1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ENGAGING THE BRAKES, ALL THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM THE BRAKE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10594847

Incident

May 16, 2014

Mileage

118,000 mi

SOLD MY 1997 CHEV. CAVALIER TO A 17 YEAR OLD GIRL. HER DAD TOOK CAR FOR TEST DRIVE BEFORE CASH PURCHASE. HE WENT 200 FEET DOWN THE STREET THEN BACKED UP INTO MY DRIVEWAY. HE SAID BRAKE WARNING LITE CAME ON AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. WE SAW BRAKE FLUID POURING FROM UNDER CAR. THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND BLEW OUT. I TOOK THE CAR TO TUFFY AUTO CENTER AND THEY SPLICED NEW BRAKE LINES TO FIX. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT PLAIN STEEL LINES WERE ROUTED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND EXPOSED TO ALL KINDS OF CORROSIVE ELEMENTS. WE WERE ALL THANKFUL THAT THE GIRL DID NOT BUY THE CAR THEN GET INTO A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT THAT DAY. HOW MANY OTHER CAVALIERS ARE OUT THERE IN DANGEROUS CONDITION? I CAN NOT SEE HOW GM GOT AWAY WITH BRAKE AND GAS LINES INSTALLED IN SUCH A CHEAP AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS LOCATION. ALL THE PREVIOUS DESCRIPTION IS ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE PURCHASER AND TUFFY AUTO CENTER. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10420729

Incident

Aug 4, 2011

Mileage

65,300 mi

REAR CENTER STOP LIGHT HOUSING, WAS OBSERVED SMOKING INSIDE VEHICLE, FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED 2 BULBS BURNED OUT AND LENS PLASTIC BURNED ONTO LIGHTS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10183442

Incident

Feb 21, 2007

Mileage

63,500 mi

I HEARD OF A RECENT RECALL CONCERNING THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ON GM VEHICLES. IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY SON''S 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT BELOW 10 MILES PER HOUR, FOR NO REASON THE ABS SYSTEM KICKED IN MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP SAFELY. I HAD TO PULL THE FUSE AND BY-PASS THE SYSTEM TO MAKE THE CAR SAFE TO DRIVE AGAIN. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146874

Incident

Jul 6, 2005

1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED.*MR THE REAR BRAKE LINES AND HOSES HAVE BEEN REPLCED THREE TIMES DUE TO RUST. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REOMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132364

Incident

Jul 12, 2005

HEAD GASKET REPLACED @27000 MILES, FUEL PUMP @ 30000 AND AGAIN AT 96000 MILES. BRAKES REPLACED 2X A YEAR FOR 5 YEARS. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DOESN'T SEAL PROPERLY. FAN ONLY WORKS ON SPEED 3 OR 4. *NM

NHTSA ID

10106554

Incident

Jan 6, 2005

Mileage

96,000 mi

MY ABS LIGHT WENT ON AFTER I HAD THE BRAKES DONE. THIS OCCURED SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER. MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND SAID THE COMPUTER BOARD WAS BROKEN AND IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE. SO NOW THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10091375

Incident

Sep 20, 2004

CONSUMER RECEIVED A BILL FOR CHARGES FOR REPAIRS THAT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR VEHICLE.*MR (NAR) *CB

NHTSA ID

10048476

Incident

Feb 11, 2003

Mileage

15,648 mi

WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB AFTER THE CONSUMER RECEIVED SERVICE FOR THE IGNITION RECALL, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE DIDN'T START UNTIL THREE TRIES LATER. SCC

NHTSA ID

10009092

THE BRAKES GRABBED WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED.*JB..*AK

NHTSA ID

10008947

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHY ABS BRAKE LIGHT STAYED ON. THEY FOUND THE BEARINGS HAD FALLEN OUT OF ABS BOX. THE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS A SEALED UNIT AND HE DID NOT KNOW HOW THE BEARINGS FELL OUT. ABS SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA ID

10005609

Incident

Jul 7, 2002

WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT WHEEL. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10006622

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

FRONT BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR HAS BEEN CHANGED FOUR TIMES. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

NHTSA ID

10006618

Incident

Feb 5, 2003

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP BRAKES GRAB CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STOPPING. THIS OCCURS ON BOTH WET AND DRY PAVEMENT. IN ADDITION TO THIS, WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR HAS A DELAYED REACTION WITH THE BRAKES, OFTEN REQUIRING ABOUT 10 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. BRAKES ARE ALSO CONTINUOUSLY SQUEAKING/SQUEALING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE BRAKES ARE NEW OR WORN.*AK

NHTSA ID

766532

HAVE PUT 3 ALTERNATORS ON THIS CAR, EVEN WHEN UNDER WARRANTY BEFORE 12,000 MILES (APPROXIMATELY). BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. NOW, THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAYS NO RECALLS, EXCEPT FOR THE IGNITION SYSTEM. SCHEDULED THAT FOR REPAIR 7/23/02. SEAT BELT PLASTIC COVERS SNAPPED OFF (BELT LOOSE ON ONE AND HIT BY CAR DOOR WHEN SHUTTING IT. THE OTHER ONE JUST POPPED OFF. BELT CONTINUES TO SLIP OFF ENGINE, CAUSES STALLING EVEN IF DRIVING 55 MPH. NOW BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY FAILING. LEFT FRONT BRAKE CONTINUES TO HAVE BRAKE DUST ACCUMULATE ON WHEEL COVER. CAR HAS 110,000 MILES ON IT (ENGINE REPAIRED LAST YEAR). CAR IS ALSO OVERHEATING; HAS HAD TSTAT REPLACED, RADIATOR FLUID. WHAT ELSE COULD CAUSE THIS, I DON'T KNOW.

