Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. 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. 56 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.
The 25 most recent of 56, in the owner's own words
THE STARTER WENT OUT THE FIRST WEEK I GOT IT DID TIRES START RUBBING THE SUCKS WENT OUT MAKING IT HARD TO DRIVE AND A SECOND TIME START RUBBING I END UP BUYING THREE TIMES CUZ THEY GOT BALL REAL FAST THE WIRING UNDER THE ENGINE RIPPED APART AND NOW IT'S THREW A ROD. *TR
I HAVE A Z24 AND MY CAR STALLS OUT AND TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING I HAVE CONTACTED A CHEVY DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CAVALIER'S DO, BUT MY TYPE OF VEHICLE(Z24) ISN'T AFFECTED. EXPLAINED IT IS AND THEY SHOULD SEE ABOUT THIS. AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED. ALSO, WHEN RESEARCHING THIS INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I WITH MY TYPE OF VEHICLE. WHY WOULD 1 TYPE OF CAR OF THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE PROBLEM AND NOT ALL OF THEM? IT HAS THE SAME COMPONENTS JUST DESIGNED A LITTLE DIFFERENT. *TR
EVER SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW, I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE STALLING ON HILLS OR INCLINES. MY CAR WILL START TO FEEL AS IF IT'S GOING TO STALL, AND THE RPM'S JUMP UP AS IF I AM ACCELERATING THE GAS, BUT SINCE THIS NORMALLY ONLY HAPPENS ON HILLS, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, MY CAR WILL NOT STOP, B/C THE RPM'S ARE STILL HIGH, THEN THAT'S WHEN THE CAR STALLS, AND OF COURSE MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, AND I CANNOT STOP WITHOUT USING THE E-BRAKE, OR PUT IT BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART IT. I HAVE NO WARRANTY LEFT SINCE IT HAS EXPIRED, HOWEVER, I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ALWAYS SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, AND IT'S NOT FAIR THAT THIS DEFECT HAS "SLIPPED" THROUGH THE CRACKS FOR THIS LONG. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BEFORE OWNERS OF THIS CAR GET INJURED OR KILLED! I AM ALSO HAVING A RACK AND PINION PROBLEM, BUT GMAC SAID THAT MY CAR DIDN'T COME FROM THE PLANT WITH THE DEFECTIVE PARTS! WELL, I THINK IT DID. MY CAR HAS BEEN UNRELIABLE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. EVERY TIME I HAVE DRIVE DOWN A HILL, I SAY A PRAYER. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 2-3 TIMES/WEEK. MY STEERING IS SO BAD FROM THE DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINION, THAT I CAN'T TURN MY STEERING WHEEL UNTIL THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR ABOUT 15 MINS.(WHEN IT'S COLD OUT). GMAC HAS FAILED TO TAKE MY CONCERNS SERIOUS, IT'S SAD THAT A COMPANY I PAID ALL MY HARD EARNED MONEY TO, CAN'T EVEN MAKE/OR FIX AN UNSAFE VEHICLE! AND I ALSO HAVE THE RECALLED DEX COOLANT, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE PAID FOR THE DAMAGES AND REPAIRS IN ORDER TO GET REIMBURSED! THEY NEED TO FIX ALL THE AFFECTED CARS, NOT JUST THE ONES PEOPLE HAVE PAID TO ALREADY HAVE IT FIXED! *TR
1998 CAVALIER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST DETERMINED THAT THE EGR VALVE WAS STICKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE EGR VALVE FAILED AT 142,673 MILES AND AGAIN AT 175,055. WHEN THE CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE SERVICE INVOICE IT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE EGR VALVE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THE PART HAD A LIFETIME WARRANTY. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED.
