Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DT: THE DASH AREA OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, IT STARTED AROUND THE IGNITION SWITCH. THEY DO HAVE A RECALL NOT SURE IF IT INCLUDES THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STARTED WITHOUT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION AFTER TURNING IT OFF, AND THAT WAS WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THIS HAPPENED ON JULY 6, 2005. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND INSURANCE COMPANY CAME OUT AND INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, THE HOOD OPENED UP AND STRUCK THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. *PH *NM
ELECTRICAL WIRES HAD BLOWN UNDER THE DASH BOARD. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS IT RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL RECALL. WARNING LIGHTS ON SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. IT TOOK THREE TRIPS TO DEALER BEFORE DEALER FOUND SHORT UNDER DASH. A FEW WEEKS LATER VEHICLE HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED. RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR ELECTRICAL IGNITION. WHEN AIR CONDITIONER WAS SERVICED, MECHANIC FOUND CIRCUITS SUPPLYING POWER TO THE COMPRESSOR HAD BLOWN. MECHANIC TRACED WIRES UNDER DASH AND FOUND WIRES HAD MELTED AND SHORTENED OUT. HE REPAIRED WHAT HE COULD AND THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS WORKED. HOWEVER TO CORRECT THE WIRING PROBLEM THE ENTIRE DASH NEEDED TO BE REMOVED AND NEW HARNESS INSTALLED. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THE ELECTRICAL/IGNITION RECALL IS RELATED TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *TT *JB *TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START. WHEN VEHICLE DOES FINALLY START IT WILL CONTINUOUSLY STALL. IF STARTED SUCCESSFULLY VEHICLE HAS AN EXCESSIVELY ROUGH IDLE. PH THE VEHICLE DID NOT START IN COLD WEATHER, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD DIDN'T LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS COLD START FOLLOWED BY A HARD RESTARTING AND HIGH OIL PRESSURE RELATED TO THE OIL PRESSURE PUMP IN THE ENGINE. TSB#7761-09B. SCC
ABOUT 1-2 MONTHS AGO MY WIFE TRIED TO START THE CAR AND SHE SAID THAT ALL OF THE SYSTEMS(I.E. WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES, INTERIOR WARNING LIGHTS, ETC.) STARTED GOING OFF ALL AT ONCE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD'T PUSH IN, THERE WAS A LOUD BUXXING NOISE, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. EVER SINCE WE HAVE HAD TO TRY SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START AND THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHEN WE ARE DRIVING ALONG (SPEED DOESN'T SEEM TO PLAY A ROLE) AND THE CAR WILL REACT IN A SIMILAR MANNER AND STOP RUNNING. AFTER THIS HAPPENS, IT CAN TAKE US UP TO 10-15 MINUTES TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. JUST THIS MORNING IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND IF THE TRUCK BEHIND US HAD NOT SWERVED AS IT DID, IT WOULD HAVE TOTALLED OUR CAR. WE THEN SPENT ALMOST 20 MINUTES IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC TRYING TO START OUR CAR.(THIS WAS SUBMITTED BY BRIAN QUINNEY - HUSBAND OF SAID OWNER). *AK
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT STARTING MOVING WHEN SITTING ON IT 5 MONTHS AFTER CAR WITH PURCHASED BRAND NEW-- THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM-- ENTIRE COMPONENT UNDERNEATH SEAT WAS REPLACED. 11 MONTHS LATER SAME PROBLEM-- DEALER FIXED AGAIN AT NO CHARGE-- THEN 2 YEARS LATER AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN-- ITS SLIDES SLIGHTLY WHEN BRAKING. I HAVE NOT HAD THE MONEY TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM AGAIN-- I KNOW THE DEALER WILL CHARGE ME NOW SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY A LONG TIME AGO.*AK
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED IN A STOPPED POSITION BY OTHER AUTO AT 20+ MPH, DRIVERS' SEAT BACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING HUSBAND TO RECEIVE A BAD WHIP LASH INQUIRY.
CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP WHEN SHE WAS REARENDED WITH 40 MPH IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS WENT FLYING BACK INTO A RECLINING POSITION, CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER. *AK
CONSUMER HAD JUST GOTTEN HOME AND PARKED VEHICLE. 5-10 MINUTES LATER, HORN WAS BLOWING. CONSUMER LOOKED OUTSIDE FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. DASHBOARD AND STEERING COLUMN WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. CHEVROLET DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEREFORE, THEY WOULDN'T BE LIABLE. ALLSTATE INSURANCE ADJUSTER TOOK ONE LOOK,AND COULD TELL IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. CHEVROLET DEALER WAS NOT RESPONDING TO INSURANCE ADJUSTER. VEHICLE WAS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER HAD REPLACED THE OIL PUMP, SOLENOID, AND EXHAUST HOWEVER LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATED. BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WINDSHIELD WIPER SKIPS AND CHATTERS ACROSS WINDSHIELD, DEALER REPLACED BLADE. TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE LEVER, COMPARTMENT LID RELEASE BROKE. CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL, DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. *SLC
WHILE STOPPING AT A RED SIGNAL WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD, LEAVING CONSUMER FLAT ON HIS. DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN CAUSE OF COLLAPSE.*AK
CAR WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 10 HOURS. WHEN STARTED AND PUT IN DRIVE, "ETS OFF" LIGHT FLASHED AND THEN REMAINED ON STEADY. ALONG WITH THIS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO STAYED ON. BOTH LIGHTS REMAINED ON FOR DURATION OF DRIVE HOME FROM WORK, APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES. ENGINE SOUNDS FINE, NO STRANGE NOISES, BUT WARNING LIGHTS STILL REMAIN ON. TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC TO BE CHECKED OUT.
SHORT IN THE DASH AND UNABLE TO FIND. *SLC
WHILE ON VACATION CONSUMER WAS LOADING LUGGAGE IN REAR RIGHT DOOR, AND DOOR SHUT ON CONSUMER'S FINGER. DOOR WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM OUTSIDE, IT TOOK THREE PEOPLE TOOK GET CONSUMER'S HAND OUT, CONSUMER FELT DOOR LATCH HAD A DEFECT. IT WAS A RENTAL CAR. *AK
WHILE MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP REAR FOLDING SEAT CAME OUT OF THE METAL BRACKETS. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
I WAS A PASSENGER IN MY CAR THAT WAS REAR-ENDED ON 12/26/99 AT APPROX 55-60 MPH WHILE WAITING FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO MAKE A LEFT-HAND TURN. THIS PUSHED US INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE STOPPING WITHING 2-3 INCHES FRONT A FRONT END COLLISION. THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SLID FORWARD TO THE DASHBOAD,CAUSING MY LEGS AND WRISTS TO HIT THE DASHBOARD. THIS CAUSED SEVERE BRUISING AND CONTUSIONS TO MY SHINS (THE WORST BEING MY RIGHT LEG), MY WRISTS WERE SPRAINED FROM DASHBOARD, NECK WHIPLASHED BOTH SIDES AND SPINAL/LOW BACK PAIN FROM PELVIS BEING PUSHED UP, CAUSING COMPRESSION ON LOWER SPINE, LOWER RIGHT ABDOMINAL PAIN WITH NAUSEA, DIARREAH AND LOW GRADE FEVERS. SAYING MAYBE APPENDIX OR MUSCULAR.I REMEMBER SLAMMING INTO DASHBOARD EVEN WITH SEATBELT ON. MY SEAT WAS COMPLETELY AGAIN THE DASH WITH EXCEPTION OF ROOM NEEDED FOR LEGS TO HIT IT.THE SEAT MUST HAVE OR I COULD HAVE PUSHED SEAT BACK AFTERIMPACT. THE SEAT IS NOW NOT MOVING AT ALL. GMC SAYS SINCE AN ADJUSTER PAID PARTIAL SETTLEMENT TO BODY SHOP THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT... I HAVE LIMITED TORT INSURANCE, 2 KIDS AND NOW NOT WORKING, AND IN NEED OF MONEY UNTIL INSURANCE PAYS ME MONTHLY WHAT I WOULD BE MAKING AT WORK. WHAT DO I DO? *AK
COMPLETE FAILURE IN CONTROL MODULE - ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS ON DASH ON & ENGINE RACES IN IDLE AS WELL AS PARK - ACCELERATION WITHOUT USING ACCELERATOR PEDAL
FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT FAILED TO LATCH IN PLACE; CAUSING SEAT TO FREELY MOVE;SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
DRIVER SEAT LOCKING MECHANISM DOES NOT LOCK THE DRIVER SEAT IN PLACE IN CERTAIN POSITION. THIS MAY CAUSE THE OCCUPANT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHEN TURNED OFF STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW THE DRIVER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
SPARK SPLUG FAILED CAUSING ENGINE PROBLEMS.
VEHICLE WAS REARENDED AT ABOUT 70MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT SEATBACKS COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
DURING A COLLISION, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A SERIOUS PERMANENT INJURY TO LEGS DUE TO DRIVER'S SEAT PUSHING HER LOWER BODY UP UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INTO STEERING COLUMN. DRIVER ALSO INJURED WRIST.
FRONT SEATS MOUNTING TRACKS FAILED.
THE DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT PANEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING INACCURATE READING OF THE ODOMETER/FUEL GAUGE, AND THEN THE ENGINE STALLED. ALSO THERE IS A TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER REPLACED PISTON RINGS AND RODS DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S INCORRECT SIZE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN DRIVING WITH DOORS LOCKED, THE DOOR COME AJAR . *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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