1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Electrical Problems

THIS CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING LIKE THE GM CARS BEING MENTIONED IN THE NEWS TODAY. STARTED IN 2005 AND WAS EVALUATED BY MULTIPLE MECHANICS INCLUDING A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP THAT KEPT IT OVER A MONTH. IT DOESN'T SHOW A CODE WHEN IT HAPPENS. IT RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING (VARIED SPEEDS). IT ALSO RANDOMLY WON'T START. TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE WHEN IT WILL QUIT ON YOU OR NOT START.RESETTING DID NOT HELP.CAR WAS PURCHASED FOR DAUGHTER (NEW DRIVER) TO DRIVE, BUT WAS TOO UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10567934

Incident

Oct 4, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

THERE'S ALOT OF STUFF WRONG WITH THIS CAR. IT RAN GOOD AND IS RELIABLE WHEN RUNNING,BUT RECENTLY STOP RUNNING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10440387

Incident

Dec 16, 2011

Mileage

158,721 mi

YES CAR WILL TURN OVER BUT WON'T START IT DOES THIS AT TIME OR U CAN PRESS THE GAS TO TRY AND START INTERIOR LIGHT DON'T WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10361181

Incident

Oct 13, 2010

SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER JUST STOPPED WORKING,AND I WAS TOLD MY THROTTLE CABLE IS JUST BARELY HANGING ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330604

Incident

May 1, 2010

I HAVE JUST GOT A 1996 CHEVY CAVALIER AND THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT CAME ON AND SHUT DOWN GOING DOWN THE HWY 50 MILES PER HOUR NO BRAKES OR STEERING . THE IGNITION SWITCK IT HAS A CODE SILINDER NOW IT WANT RUN OR NUTHING IT TURNS OVER BUT WANT START. *TR

NHTSA ID

10277045

Incident

Jul 13, 2009

Mileage

188,000 mi

INTERIOR LAMPS COMING ON UNEXPECTEDLY AND/OR STAY ON AFTER CAR IS TURNED OFF. I PURCHASED THIS CAR WHEN IT WAS TWO YEARS OLD. I TOOK THE CAR BACK SEVERAL TIMES COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I FINALLY GOT TIRED OF COMPLAINING AND I REMOVED THE FUSE - SO THAT THE LIGHT WOULD REMAIN OFF (OF COURSE THIS IS ALSO A FUSE TO SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS WITHIN THE CAR). BUT, IT WAS THEY ONLY WAY I COULD RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM MYSELF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219209

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED HE BOUGHT A CAR ON 6-29-05 FROM KLICK LEWIS INC. ON HIS WAY HOME WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, SUDDENLY THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS COMING APART. HE CALLED THE DEALER WHERE HE BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY TOLD HIM THE VEHICLE NEEDED FRONT ROTORS. ON FRIDAY 7-15-05; BEFORE HE HAD TAKEN IT IN TO HAVE THE ROTORS PUT ON, HE NOTICED THE CAR WAS FULL OF SMOKE. HE CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. AND THEY CAME OUT AND DIFFUSED THE FIRE AND TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THE CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. HE THEN CALLED THE SALESPERSON THAT SOLD HIM THE CAR AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE SOMEONE GET BACK TO HIM. HE HAS MADE 5 TELEPHONE CALLS TO THEM AND NO ONE HAS RETURNED HIS CALLS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10129909

Incident

Jul 15, 2005

Mileage

69,995 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 DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS DIM AND IT MADE IT VERY HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. THE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS TICKETS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAS NOTICED THIS ON TWO OR THREE VEHICLES A WEEK ON CAVALIER'S AND SUNFIRE'S. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRE HARNESS IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10119391

Incident

May 9, 2004

THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK THE TRUNK WOULD LOCK WITHOUT THE REMOTE ENTRY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLICKERED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10059550

Incident

Feb 9, 2004

THE CONSUMER TURNED ON THE ENGINE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, TWO MINUTES LATER, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ON FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. CONSUMER INDICATED THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10073889

Incident

Jul 1, 2004

Mileage

99,000 mi

THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND CAR WOULDNT START. TRIED TO START SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. DISCONNECTED /RECONNECTED BATTERY ATTEMPTED TO START AGAIN WITH NO SUCCESS. TRIED TO START AGAIN SEVERAL HOURS LATER AND CAR STARTED JUST FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 5 TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURED.NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY SEEMED WRONG CAR DROVE JUST FINE. THERE IS NO LINK BETWEEN THIS HAPPENING WETHER WE JUST DROVE IT OR IT SAT ALL NIGHT IT HAS OCCURED EITHER WAY. WE PURCHASED THE CAR USED FROM A DEALER AND WAS NEVER AWARE OF ANY THEFT SYSTEM AT ALL. AS FAR AS WE KNOW THERE ISNT ONE IN THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067894

