1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Engine 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

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

I PURCHASED A 1996 CHEVY CAVALIER IN 1999 AND FROM THE BEGINNING HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY ON ETC. FROM 1999 TO SEPT 2010 - I TOOK IT TO SEVERAL CHEVY DEALERS WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY AND THE LIGHTS REMAINED ON. I WAS TOLD TO PUT FUEL INJECTION CLEANER IN IT BY ONE CAR DEALER OF COURSE THAT DIDN'T WORK. YEARS LATER AND MANY REPAIRS, ENGINE REBUILT, THERMOSTAT REPLACED, WATER PUMPS, FANS ETC.. FOUR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM - LOSS OF POWER, CAR SHUTTING OFF AND LEAVING ME IN INTERSECTION, FREEWAYS ETC.. CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, I HAVE OVER THESE YEARS BECOME VERY FRUSTRATED THE CODES READ O2 SENSORS, THE CAT CONVERTER PIECES FALL APART EASILY CAUSING VERY COSTLY REPAIRS BECAUSE THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS CLOG THE AIR FLOW CAUSING OVERHEATING AND LOSS OF POWER, IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS DIFFICULT OR COST TO KEEP THIS CAR IN REPAIR ORDER. CAT CONVERTERS, SENSORS, HEAD GASKETS, SEALS, WATER PUMPS, STICKING THERMOSTATS ETC.. CONTINUALLY REPLACED AND STILL THE SAME ON GOING PROBLEM WITH NO HOPE OF EVER FINALLY FIXING THIS DANGEROUS DEFECTIVE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354784

Incident

Sep 5, 2010

Mileage

226,250 mi

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1996 4 DOOR, 2.2 LITER CHEVROLET CAVALIER AUTOMOBILE THAT HAS A FAULTY TIMING BELT TENSIONER. THE TENSIONER WENT AND THE TIMING BELT SKIPPED, THUS CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE ENGINE. THIS VEHICLE FLAW IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN SOME CAR REVIEW MAGAZINES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10230965

Incident

May 6, 2008

Mileage

220,000 mi

ETS AND CHECK ENGINE LIFT ON ALL THE TIME. FROM THE TIME THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR THESE TWO LIGHTS REMAINED ON. THE CAR WOULD LOSE POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING CAUSING ME TO BE LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS AND TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE CAR BACK FOR REPAIRS NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALER AND THE SELLER AND TO VARIOUS CAR REPAIR PLACES. BUT, NO ONE WAS ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND REPAIR IT. A FEW YEARS AGO - I TOOK MY CAR FOR REPAIRS TO ANOTHER CHEVORLET DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. AND THAT IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO HAVE IT REPLACED TBY SOMEONE OTHER THAN A DEALER. SO, I TOOK MY CAR MUFFLER REPAIR AND HAD IT REPLACED (AT A VERY EXPENSIVE COST). THE LIGHTS DID NOT GO OFF AFTER THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD TO BE RE SET WHICH THEY COULD NOT DO. SO, I TOOK IT TO A CAR REPAIR PLACE AND HAD THE LIGHTS RESET. IT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW, A YEAR OR SO HAS GONE BY AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER AGAIN AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MUFFLER SHOP - THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM . AGAIN I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR PLACE AND HAD THE LIGHTS RESET. AT THIS TIME THE LIGHTS HAVE REMAIN OFF, BUT THE CAR STILL LOSES POWER OFF AND ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219234

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

THE ENGINE/CAR TURNED OFF AND LOOSES ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING.. CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. WITHOUT REASON THIS CAR TURNS OFF AND LOOSES POWER WHILE FULLY ENGAGED IN DRIVE, THIS LEAVES ME THE DRIVER WITHOUT POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS AND MAIN STREETS...VERY SCARY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219217

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

BLOWN HEAD GASKET VEHICLE OVER HEATING, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO REPAIR ISSUE; HEAD GASKET RECALL. THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING VERY BADLY EVEN THOUGH A COMPLETE TUNE UP HAS BEEN DONE; FUEL SYSTEM RECALL SUSPENSION MAKING LOTS OF NOISE; REAR SUSPENSION RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10210010

Incident

Sep 11, 2007

Mileage

93,309 mi

WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE OVER HEATS AND ANTIFREEZE WOULD LEAK. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10113056

Incident

Jan 9, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

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

134,000 MILES ON CHEVROLET CAVALIER, STALLED ON ROAD-TIMING CHAIN BROKEN BUT THIS IS A SECONDARY PROBLEM TO LOSS OF COMPRESSION. PREVIOUS RECALL ON THIS?. *AK

NHTSA ID

10067638

Incident

Apr 14, 2004

Mileage

134,000 mi

JULY 2002 MANUAL TRANSAXLE LEAK- REPLACED LEFT AND RIGHT SEALS; MARCH 2003, LEFT SEAL REPLACED; OCTOBER 2003 RIGHT SEAL REPLACED. OCTOBER 2003, LOW COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON WHEN DRIVING UP HILLS IN 2ND OR 3RD GEAR AND SOMETIMES ON FLATS- SAME GEARS. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK AND THAT THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN, MEANWHILE I TOOK IT IN FOR THE LEAKING TRANSAXLE- I CAN'T WIN.

NHTSA ID

10070972

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

142,000 mi

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

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE DIED. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES AND THE CONSUMER WAS TO PULL OVER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10031830

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

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

ENGINE FAILURE- STALLING AT HIGH/LOW SPEEDS. NO STEERING,BRAKES, VERY FRIGHTENING!! ALREADY SPENT ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY AT MECHANICS TO FIND PROBLEM. PROBABLY ANOTHER RECALL ON VEHICLE. ALMOST BECOMING MANY ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047108

Incident

Nov 18, 2003

Mileage

60,680 mi

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55MPH, IT SHUT OFF. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. TWO DEALERS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ID

10031733

Incident

Jul 31, 2003

EXCESSIVE COOLANT LEAKAGE FROM UNDER CAR. CAR HEATS UP, CAUSING TO PULLOVER CONSTANTLY TO GET THE CAR TO COOL DOWN. SEEMS TO BE A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10028424

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

101,710 mi

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

CAR SUDDENLY LEAKED COOLANT, ENGINE TEMP WAS READING HOT ON DASH. THOUGHT PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO A STUCK THERMOSTAT, REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND COOLANT. BELT STARTS SLIPPING A COUPLE WEEKS LATER, AND ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, AND BELT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023919

Incident

Jun 5, 2003

THE ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING ONTO THE HEAD GASKET AREA OF MY CAR. ANTIFREEZE HAS BEEN REFILLED EVERY WEEK DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. AFTER HAVING THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC, I BECAME AWARE THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO THE HEAD GASKETS BEING BLOWN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10023673

Incident

Jun 24, 2003

THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10017812

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014686

Incident

Feb 21, 2003

OVER HEATING DUE TO HEAD GASKET/ THERMOSTAT PROBLEMS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10010309

Incident

Jan 16, 2003

Mileage

94,000 mi