DT: THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE, IT STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY CLOSE TO 100,000 MILES. COMPLAINS OF ENGINE NOT WORKING. *AK
ON MY 1998 CHEVY CAVALIER MY TIMING BELT TENTION PULLEY HAS BROKEN TWICE,ALSO MY IDLER PULLEY HAS ALSO BROKEN TWICE
PATTERN OF OVERHEATING AND VEHICLE FAILURES IN 98 CAVALIERS. A SECOND CAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS IS NOW BEING REVIEWED RIGHT NEXT TO MINE AT FOX CHEVROLET TIMONIUM. 410-667-6666. CAR WITH 100,049 MILES OVERHEATED FOR FIRST TIME AFTER ORDINARY FLUSH AND FILL 2 DAYS PRIOR. (THE SERPENTINE BELT AND AN OIL CHANGE WERE ALSO PERFORMED FOLLOWING A COMPLAINT OF SMELLING ANTIFREEZE NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF ANY COOLING PROBLEMS) FOLLOWING THE OVERHEATING, THE CAR WAS PROMPTLY PULLED OVER WITHIN 2 MILES AND FLATBEDDED BACK TO THE SERVICE STATION. AFTER REPLACING THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP (SIGNS OF LOW COOLANT FLOW - TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL IN THE UPPER AND LOWER HOSES) CAR CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT. THE CAR WAS FLATBEDDED TO THE DEALER: NO LEAKS OR DAMAGE WERE FOUND IN THE HEATER CORE, RADIATOR, HEAD GASKET, OR CYLINDER HEAD. DEALER CONCLUSION IS THAT THERE ARE MICRO CRACKS INSIDE THE ENGINE BECAUSE ENGINE GASES ARE MIXING WITH THE ANTIFREEZE, ALTHOUGH OIL IS NOT ENTERING THE COOLING SYSTEM. DEALER INSISTS ONLY POSSIBLE REPAIR IS AN ENTIRE ENGINE REPLACEMENT.
THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM IN HER 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. *NM *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS PERTAINING TO THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *NM
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A NOISE IN THE ENGINE. AFTER I HAD THE CAR SERVICED I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT A GUIDE FOR THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THE TIMING CHAIN BENT A BARING ON THE CAM SHAFT. *LA
THIS E-MAIL IS IN REGARDS TO MY 1998 CAVALIER RS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE I BOUGHT IT ON JUNE 29, 1998. JUST 14 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE CLUTCH GOES OUT. THEN IT GOES OUT FOUR TIMES THEREAFTER. A TOTAL OF FIVE TIMES MY CLUTCH HAS WENT OUT. THE REASON I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW AUTOMOBILE WAS FOR THE DEPENDENCY OF THE CHEVROLET PRODUCT. I WAS MISTAKEN IN MY THINKING OBVIOUSLY. THAT DATES OF HAVING TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER ARE AS FOLLOWS: 08/29/99, 04/05/01, 08/09/01, 10/17/01, 06/26/03. I UNDERSTAND THINGS GO WRONG WITH VEHICLES, BUT FIVE TIMES ON THE SAME PROBLEM. (NO THE CLUTCH IS NOT BEING RIDDEN.) THANKFULLY I HAVE REIMBURSMENT TOWING ON MY INSURANCE, CONSIDERING I WAS MILES AWAY FROM A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. ALSO, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON JULY 20, 1999 (13 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR). MY RECEIPT STATES ALL THE CYLYNDERS WERE MISFIRING. ON NOVEMBER 21, 2001 MY CATATYLIC CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. (DON'T EVER GO ON A TRIP IN THIS CAR!) ALL THE WORK STATED ABOVE WAS DONE BY CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS. THE CAR IS PAID FOR NOW AND THEY RECEIVED ALL OF THEIR MONEY OUT OF ME. I JUST HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. (THE CAR WAS IN MY GRANDMOTHER'S NAME, MARY H. DECKER 3416 ST ANN ST OWENSBORO, KY 42303. IT IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE NAME ON THE TITLE.)
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND SHE HAD NOT POWER. SHE TRIED TURNING ON A SIDE STREET SHE HAD NO POWER STEERING AND NO BRAKES. SHE TRIED TO GET OUT OF WAY OF A TRUCK THAT WAS APPROACHING HER BUT COULDN'T AND HER CAR WENT UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE ENGINE STALLED ONCE WHILE IT WAS IDLING SO SHE HAD TO GET IT JUMPED. MY HUSBAND AND I THOUGHT SHE MIGHT HAS LEFT SOMETHING ON OR WASN'T QUITE SURE ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WHEN IT DIED WHILE BEING PARKED. I DROVE IT THE NEXT DAY AND IT SEEMED FINE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT HAPPEN SHE TOLD US THAT SOMETIMES WHEN SHE WOULD PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT WOULD DIE. SHE WOULD HAS TO PUT IT IN PARK AND THE RE-START THE ENGINE AND THE CAR WAS FINE. WE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A MONTH. WE DON'T KNOW IF THE TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS OR IF THIS WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *NLM
THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED ANTI FREEZE, AND THE OIL PAN LEAKED OIL. *JB
THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IDLING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE EGR POSITION DIDN'T MATCH THE ACTUAL EGR POSITION ON THE DASH. SCC *NLM
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN EGR REPLACEMENT PROBLEM. *AK *SCC
CATALITIC CONVERTER WENT BAD IN MY CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS COMMON IN MY TYPE OF VEHICLE AT THE MILEAE THAT I HAVE. I HAVE APPROX. 83K MILES ON MY CAR. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION ON THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH MY CAR TYPE.
THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH AN INTERNAL ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM, WHICH, AS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IF THE CORRECT KEY IS NOT USED TO START THE CAR, FUEL IS CUT OFF TO THE ENGINE. THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD THEN FLASHES, AND YOU ARE UNABLE TO START THE CAR FOR (AS I FOUND OUT ON MY OWN) EXACTLY 10 MINUTES. SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW 5 YEARS AGO. THIS SCENARIO HAS HAPPENED TO ME DOZENS OF TIMES. I START THE CAR (WITH THE CORRECT KEY, OF COURSE) AND THE CAR DOES NOT START-THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF FOR 10 MINUTES, AND I CAN NOT START THE CAR DURING THIS TIME...IF YOU ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR DURING THIS TIME, YOU ARE FORCED TO WAIT EVEN LONGER BEFORE THE LIGHT STOPS FLASHING AND YOU CAN RESTART THE ENGINE. ON THE OCCASIONS THAT I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY EITHER TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG, OR THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE EXTERNAL ALARM, OR THEY JUST SAID IT WAS FIXED...MEANWHILE, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE FEATURE WAS-I HAD TO TELL THEM THAT IT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. LONG STORY SHORT, THIS THEFT SYSTEM HAS CAUSED ME TO BE LATE FOR WORK NUMEROUS TIMES, AND HAS CAUSED MANY INCONVENIENCES FOR ME! OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. I SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER, AND NEITHER WERE AWARE OF THE FEATURE, OR THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THE DEALER SAID TO BRING IT IN, BUT FOR ME TO TAKE A DAY OFF FROM WORK IS DIFFICULT-ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY PROBABLY WON'T FIX A THING. I AM DESPERATE FOR SOME HELP WITH WHAT I CONSIDER A MAJOR DEFECT IN THIS CAR! DT
UPON STARTING VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WATER TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOES HOT, SMOKE COMES OUT OF RESERVOIR, AND THE ANTI-FREEEZE INDICATER GOES DOWN ABOUT A GALLON. BUT ANTI-FREEZE IS NOT LEAKING OUT SIDE VEHICLE ITS INTERNAL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
CONSUMER STATES AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, HIT THE ACCELERATOR TO PULL OFF AND THE VEHICLE CUT OFF, CONSUMER HAD NO BRAKES AND NO STEERING. HAD TO HIT A CURB TO STOP VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER.*JB
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED IN JUNE 2000, DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*JB
I HEARD BEFORE I PURCHASED MY 1998 CAVALIER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH LEAKY HEAD GASKETS, ALTHOUGH I ALSO HEARD THAT THE MANUFACTURER ALSO REMEDIED THE PROBLEM BEFORE RELEASING THE CARS TO THE MARKET. HOWEVER, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL THERE WASN'T ANY CHANGES MADE SINCE I NOW HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHICH WAS APPARENT ABOUT 2 YEARS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND I AM NOW STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT WILL DEFINETLY NOT LAST LONGER THAN MY PRIOR CAR, A TOYOTA. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH CHEVROLET.*AK
WATER PUMP FAILED ON VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 3.5 YEARS AND UNFORTUNATELY, I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. THIS CAR COULDN'T LAST 5 YEARS WITHOUT PROBLEMS. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS SO SOON, I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS CAR AND EXPECTED TO RECEIVE A QUALITY VEHICLE. NOW I'M WONDERING WHAT NEXT, IS MY ENGINE GOING TO FAIL. HOW COULD THE WATER PUMP GO OUT SO SOON ON THIS VEHICLE. AND HOW MANY OTHER BUYERS HAVE HAD THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. HAVE THERE BEEN RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLES, IT SEEMS TO HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, UNFORTURNATELY WE THE CONSUMERS, ARE NOW FINDING THIS OUT.*AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST STARTED IT WOULD STALL OUT. RPMS WOULD REV UP FROM ZERO, AND VEHICLE STALLED. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER FIRST TIME, AND MECHANIC CHANGED SPARK PLUGS. PROBLEM REOCCURRED TWICE SINCE THEN, 2 MONTHS LATER. *AK
VEHICLE HAS HAD MAJOR BRAKE PROBLEMS, ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACE TWICE, DUE TO THEM BEING WARPED, AT TIMES CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO STOP AT SLOW SPEEDS, DEALER STATES THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM.*JB
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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