Incident

Apr 15, 2004

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, MOTOR STOPS RUNNING AND I LOST ALL POWER BOTH STEERING AND ELECTRICAL. GOT IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WAITED 2 MINUTES AND STARTED IT BACK UP IT WAS FINE. ONLY DID THIS 2 TIMES WITHIN A WEEK PERIOD. ENGINE IDLE ROUGH SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 1998. TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. CAME BACK SEVERAL TIMES THEY ESSENTIALLY SAID THAY COULD DO NOTHING THATS JUST HOW THEY RUN. MOTOR SURGES AND LAGS AFTER START UP. REGARDLESS OF TEMPERATURE. PUSH PEDAL MOTOR BOGS DOWN AND THEN IT WILL TAKE OFF. REPLACED ALMOST EVERY SENSOR UNDER THE HOOD PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. BATTERY TOOK A DUMP AT ALMOST 4 YEARS. ENGINE SPUN #3 AND #4 BEARINGS ON A COLD START UP. THEY ADVISED ME THAT I NEEDED A WATER PUMP AT THE SAME TIME.PASS POWER WINDOW WAS ALWAYS SLOW. REPLACED APPROX MID 2002 REAR SUSPENSION CLUNKS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS LUMBER IN THE TRUNK. WHEEL STUDS SNAP EASILY AS I HAVE REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 10. REAR BRAKES DRAG AND GRAB EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT. FRONT BRAKES WEAR EXCESSIVELY. RUBBER MUFFLER HANGER WEARS OUT. REPLACED 2 TIMES.

NHTSA ID

10069950

Incident

Nov 15, 2003

Mileage

63,871 mi

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STALLING, PLACED OTHER COMPLAINTS RECENTLY. STEERING LOCKING UP AND FIXED MORE PART IN VECHILE, NOW MIGHT BE RELATING TO THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL, WHICH MY MECHANIC HAS FOUND WAS INPROPERLLY PLACED IN CAR. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND SINCE IT HAS BEEN OVER 1 YEAR AND 12,000 MILES, THEY WILL CHARGE ME A LABOR FEE AND ALSO THE PART FEE. COULD THIS BECOME ANY WORSE GM??????

NHTSA ID

10053076

Incident

Jan 5, 2004

Mileage

61,204 mi

I PURCHASED A 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LS FROM ADVANCED CARE CARE INC IN ORLANDO FLORIDA 9-23-03 THIS CAR IS A LEMON. LIST OF PROBLEMS WITH IT (WAS SOLD TO ME TELLING ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT ). *AK PROBLEMS IVE PAID TO FIX SO FAR ENGINE REPLACED HEAD JOB (BLOWN HEAD GASKET) 02 SENSOR TWICE ECM COMPUTER TWICE COIL PACK- 3 TIMES ICM 5 TIMES ENGINE STRUT TRANSMOUNT FRONT ENGINE MOUNT BRAKES ROTORS MAIN ROD BEARINGS CATALYTIC CONVERTOR THEY ARE NOW SAYING IT NEEDS ANOTHER ENGINE THAT THE CRANKSHAFT IS BAD , IT IS POURING OUT OIL, I CANT GO PAST 3 RPMS IT HAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION THAT HAS ALMOST CAUSED MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS THE CAR HAS A STALLING PROBLEM AS WELL WHICH HAS ALMOST COSTED ME AND MY SON OUR LIFE. ADVANCED CAR CARE INC (SILVERSTAR ROAD) IN ORLANDO FLORIDA SOLD ME THIS CAR NOTIFYING ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE ALREADY PAID 7,000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS AND THE CAR IS EVEN MORE MESSED UP THAN WHAT IT WAS. EVERYTIME I PAY FOR SOMETHING TO BE FIXED SOMETHING ELSE WRONG SHOWS UP... I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANICS WERE ALL SHOCKED AT THIS CAR. THEY SD THE HAVE NEVER SEEN A CAR BUILT THIS MESSED UP BEFORE. THE COMPUTER WAS SHOOTING OUT 13 DIFFERENT CODES. THIS IS A LEMON CAR. I NEED IT FIXED OR REPLACED ALSO S & S AUTOMOTIVE IN APOPKA FLORIDA CHARGED ME 1,515 IN REPAIRS WHICH THEY NEVER GAVE ME A WRITTEN QUOTE OR EVEN ON THE PHONE. THEY LIED TO ME ABOUT PARTS BEING NEW WHEN THEY WERE USED. THEY INSTALLED MY CATALYTIC CONVERTOR WRONG AS WELL. THEY DID WORK AND LABOR TO THE CAR AND CHARGED ME FOR IT WITHOUT MY CONCENT.. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR AND I TEST DROVE IT I WAS SHOCKED THAT NOW THE CRANK SHAFT IS ALL OF A SUDDEN BAD AND IT WILL COST ME 2,000 THERE OR 5,000 AT THE DEALERSHIP. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND I DONT EVEN HAVE A DOLLAR TO MY NAME RIGHT NOW. COULDNT BUY MY SON ANY GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS AFTER PAYING ALL OF THESE CAR BILLS AND NOW IM STUCK WITH THIS LEMON OF A CAR .

