RoadVitals

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Nov 17, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 345 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistanceFuel system
Filed Nov 17, 2015

THE ENGINE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHERE IT DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE AND THE GAS PUMP KEPT MESSING UP AND THE GAS NEEDLE DOESN,T SHOW CORRECT IT WILL SAY YOU HAVE A HALF A TANK WHEN YOU REALLY HAVE A QUARTER TANK, AND THE THROTTLE SENSOR IS MESSED UP I WAS ON I-4 WHICH IS A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN ORLANDO IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC THE WAS ON BUT LOSS POWER AND STALLED OUT.

NHTSA ID
10794298
Incident
Nov 11, 2013
Mileage
125,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 29, 2004

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL EPISODES OVER THE PAST 6 YEARS OF MY CAR ACCELERATING WITHOUT ME STEPPING ON THE GAS. IN FACT, IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN I HAVE FIRST STARTED THE CAR, AND AM STEPPING ON THE BRAKES WHEN PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, OR COMING TO A STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC. MY BRAKES CAN BARELY STOP THE CAR, AND THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET THE CAR TO GO BACK TO NORMAL IS TO PUT IT IN PARK ONCE I HAVE STOPPED. IMMEDIATELY I HEAR THE ENGINE STOP REVVING, AND THEN WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT'S WORKING NORMALLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10100734
Incident
Apr 1, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 16, 2004

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ENHANCED TRACTION SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT. IT COMES ON AND IT STAYS ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
10067256
Mileage
24,800 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 4, 2004

ACCELERATOR STUCK TO THE FLOOR WHILE MERGING ON TO FREEWAY. VEHICLE KEPT GOING FASTER. TRIED PUMPING ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENED. TRIED BRAKING, BUT CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. PUT LEFT FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL AND USED RIGHT FOOT TO TRY TO LOOSEN THE ACCELERATOR BY STOMPING ON IT. NO LUCK. BY THEN, I WAS APPROACHING VEHICLES AHEAD OF ME AT VERY HIGH SPEED (I WOULD GUESS AT LEAST 70 MPH.). BOTH LANES WERE FULL, SO THERE WAS NO WAY TO SWITCH LANES. IN DESPERATION, I SHIFTED TO REVERSE TO TRY TO STOP THE CAR. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AS THE VEHICLE COASTED. I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE AS THE VEHICLE COASTED. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED, THE BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STILL STUCK TO THE FLOOR. I STOMPED ON IT A FEW TIMES, AND IT BROKE LOOSE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10056558
Incident
Feb 4, 2004
Driver assistance
Filed May 7, 2003

WHILE DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE AT APPROX 55-60 MPH MY ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKES THE CAR DID NOT GO BELOW 40 MPH. I CALLED 9-1-1 FOR ASSISTANCE. THIS WENT ON FOR APPROX 8 MILES, I EVENTUALLY SHUT THE IGNITION OFF AND THE CAR ROLLED TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT AND EXPECT ME TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKES THAT WERE RUINED AS A RESULT OF THE CARS DEFECTIVE ACCELERATOR. THE PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED AND FIXED BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS RELEASED OR SOMEONE MAY BECOME SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10018357
Incident
Apr 21, 2003
Mileage
37,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 8, 2000

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE WILL SURGE FORWARD. PEDAL GOES PARTIALLY TO FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
876238
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 5, 2000

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
872344
Incident
Sep 25, 2000
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 3, 2000

CONSUMER STOPS AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES EVEN THOUGH FOOT IS CONSTANTLY ON BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE WAS PUT IN TO PARK. *SLC

NHTSA ID
555345
Incident
Apr 1, 2000
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jul 12, 2000

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN WHEN CRUISING AT A LOW SPEED UP TO VERY HIGH SPEEDS. BRAKE RESPONDED, BUT SOMETIMES WERE VERY HARD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID
865283
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 24, 2000

EGR VALVE: REPLACED TWICE, CLEANED ONCE; GM REP. SAYS NOT HIS PROBLEM AFTER 24K MILES; CAR HAS MISS AND IDLES ROUGH, CODES DETECTED P0300, P0404, P1404, P0405; DLR REPLACE PCM COMPUTER. CALLED STATE A.G.

NHTSA ID
721874
Incident
May 13, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 19, 2000
1 injury reported

UPON EXITING GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A GREAT RATE OF SPEED. UNABLE TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS THIS HAPPENED WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS, VEHICLE JUMPED CEMENT PARKING BLOCKS AND VEHICLE LANDED ON PARKING BLOCKS. INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED VEHICLE TOTAL LOSS. COLLISION REPAIR SHOP STATED NEITHER MANUFACTURER NOR INSURANCE COMPANY WILL GO THROUGH VEHICLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WENT WRONG DUE TO "TIME IS MONEY." NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM OUT OF A VEHICLE, BALANCE REMAINING WAS ONLY APPROXIMATELY $3,700.00. LOOKED UP RECALLED VEHICLES, SIMILAR TO ID NUMBERS 95V201000 AND 87V011000. AS STATED, THIS ALL HAPPENED SO ABRUPTLY VERY HARD TO PINPOINT EXACTLY WHAT WENT WRONG. I AM REPORTING THIS IN THE HOPE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANOTHER CAVALIER OWNER WHO MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AS WE WERE. *AK

NHTSA ID
721667
Incident
Apr 1, 2000
Driver assistanceSuspension
Filed Sep 30, 1999

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED ENGINE RACED AND THE FRONT END STARTED TO VIBRATE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
849413
Incident
Sep 29, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 13, 1999

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE TO OVER 100 MPH. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP EVEN BY APPLYING BRAKES. HAD TO PULL EMERGENCY BRAKES AND PUT IT IN PARK. *AK

NHTSA ID
835399
Incident
Dec 26, 1998
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jan 27, 1999

ACCELERATED PAD WIGGLES ALL THE TIME, AND THE MOTOR MOUNTS ARE NOT TIGHT WHICH MAKES THE PAD MOVE ALL THE TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID
834041
Incident
Feb 10, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 21, 1998

SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).

NHTSA ID
538186

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .