827

Incident

Jul 8, 1996

INTERMITTENT STALLING AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

505900

Incident

Jul 1, 1996

DRIVERS SEAT BACK FELL BACK UPON STOPPING, RESULTING IN INJURY. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *DH

NHTSA ID

503888

Incident

Apr 25, 1996