1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Engine Problems

CAR RADIATOR FAN WON'T KICK ON CAUSE CAR TO GET VERY DANGEROUSLY HOT CAUSING CAR TO BECOME A BOMB

NHTSA ID

10936588

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

THE SAFETY DEVICE LIGHT CAME ON. IT WON'T GO OFF, CAN'T START MY CAR. *JS

NHTSA ID

10681975

Incident

Dec 24, 2014

Mileage

117,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AROUND 30 MPH TO A STOP SIGN AND MY CAR DIED WHILE IN DRIVE, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN IN MAY 2010 WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME AND HAD TO COAST DOWN A BRIDGE, WHICH PROMPTED ME TO SELL THE CAR BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ANYMORE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10575461

Incident

Sep 12, 2009

THE FIRST INCIDENT THAT OCCUR WAS IN 2009. IT WAS THAT THE SWITCH OF THE KEY ENGINE DID NOT WANT TO START. SOMEONE CAME TO FIX IT BUT COULD NOT FIND A WAY TO REPAIR IT. HE HAD TO ADD A BUTTON UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND I WOULD BE TUNING THE KEY TO THE ENGINE TO START I WOULD HAVE TO PUSH THAT BUTTON TO START THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACING LIGHT BULBS CONSTANCY FROM THE REAR BACK OF THE SINGLE LIGHT. THE THEFT LOCK SYSTEM WOULD BE TURNING IT SELF ON WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING. THANKFULLY THERE WAS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT I WOULD BE STRUGGLING TO START MY CAR .I HAD TO WAIT SOME COUPLE OF MINUTES TO START THE CAR. THE RECENT INCIDENT THAT OCCUR WAS WHEN MY NEIGHBOR HEARD LIKE SOME FIREWORKS IN OUR SIDE OF OUR HOUSE. HE TOOK A LOOK AND HE SEEN THAT OUR CAR WAS SOME SPARKLING LIGHTS OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THAT WAS AROUND MIDNIGHT WHAT HE SEEN AND HE TOLD US THAT MORNING. AS I WALK TOWARDS THE CAR I COULD SMELL SMOKE AS IF SOMETHING BURN. I WANTED TO START MY CAR BUT WOULDN'T START. SOME ONE CAME TO FIXED IT AND HAD TO REPLACE SOME CABLE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE THAT WAS THAT CAUSE THE SPARKING OF THE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10567219

Incident

Sep 20, 2009

Mileage

119 mi

AS I WAS GOING TO TURN THE SWITCH ON TO TURN ON MY CAR IT DIDN'T WANT TO START. I HAD SOME ONE FIX IT BUT COULD NOT FIND A WAY TO FIX IT. THEY HAD TO ADD A BUTTON UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL TO START THE CAR AS I TURN THE SWITCH ON. THERE WAS COUPLE A OF TIMES WHERE THE CAR WOULD GO ON PASSLOCK BY ITSELF AND WOULDN'T START UNTIL A LONG PERIOD OF WAITING. THE EXTERNAL HEADLIGHTS BURN CONSTANTLY AND I WOULD BUY NEW BULBS FOR THE BACK LIGHTS. ONE TIME OUR NEIGHBOR SAID HE HEARD NOISE LIKE FIREWORKS ON OUR PROPERTY AND HE SAID THAT HE SEEN OUR CAR WAS SPARKING LIGHT OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THAT MORNING OF THAT DAY HE TOLD US AND AS WE WERE CHECKING THE CAR I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNED. AS A RESULT OF THAT THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO START . THE AUTO REPAIR PEOPLE HAD TO COME TO OUR HOUSE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT SOME WIRES INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL HAD BURNED BUT MOSTLY I HAVE BEEN FIXING MORE OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND BURNED WIRES. I APPRECIATE FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO READ THIS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10564734

Incident

Sep 14, 2009

Mileage

119 mi

I JUST GOT A USED CHEVY CAVALIER A 97 MODEL AND IT OVER HEATS CONSTANTLY AND THERE IS A POP AN SPARKS WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS WON'T TURN OFF AND NOW THERE IS WOBBLING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AND WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT THE BACK . I ONLY HAD IT FOR MAYBE TWO DAYS NOW AND THE FAN TO THE MOTOR WON'T COME ON NOW AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE CAR LOT WHERE I BOUGHT IT FROM THEY HAVE REPLACES THE THERMOSTAT( AIRCONDITIONER THING ) BUT IT' STILL OVER HEATS .. AND THEN I LOOK IN MY BOOK , AND IT GIVES A WEB SITE AND THERE IS ALL THESE RECALLS AND THE GUY TELLS ME WHEN I CALL THAT THE THINGS GOING ON WITH MY CAR ARE NOT IN THE RECALL LIST ACCEPT FOR THE SOMETHING TO DO WITH SPEED BUT IF THAT IS THE CASE WHY IS THE LIGHTS NOT CUTTING OFF AND THE CAR DOING ALL THESE THINGS .. I HAD A PERSON LOOK AT IT WHO WORKS ON CARS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SPARK IS ON THE FUEL INJECTION SIDE OF THE MOTOR AND I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T GO UP IN FLAMES .. IS THERE ANY HELP IN FIXING THIS CAR SINCE THESE ARE DEFECTS ? *TR

