1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Airbags Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS MAKING A U TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, RIGHT SHOULDER, AND LEFT KNEE. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT SHOULDER. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.

NHTSA ID

11050932

Incident

Nov 24, 2017

Mileage

89,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH; HOWEVER, IT SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WHILE THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE WHIPLASH, LEG BRUISES, AND HEAD LACERATIONS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE CONTACT WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL UNDER HER DOCTOR'S SUPERVISION. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE DOCTOR DETERMINED THAT THE CONTACT'S NECK WAS FRACTURED AND SHE WAS SENT TO GET AN MRI AT THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY MARION CHEVROLET/CADILLAC IN MARION, ILLINOIS. THE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE'S BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ID

11029889

Incident

May 12, 1997

Mileage

5,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A STOP SIGN AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,450.

NHTSA ID

10638170

Incident

Jun 9, 2014

Mileage

195,450 mi

I REPLACED THE BATTERY ON MY 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2.4L WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION ABOUT 3 DAYS AGO. TODAY AS I WAS DRIVING TO GET GAS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO IDLE LOW AS IF IT WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH FUEL TO THE ENGINE. AS I CAME TO A STOP IT GOT WORSE AND THEN I CHECK THE DASH FOR ANY INDICATION OF MALFUNCTION ONLY TO SEE MY AIRBAG, CHECK ENGINE, ABS, CHECK OIL & BATTERY LIGHTS FLICKERING. MOMENTS LATER AS I SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR IT DIES RENDERING ALL SAFETY AND NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I HAD TO CALL A FRIEND TO JUMP ME 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE REACHING MY HOME WHICH WAS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY! *TR

NHTSA ID

10438689

Incident

Dec 5, 2011

Mileage

17,035 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROADWAY AND THE PASSENGER HAD TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AS THE VEHICLE STEERED OF ROAD INTO A GAS STATION AREA. BOTH THE PASSENGER AND CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG THEN INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,950 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,018. UPDATED 9/13/10 *CN UPDATED 09/15/10

NHTSA ID

10342884

Incident

Jun 1, 2010

Mileage

135,950 mi

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING CAUSING HER TO HIT A TREE. EYE WITNESSES STATE THIS AS WELL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184361

Incident

Feb 20, 2007

TL*- THE CONTACT HAS A 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER INJURED HIS ARM WHEN AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND CRASHED THE VEHICLE. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER, THE DEALER STATED HE HAS NO RECALL RECORDS FOR HIS VEHICLE PRIOR TO 2003.

NHTSA ID

10176514

Incident

Dec 15, 2006

Mileage

160,282 mi

DT: VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF THE DAY BEFORE. AN ENGINEER FROM GM CAME AND STATED AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BECAUSE OF MOISTURE IN THE CAR. THE WINDOWS WERE DOWN THE NIGHT BEFORE AND RAIN GOT IN THE CAR. THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THE AIR BAGS SMASHED THE WINDSHIELD. TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED INJURIES, BRUISES. OWNER BELIEVED WAS A POLICE REPORT. GM WAS NOTIFIED AND DETERMINED THAT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BECAUSE OF MOISTURE. NO PICTURES WERE AVAILABLE. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10126827

Incident

Jun 10, 2005

Mileage

86,000 mi

1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER PASSENGER AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED STRIKING THE CONSUMER'S 9 YEAR OLD SON IN THE FACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 20 MPH.*MR *JB

NHTSA ID

10132406

Incident

Aug 1, 2005

Mileage

184,000 mi

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WHILE HAVING THE 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED. *MR RECALL CAMPAIGN#02V286000. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING MECHANISM, THE IGNITION AND THE AIR BAG. *SC THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT NONE OF THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE EVER MADE ON THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10124784

Incident

Jun 3, 2005

THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED ON ITS OWN UNEXPECTEDLY. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED BY CONSUMER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10111339

Incident

Feb 9, 2005

FUEL PUMP SEAL DISINTEGRATED. COST $1,081.00 (INCLUDING 3 DAY CAR RENTAL). EARLIER THIS YEAR THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND I WOUND UP PAYING AN ADDITIONAL $600 FOR OTHER DEFECTS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. THINK THAT THIS AND MANY ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS ON THIS CAR CONSTITUTE IT BEING A LEMON. MORE THAN 5 RECALLS IN 7 YEARS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023976

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

Mileage

39,500 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015837

Incident

Apr 14, 2003

THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG FOR ALMOST A YEAR. (RECALL #98V146000)*JB