NHTSA ID

10051139

Incident

Dec 17, 2003

Mileage

100 mi

HEAD GASKET ON MY 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO STALL , AFTER PLACING NEARLY $800.00 WORTH OF NEW PARTS IN VEHICLE, CHANGING SEVERAL ALTERNATORS AND STARTERS, FROM THE INGNITION SWITH RECALL. I HAD TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THE CAR HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WHICH, APPARENTLY THERE IS A RECALL ON OTHER CAVALIERS, ALTHOUGH NOT WITH MY VIN NUMBER. I HAVE CALLED GM MOTORS AND THEY WANT ME TO HAVE THE CAR DIAGNOSISED AT THEIR DEALERSHIP, COSTING $100-$200. AND NOW HAVING TO SPEND $400-$600 ON ANOTHER DEFECT FROM THESE RECALLS, IS REALLY FRUSTRATING MY FAMILY, ESPICALLY MY HUSBAND. WE DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY TO KEEP PLACING IN THIS VECHILE, I'M A FULL TIME STUDENT WITH A 2 YEAR OLD SON AND WORK ONLY PART TIME. I NEED A RELIABLE CAR. I CAN'T SPEND MORE MONEY AT THE DEALERSHIP AND NOT HAVE A GUARENTEE THAT THEY WOULDN' FIX THIS PART. I KNOW THAT ALL THE PEOPLE I HAVE SPOKEN TO IN SCHOOL,WORK AND OUT ANY WHERE ELSE, HOSPITAL FOR CLINICALS WILL NOT PURCHASE ANY GM MOTORS VECHILES, DUE TO THEM NOT WANTING TO GO THROUGH THIS THEMSELVES AND HOW I'VE BEEN UNFAIRLY TREATED BY THIS MANUFACTOR. ALL I WANT IS FOR THIS TO BE RESOLVED. THANK YOU.*AK

NHTSA ID

10049640

Incident

Nov 24, 2003

Mileage

60,714 mi

I AM HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING AND OBTAINING CLEAR INFORMATION ON THE 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER'S THEFT SYSTEM THAT CAME WITH THE CAR FROM THE FACTORY. SOMETHING IS TRIPPING AND I CANNOT DISENGAGE IT. WHEN TRIPPED, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND AT ANY PLACE, AND IT HAS!! I TALKED TO SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES AT THREE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERS AND ALL THREE SAY VERY DIFFERENT IDEAS AND NONE HELP. ALSO, THE OBD DIAGNOSIS SHOWS NOTHING WRONG BUT EACH VISIT COSTS ME OVER $80.00!! I EVEN CALLED THE FACTORY AND NO ONE WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10045681

Incident

Nov 4, 2003

Mileage

89,950 mi

FOR THE LAST TWO MY 1996 CHEVY CAVALIER HAVE PROBLEMS WITH STALLING WHEN EITHER THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER IS ON. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041259

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

2,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. WHILE ACCELERATING ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP - THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER IN TIME AND I WAS NOT DRIVING THAT FAST. ALSO I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE.

NHTSA ID

10025397

Incident

Jul 3, 2003

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

I AM WONDERING IF THE PROPER RECALL WORK WAS DONE TO MY VEHICLE AT KOON'S CHEVROLET. I ASKED WHAT WAS REQUIRED FOR THE CAMPAIGN # 02V070000 (THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL) THE MECHANIC THAT EXPLAINED IT TO ME DID NOT USE THE WORDS RELAY KIT. HE DESCRIBED A CABLE HARNESS TO HOLD WIRES BACK. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10017111

Incident

Feb 27, 2003

THE RECALL WHICH WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE FAILED. RECALL # 02 V0 70 000. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015643

Incident

Apr 10, 2003

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARK ON THE DRIVE WAY IT COUHT ON FIRE A TOTALY BURNED OUT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD RECAL IGNITION CIRCUIT THERMO EVENT. TS

NHTSA ID

8023896

CONSUMER STATED THE HORN WAS REPLACED TWICE. TS *JB

NHTSA ID

8021954

Incident

Mar 12, 1998

Mileage

22,732 mi

IGNITION SWITCH RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON 16 AUGUST 2002. ON 23 AUGUST 2002 AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 10 MINUTES VEHICLE IGNITED KEY WAS NOT IN IGNITION. PLEASE ADD DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. MR

NHTSA ID

8021429

Incident

Aug 23, 2002