NHTSA ID

10231874

Incident

Jun 19, 2008

DT: CONTACT STATES THE TIMING CHAIN ON HER VEHICLE BROKE ON A BUSY ROAD. THE TIMING CHAIN HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT WITHIN 6 MONTHS THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AGAIN. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, NOW THE VEHICLE WILL ONLY GO APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH.*AK

NHTSA ID

10126654

Incident

Feb 1, 2005

WATER PUMP LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. ONE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. A SECOND WATER PUMP FAILED JUST AFTER THE 36,000 WARRANTY WAS UP AND COST ME EXTRA TO REPLACE BECAUSE OF THE POOR DESIGN OF THE ENGINE WHICH REQUIRES THAT IT BE REMOVED TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP. THE THIRD HAS JUST FAILED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 75,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

10112276

Incident

Feb 28, 2005

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN CAR RISES TO VERY HOT. THERE IS NO STEAM OR ANYTHING COMING FROM CAR, BUT YOU MUST STILL STOP ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAIT FOR THE GAUGE TO READ COOL BEFORE YOU CAN CONTINUE ON. THIS ALSO HAPPENS IF YOU ARE ON A LINE FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM I OWN A CAR THAT I DRIVE ONLY AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110192

Incident

Jun 16, 2000

Mileage

4,500 mi

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

THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED WATER. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER HAD TO CHECK THE WATER LEVEL DAILY TO MAKE SURE THAT ENGINE WOULD NOT OVERHEAT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10090319

Incident

Jun 15, 2004

Mileage

78,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10090307

Incident

Jun 23, 2004

Mileage

189,000 mi

HEAD GASKET BROKE. LOOKING AT $2,600 TO FIX, EVEN THOUGH LOW MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10064364

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

Mileage

103,000 mi

RACK AND PINION STEERING WENT OUT- WAS LATER A RECALL. HEAD GASKET CRACKED LEAKING OIL AND ANTIFREEZE. AIRBAG RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10069314

Incident

Jul 15, 1999

Mileage

50,000 mi

MY 97 CHEVY CAVALIER HAS BLOWN THROUGH 3 HEAD GASKETS, 3 WATER PUMPS, 3 HEATER CORES AND 3 THERMOSTATS WITHIN THE 3 YEARS I'VE OWNED THE CAR DUE TO COOLANT LEAKAGE OUT OF A PLACE THAT NO MECHANIC CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT. ALSO, THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN THE CAR IS IN IDLE AT RANDOM TIMES. I'VE BEEN STUCK LATE AT NIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE COLD WITH MY INFANT DAUGHTER SEVERAL TIMES AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10042984

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

Mileage

65,000 mi

KNOCKING NOISE KEEPS GETTING LOUDER. HAPPENS ALL TIME HAPPENS MORE WHEN SPEEDING UP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10029150

Incident

Jan 4, 2003

Mileage

87,469 mi

I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. IT ONLY HAD LESS THEN EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE BLEW UP .I WAS TOLD THE REASON WHY WAS BECAUSE IT HAD A DEFECTIVE ROD IN IT. I HAVE ALL THE PARTS ECT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A DEFECT IN THE METAL IT GOES ALL THE WAY THREW THE ROD. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH A NEW CAR WOULD BLOW UP . I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF THAT CAR I HAD TO FIX SOME THINGS THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IS A JOKE OUT HERE THEY ARE WORTHLESS THY MISTREATED ME TOO. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO OR SOMEONE CAN DO ABOUT THIS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH DENISE BOOZER P.S. THAT'S APPR DATE WHEN IT HAPPENED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023332

Incident

Apr 6, 2003

Mileage

84,993 mi

THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL WHEN MANEUVERING A TURN. ALSO MY WATER PUMP HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR. MY FINAL COMPLAINT IS THAT WHEN I TRY AND START MY VEHICLE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS START WHEN HOLDING IT IN THE START POSITION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10021510

Incident

Jun 12, 2003

Mileage

135,000 mi

1997 CAVALIER=HEAD GASKET BECAME WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED=$900. THERMOSTAT REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE, WATER PUMP REPLACED TWICE. CAR RETURNED TO DEALER EVERY THREE TO SIX MONTHS FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM INVOLVING OVERHEATING AND COOLANT LEAKS. PROBLEM CONTINUALLY REOCCURS, EVEN AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEEMED FINALLY REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10020932

Incident

Jun 6, 2001

Mileage

51,000 mi

MY MOTHER HAS A 1997 CAVALIER WHICH SHE BOUGHT USED. SINCE SHE HAS HAD THE VEHICLE THERE HAS BEEN TWO RECALLS AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON MY PART I FOUND ON YOUR SITE 5 MORE TOTALING 7 IN ALL. SHE BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUGUST OF 2001. WHEN THE CAR REACHED 109,000 THE OIL PUMP WENT OUT AND SHE HAD TO SPEND 3,000 DOLLARS TO GET ANOTHER ENGINE PUT IN, AND SHE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE CAR PAID OFF. WITH THESE NEWER CARS 109,000 IS NOTHING AND EVEN IN THE OLDER VEHICLES I HAVE NEVER HAD AN OIL PUMP GO OUT WITH THAT LITTLE BIT OF MILES ON THE ENGINE. I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE MECHANICS THAT I HAVE TALKED TO AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF THESE PARTICULAR ENGINES BEING THE 2.2 LITER WITH BAD OIL PUMPS IN THEM. THIS IS THE REASON I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT FOR MY MOTHER. MY BROTHER HAS A 2000 CAVALIER WITH 239,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER HAD A BIT OF PROBLEM SO MOST LIKELY IT WAS IN A PARTICULAR YEAR OF VEHICLE THAT BAD OIL PUMPS WERE INSTALLED. HE ALSO HAS THE 2.2 LITER ENGINE. SO COULD YOU PLEASE FIND OUT IF THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM BECAUSE I SURE WOULD LIKE TO GET MY MOTHERS MONEY BACK BECAUSE SHE IS ON A FIXED INCOME. *JB

NHTSA ID

10018317

Incident

Feb 13, 2003

Mileage

109,848 mi

WHEN THE DRIVER PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10012520

THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, AND STALLED. THE SPARK PLUGS MELTED. THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THE HEAD WARPED, CAUSING EXCESSIVE INTERNAL EXHAUST HEAT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RELAY SWITCH, REMOVED THE HEAD AND RESURFACED. THE ELECTRIC FANS DON'T TURN ON. THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THE FAN RELAY, ECT SENSOR, AND FUSIBLE LINK SHORTED(REMOVED REPLACED). THE VEHICLE HAD SURGED AND DIED OUT. THE SENSOR CONNECTOR CLIP BROKEN AND WAS REPLACED. THE CONSOLE UNDER THE RADIO HAD CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START, DUE TO MULTIPLE DTC PLUGS FOULED. THE VACUUM LINE HAD BROKEN, AND THE CONNECTORS WERE RE-PINNED. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLED DOWN. THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CHARGING AND THERE WAS POOR BATTERY CONTACT TO THE TERMINAL. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 25-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO REV UP. THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE COOLER LINES WERE FLUSHED. THERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND OR THE DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN. THE TENSIONER WAS REPLACED/RESEALED, THE TIMING CHAIN WAS GREASED, AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED. SCC

NHTSA ID

10009896

I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER THAT RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE (1998) THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER AS PER THE SERVICE CONTRACT DID THIS. SKIP AHEAD TO NOW (2003), THE CAR DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK. IT WAS LOOKED AT AND TESTED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD HEAD GASKET. I CALLED THE DEALER THAT REPLACED THE ENGINE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. I ASKED ABOUT THEM FIXING THE HEAD GASKET, AS IT SHOULD NOT BE LEAKING (THE ENGINE HAS 38,000 MILES ON IT) THEY SAID NO. I CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED BY A GM DEALER AT THE COST OF $79.95. THIS WAS DONE, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD GASKET AND/OR CRACKED HEAD. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT ONLY A SHORT BLOCK WAS INSTALLED THEY WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. MY COMPLAINT IS THIS; I'VE BEEN LIED TO BY MY LOCAL DEALER. THE CAVALIER HAS THIS KNOWN DEFECT. GM HAS DONE NOTHING TO TELL ME ABOUT IT, BUT THEY HAVE ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT IT TO THE DEALERS. AND NOW THEY WON'T REPAIR THE VEHICLE, NOT WILL THEY OFFER TO PAY ANY PORTION OF IT'S REPAIR. I WOULD LIKE ANY AND ALL HELP IN FORCING GM TO FIX THIS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010620

Incident

Mar 11, 2003

Mileage

51,000 mi

I HAVE A 1997 CAVALIER (THE WARRENTY BEGAN IN FEB. '97). JUST RECENTLY FOUND OUT I NEED THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1200. NOTICED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH IN 96'S. MY CAR HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT, AND FROM WHAT I'VE LEARNED, A HEAD GASKET SHOULD LAST ABOUT 10 YEARS OF 100,000 MILES. I WOULD LIKE CHEVY TO GET INVOLVED AND PAY FOR THIS, SINCE IT OBVIOUSLY SEEMS TO BE SUCH A PROBLEM WITH CAVALIERS.

NHTSA ID

10007798

Incident

Feb 14, 2003

Mileage

71,483 mi

WHEN FIRST STARTED STRONG GAS FUMES IN CAR; THEN HESITATION/STALLING WHILE DRIVING, HAS GONE DEAD TWO TIMES; ROUGH IDLING.

NHTSA ID

10005305

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

Mileage

162,800 mi