1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Fuel system Problems

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

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

FUEL INJECTORS GET CRACKS AND LEAK, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IF NOT CHANGED. I HAVE HAD ALL 4 INJECTORS LEAK, AND 2 HAD HAIRLINE CRACKS ALLOWING LARGE AMOUNTS OF GAS TO LEAK ONTO HOT ENGINE WHICH COULD EASILY START A FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10064029

Incident

Mar 10, 2004

Mileage

160,000 mi

GUESS WHAT, HERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM FOR MY VEHICLE GM. (ANOTHER COMPLAINT)WE'VE ALREADY SPENT NEARLY A $1,000, ON THIS CAR. NOW, TAKING IT TO THE MECHANIC AGAIN, THE HAD SPENT A HOUR AND A HALF LOOKING FOR NOW WHAT IS THE FUEL PUMP THAT HAD GONE BAD. I UNDERSTAND THAT PARTS IN A VEHICLE HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED. SO WHEN WE FOUND THIS OUT , WE REALLY ENJOYED YOUR COMPANY'S "MONEY MAKING" SCHEME TO HAVE THE CAVALIERS, NEW FUEL PUMP COST AROUND $500. WITH A 1 YEAR WARRANTY, OTHER MANUFACTURE HAVE LIFETIME WARRANTIES, WHICH WE WILL BE REPLACING WITH. ( CARTER, OR MASTER). NOT INCLUDING THE LABOR AND A CUSTOMER CANNOT JUST REPLACE THIS PUMP SEPARATELY, NO YOU HAVE TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE MODULE TOGETHER WITH THE FUEL PUMP!!! USUALLY, IT WOULD COST AROUND $80.00-$100.00, FOR A FUEL PUMP. THANKS GM, HOPE YOU MAKE YOUR MONEY. BECAUSE, I WILL BUY FOREIGN AND "WORD OF MOUTH", IS LOUDER. MEL *CB

NHTSA ID

10054318

Incident

Jan 15, 2004

Mileage

61,210 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

FUEL INJECTION HOSE IS LEAKING GASOLINE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH FUEL INJECTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT

NHTSA ID

10006248

Incident

Feb 3, 2003

Mileage

84,651 mi

WHEN CAR FUEL TANK IS READING BELOW 1/4 TANK, CAR WILL NOT START. CAR BACKFIRES, WHILE TRYING TO START AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH THIS SINCE I [URCHASED THE CAR IN 1997. EVERYTIME THAT I TAKE THE CAR IN, I AM BEING TOLD IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS ITEM DEFINATELY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT CUASE I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NUMEROUS CHEVY CAVELIER OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10005013

Incident

Aug 16, 1997

CONSUMER CAN SMELL FUMES IN CAR AFTER ENGINE HAS BEEN SHUT OFF FOR A SHORT TIME. MECHANIC STATED THAT GAS WAS DRIPPING ON INTAKE MANIFOLD. MAY CAUSE A FIRE. *AK FUEL INJECTOR NUMBER 4 HAS A HAIR LINE CRACK EXTERNALLY, THIS ALLOWS FUEL UNDER PRESSURE TO LEAK OUT OF INJECTOR ONTO INTAKE MANIFOLD, AFTER ENGINE IS SHUT OFF FOR A SHORT TIME, FUEL CAN BE SMELLED IN AND ABOUT THE CAR DUE TO FUEL LEAKAGE OUT OF THE INJECTOR. *SLC

NHTSA ID

8016587

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH STRAPS HOLDING FUEL TANK BROKE, FUEL TANK WAS DRAGGED UNTIL CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. DEALER DETERMINED BOTH STRAPS HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE.*AK

NHTSA ID

8010228

Incident

May 11, 2002

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE EXPERIENCES RAPID ACCELERATION WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE PEDAL.*JB

NHTSA ID

563725

VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND THEN JUMP AS IF STALLING OUT WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED. VEHICLE TAKES TIME BEFORE ENGAGING TO MOVE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND INFORMED FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS LEAKING. MECHANIC INDICATED SERVICE BULLETIN ON VEHICLE, BUT MANUFACTURER DENIED CLAIM OF SERVICE BULLETIN.*AK

NHTSA ID

895551

Incident

Aug 28, 2001

ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON/ OFF. CONSUMER REPLACED GAS CAP. TOOK VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC THAT DIAGNOSED VEHICLE WITH COMPUTER. MECHANIC RESET COMPUTER TO REMOVE ENGINE LIGHT, HOWEVER, ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON 2 DAYS AFTERWARDS. *AK THE DEALER POINTED OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON PROBLEM OF THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT NOTIFIED THE CONSUMER. *YH

NHTSA ID

886439

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

HORN HASN'T BEEN WORKING SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. FUSE WAS REPLACED, BUT DIDN'T REMEDY THE PROBLEM. DEALER CLAMED THAT IN DIFFERENT WEATHER &TEMPERATURES IT WILL NOT WORK. VEHICLE STALLED ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY & ALTERNATOR THE 1ST TIME. 2ND TIME DEALER INDICATED FUEL PUMP WENT OUT.CONSUMER HAD TO COVER THE COST & FELT THAT THEY SHOULD BEEN ABLE TO DETECT THIS WHEN THEY DID THE DIAGNOSTIC READING A MONTH AGO. *AK

NHTSA ID

868924

Incident

Jun 17, 2000

CAR HAD A "HARD START" WHEN COLD. CONCERNED BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD GET STRANDED, ASSUMING THAT 1/4 FULL TANK OF GAS WAS ENOUGH TO START CAR - ESPECIALLY THOSE TRANSPORTING CHILDREN, LIKE I DO. AFTER FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED (BY DEALER), IT STARTED BETTER THAN WHEN FIRST PURCHASED. HAD BEEN A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. NOTE: WHY DOES THE FUEL PUMP SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLETS. MY FATHER HAS A 1995 CHEVROLET TRUCK, TAHOE THAT ALSO NEEDED THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE WORTH INVESTIGATING. *AK

NHTSA ID

705998

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

FUEL PUMP WENT OUT/OIL PRESSURE VALVE BLEW UP AND OIL IS ALL OVER/COMPUTER SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, AND RACK AND PINION STEERING WENT OUT. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEMS NOT YET REMEDIED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

835717

Incident

Dec 16, 1998

IN WET CONDITIONS THE REGULATOR BELT WILL GET WET, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND BRAKE LOSS. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

827231

Incident

Aug 23, 1998

THE FUEL TANK GAUGE DOES NOT GIVE A PROPER READING. WHEN IT IS ON 1/4 FULL, GAUGE INDICATES THAT THE TANK IS EMPTY. MORE THAN SEVEN INCIDENTS HAPPENED. THE DEALER ATTEMPED TO FIX, AND NOW THERE IS NO WARRANTY. ALSO, THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

822823

Incident

Aug 30, 1997

TRUNK RELEASE LATCH BROKE THREE TIMES.

NHTSA ID

532460

Incident

Jun 1, 1996