NHTSA ID

764429

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

THE CAR JERKS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AT AROUND 25,000 MILES. THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED, IT WAS AT AROUND 40,000 MILES. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE ROTORS. AT AROUND 64,000 MILES IT HAS STARTED AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO TAKE THIS TO THE DEALER, THEY KNEW WITH OUT LOOKING AT THE CAR WHAT IT WAS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THESE ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

753372

THE FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED AND REPLACED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, RIGHT AND LEFT REAR DRUM HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS WELL AS THE CYLINDER.*JB

NHTSA ID

562114

Incident

Dec 22, 1997

FRONT BRAKE PULSATE WHEN USED. ROTORS ARE OUT OF ROUND. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. WE HAD NEW BRAKES AND THE ROTORS TURNED AT 30,000 MILES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

746716

Incident

May 1, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT. TECHNICIAN STATED FRONT BRAKE DISC HAD FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

881383

DEFECT 1: ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. ABS WOULD NO LONGER ACTIVATE WHILE LIGHT WAS ON. DEFECT 2: ALTERNATOR--WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, RUSH HOUR. HAD PREVIOUSLY ASKED DEALER TO CHECK, BUT THEY CLAIMED IT WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. DEFECT 3: RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY--WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER ALTERNATOR, WHILE DRIVING IN THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT. DEFECT 4: TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER--TECHNICIAN SAID THIS CAUSED MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE--GEARS, HEAD, ETC. DEFECT 5: HORN--HAS WORKED SPORADICALLY, AT BEST, FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. SEEMED LIKE A SHORT.

NHTSA ID

740034

Incident

Aug 8, 2000

MY CONCERN IS THE CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS OLD AND WE ARE CONTINUEING TO HAVE PROBLEMS OCCUR, THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER HAS A SHORT IN IT AS WELL. *AK

NHTSA ID

726197

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

BRAKES LOCK WHEN STOPPING RELEASE AND STOP RELEASE AND FINALLY STOP. DISTANCE TRAVELED UNTIL COMPLETE STOP IS ABOUT 10 TO 12 FEET. MY DAUGHTER HAS A 97 CAVALIER AND IT DOES THE SAME THING. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND MUST BE FIXED. THE DEALER PERSON SAID THAT IT IS NORMAL ADS ENGAGEMENT. BUT THAT DOESN'T PREVENT A CRASH. HE SAID THAT WHEN ONE WHEEL IS NOT ON THE SAME SURFACE AS THE OTHER A DIFFERENT SIGNAL IS SENT TO EACH WHEEL AND THUS THE PROBLEM OF LOCKING AND RELEASING BRAKES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH ANTI LOCK BREAKS THAT ARE PLACING DRIVERS IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION. LUCKY FOR ME THERE WERE NOT VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THE BRAKES ACTED AS THEY DID. OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WITH DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURY TO BOTH OF US. *AK

NHTSA ID

726145

1). WHEEL BEARINGS WEARING OUT THEN TIRES AND WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT CANT GO MORE THAN 40 MPH OR CAR WILL SPIN AROUND IN ROAD . BACK LEFT BRAKE LIGHT ALWAYS NOT WORKING. ENGINE WITH ONLY 12,000.00 MILES KNOCK BAD UNTILL WARMED UP AND SOME TIMES DONT STOP WHEN WARM.IGNITION SWITCH WILL LOCK UP AND CANT GET CAR TO CRANK MUST WIGGLE AND GIGGLE TO GET IT TO WORK.HORN HAS NOT WORKED SINCE BOUGHT CAR.TRANSMISSION CLATTERS WHEN TRYING TO GIVE TO MUCH GAS

NHTSA ID

725844

Incident

Jul 30, 1999

WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FROM THE DATE THAT IT WAS PURCHASED. THE BRAKE ROTOR PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WORKED ON SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT WILL STOP FOR A WHILE, BUT WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN WITH TIME. THE ABS LIGHT AND LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAVE BEEN ON AND OFF FOR OVER AND YEAR AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THEM FIXED, THE SOUND FROM THE EXHAUST, POSSIBLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR AND AGAIN, WE WERE TOLD WE NEEDED TO REPLACE IT, THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEN ENGINE IS SOUNDING MORE AWFUL AS TIME GOES ON...LOTS OF NOISE UNDER THE HOOD ESPECIALLY AT CRUSING SPEED, AND THEN AGAIN WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP, AND MORE RECENTLY EVEN WHEN IDLING. NOT ONLY WAS THIS CAR NOT SERVICED PROPERLY WHEN I WOULD BRING IT IN WITH A COMPLAINT, BUT I FEEL AS IF THE DEALERS WERE PURPOSELY PUTTING ME OFF JUST SO THE WARRANTY WOULD RUN OUT AND I WOULD HAVE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS MYSELF. OBVIOUSLY I AM NOT THE ONLY ON THAT HAS HAD SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. AND ALSO, THE CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING ANTIFREEZE FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS, BUT CANT SEEM TO FIND THE LEAK. DEFINITELY CAN SMELL THE BURNING ANTIFREEZE, ESPECIALLY AFTER AN EXTENDED TRIP. *AK

NHTSA ID

711251

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

AT ANY TIME WHEN VEHICLE WOULD SIT OVER NIGHT IN RAIN, THE NEXT DAY WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND WHEELS WOULD LOCK UP. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. HAS YET OT BE REPAIRED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

858792