NHTSA ID

10009280

Incident

Mar 19, 2002

IN APRIL 2002 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TEH RECALL INFORMATION PROCESSING CENTER, ROYAL OAK, MI IN REGARDS TO A DEFECT WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. WHEN I CHECKED THE INTERNET "NHTSA" I FOUND OUT THAT IN FACT THIS WAS NOT THE ONLY RECALL ON MY CAR. THE IS ALSO AN AIRBAG, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MUD FLIP KIT RECALL. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO REPAIR ALL THESE DEFECTS. THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH AGAIN. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL AND THAT THE RECALL FOR THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" WAS FIXED THE DAY BEFORE AND I HAVE TO PAY IF I WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THAT LIGHT TO COME ON. I AM NOT SATISFIED AT ALL. FIRST OF ALL, I WAS NEVER CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO ALL THESE OTHER RECALLS. I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR EVERYSINCE AROUND THE MIDDLE OF 2002. WHEN I DRIVE AND TAKE MY FOOT OF THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR KEEPS GOING THE SAME SPEED WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN, SOMETIMES IT EVEN SPEEDS UP. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE ENGINE RUNS REAL ROUGH. ALSO WHEN DRIVING THE CAR KEEPS JERKING, LIKE SOMEBODY IS HITTING THE BRAKES AND THEN SPEEDS UPS RIGHT AFTERWARDS. ALL THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED. PLEASE BE SO KIND AND ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER OR ADVISE ME WHO I HAVE TO CONTACT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEST REGARDS, MANUELA M. LENO. *AK

NHTSA ID

765781

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED AFTER BEING UNUSED FOR 1-2 WEEKS. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD OF A RECALL FOR INADVERTANT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT , SO I AUTHORIZED THE DEALER TO DO THE RECALL. THE DEALER THEN CALLED AND SAID THERE WAS A CODE IN THE COMPUTER TELLING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AND THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE THE CAR SHOULD BE DRIVEN TO PREVENT A POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS FIT THE RECALL FOR INADVERTANT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT IT WAS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM AND WOULD COST AROUND $400 TO REPAIR. I THEN ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO TRY AND GET THIS FIXED BY CHEVROLET AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT, BUT I WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER FOR CHEVROLET TO TALK TO THEM MYSELF. I CALLED AND SPOKE TO STEVE LEFCOURT WHO AGREED THAT MY COMPLAINT SEEMED TO BE WHAT WAS RECALLED, BUT WAS TOLD THE NEXT DAY THAT MY PROBLEM WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE RECALL BECAUSE IN THE RECALL THEY REPROGRAMED THE COMPUTER,BUT SINCE MY CARS COMPUTER WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE REPROGRAMING IT NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

763635

Incident

May 1, 2002

BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE PARKED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8010608

Incident

May 18, 2002

WAS DRIVING 25MPH AND WAS STARTING TO TURN INTO DRIVEWAY, WHEN BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG EXPLODED WITH A LOT OF SMOKE & CAUSED THE DRIVER TO SUFFER BURNS ON CHEST. NLM TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED. *YH

NHTSA ID

8007872

Incident

Apr 3, 2002

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON A GRAVEL ROAD BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, THEN EXPLODED. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED BURNS ON FACE AND CHEST.*AK

NHTSA ID

8007309

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG INADVERTENT DEPLOYED WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH,.VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL OVER. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

877744

Incident

Nov 25, 2000

THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 45 OR 50 WHEN THE RIGHT TIRES HIT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH AND FLIPPED OVER LANDING ON IT'S TOP-SIDE. THE DRIVER SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD NOR DID THE AIR BAG ACTIVATE. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND IS STILL HAVING BACK PROBLEMS. SHE WAS SLUNG TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE AND HER SHOULDER HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND HER HEAD HIT THE TOP OF THE CAR.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/65R15 )

NHTSA ID

732024

Incident

Jul 19, 1999

RECALL9V146000/AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT RECEIVED ON APRIL 13, 2000. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 45 MPH, A DEER JUMPED ON HOOD OF VEHICLE AND BROKE FRONT WINDSHIELD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK THE DEPLOYED AIR BAGS RUPTURED 2 DISCS OF THE DRIVER'S NECK. *YH

NHTSA ID

861217

Incident

Oct 8, 1999

IN 53000 MILES: SPONTANEOUS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, COMPUTER FAILURE, VALVE TRAIN FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

718230

Incident

Jan 24, 2000

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ON THE 26 OF THIS MONTH WHEN I HIT THE REAREND OF THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME I WAS TRAVELING APPROX.25MPH AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IT WAS A STRAIGHT ON COLLISION TO THE FRONT END OF MY CAR.

NHTSA ID

715382

Incident

Nov 26, 1999

VEHICLE WAS SOLD WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL #98V-146. MJS

NHTSA ID

549249

Incident

Aug 12, 1998