Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. 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. 14 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
THE GAS GAUGE IS GOING HAYWIRE. IT PEGS TO THE "F", AND THEN IMMEDIATELY PEGS TO THE "E", EVEN THOUGH THE TANK IS HALF FULL. THE GAUGE THEN JUMPS AROUND THE MIDDLE FORM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER SIDE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL HOW MUCH IS IN THE TANK. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO WHILE SITTING AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS.
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.
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
DT: THE CONTACT STATED SHE THERE WAS A CRACK IN GAS TANK. IF THE CONTACT FILLED THE TANK 3/4 FULL THE TANK LEAKED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A CRACK IN THE TOP OF THE TANK. SHE NOTICED THIS A WHILE BACK. SHE ALWAYS KEPT TANK FULL. BUT WHEN GAS PRICES WENT UP EXCESSIVELY SHE COULD NOT AFFORD TO FILL IT UP. WHEN GAS PRICES WENT DOWN, THE CONTACT FILLED IT UP AGAIN, AND THAT WAS WHEN THE TANK STARTED TO LEAK. HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRACK. *AK
FUEL GAUGE SHOWED MORE FUEL IN TANK THAN THERE REALLY WAS- THE CAR STALLED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY SHOWING 1/4 TANK OF GAS WHEN IT WAS EMPTY.
WHEN THE WEATHER BEGAN TO WARM UP LAST SUMMER MY CAR STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS STARTING. I WOULD TURN THE KEY AND MY ENGINE WOULD TURN AND TURN BUT NOT FIRE CORRECTLY. AFTER A FEW TRIES, IT WOULD FINALLY START UP. I DIDN'T THINK ANY THING OF THIS PROBLEM AT FIRST, BUT AFTER A WHILE IT STARTED MISFIRING LIKE THIS QUITE FREQENTLY AFTER THE WEATHER BEGAN TO GET REALLY WARM AND HUMID OUTSIDE AND I HAD PREVIOUSLY DRIVEN MY VEHICLE THAT DAY. I HAVE HAD ALL THE RECALLS FIXED ON MY CAR, INCLUDING THE RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT THIS PROBLEM WITH STARTING MY CAR STILL PERSISTED. ONE DAY I WENT OUT TO MY CAR AND IT DIDN'T START AT ALL AND IT ENDED UP MY BATTERY HAD DIED AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ABOVE STATED PROBLEM, BUT I'M SURE THE ROUGH STARTS WERE NOT GOOD ON MY BATTERY EITHER. I FINALLY MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AFTER I HAD THEM INSTALL A NEW BATTERY AND THEY KEPT IT FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. NOT SUPRISINGLY, THE DAY AFTER I GOT MY CAR BACK, IT STARTED ROUGH AGAIN. I BOUGHT ONE OF THOSE MANUALS THAT HELPS YOU IDENTIFY AND CORRECT AUTOMOBILE PROBLEMS YOURSELF, SO I HAVE REPLACED COOLANT SENSORS, SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG WIRES, AND FLUIDS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. IT IS NOW FEBRUARY 2005 AND THE WEATHER IS COOLER OUTSIDE AND I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS THUS FAR. I'M AFRAID WHEN IT STARTS TO GET WARMER OUTSIDE, THOUGH, THAT I'LL BEGIN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. IS THERE ANY HELP THAT I CAN GET WITH THIS PROBLEM? ARE THERE ANY RECALLS OR HAS ANYBODY ELSE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM? THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP.
I HAVE HAD MY 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER FOR ALMOST 5 YEARS NOW; IN FEB. 2003 I HAD TO PAY 321.25 TO HAVE AN IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED IN MY CAR (WHICH WAS AN RECALL ISSUE); I ASKED MARTIN BURKS CHEVROLET ON FOREST PARK PARKWAY IN FOREST PARK, GA IF THE IGNITION PROBLEM WAS A RECALL ISSUE AND BOB ALLEN, THE AUTO PART SERVICE MANAGER LIED TO ME AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE, SO I PAID $321.25 FOR REPAIR SERVICE TO FIND OUT A YEAR LATER THAT THE IGNITION SYSTEM PROBLEM WAS A RECALL ISSUE. SO I WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT CHEVROLET HAS AUTO REPAIR SERVICE CENTERS WITH WORKERS THAT LIES TO CONSUMERS JUST TO TAKE THEIR MONEY. AT THIS PRESENT TIME, MY 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER WILL NOT START BECAUSE SOMETHING IS BLOCKING THE FUEL FROM REACH THE MOTOR/ENGINE (WHICH IS ANOTHER RECALL PROBLEM) BUT NOT ACCORDING TO THE CHEVROLET MANUFACTURER; MY WHEELS FEELS AS IF THEY ARE WOBBLING SOMETIMES; AND MY STEERING COLUMN IS MAKING A SQUEAKING SOUND WHEN I TURN IT LEFT OR RIGHT. BY PUTTING IN THE VIN NUMBER, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN FOUR RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATES THAT THERE HAS BEEN ONLY ONE RECALL, SOMEONE IS AGAIN LYING AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS THE CARFAX REPORT. I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTIES ON THEIR VEHICLES LONGER THAN THEY DO BECAUSE THEIR VEHICLES ARE LEARNED TO BE DEFECTIVE BEFORE A LIFETIME OF 5 YEARS IS UP (PRE YEARS LIFESPAN) FOR ANY VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO PURCHASE THE WARRANTIES, BUT GMPP (GENERAL MOTORS PROTECTION PLAN) SHOULD REISSUE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN SOMEONE HAVE HAD AS MANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLES AS I HAVE WITHIN THESE LAST TWO YEARS. I FEEL THAT THESE HEADACHES AND EXPENSES COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF MARTIN BURKS HAD FIXED MY CAR THE FIRST TIME; I ALSO FEELS THAT MARTIN BURKS CHEVROLET IS AN UNTRUSTWORTHY SERVICE CENTER. I WILL ALSO BE CONTACTING THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU TO INFORM THEM OF THE UNSATISFIED SERVICE I HAVE HAD WITH MARTIN BURKS CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FUEL PUMP.*MR THE VEHICLE BLEW FUSES AND DIDN'T START UNTIL IT SAT AND COOLED OFF WHICH WAS DUE TO THE BAG FULE PUMP. *PH
APPROXIAMATELY 2 MONTHS INTO OWNING THE VEHICLE THE PROBLEMS STARTED. FIRST THE SEAT BELT COVERS SNAPPED OFF, I'VE HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING STABILIZERS REPLACED 3 TIMES ALREADY, THE AIR CONDITIONER WHICH IS RARELY USED FAILED AT ABOUT 55-60,000 MILES, THE BATTERY BUSTED AND LEAKED ON THE ENTIRE RIGHT SIDE UNDER HOOD, THE JACK WAS WARPED, THE GAS GUAGE READS INCORRECTLY, THE SUNROOF STOPPED WORKING AFTER 30000 MILES, DASH RATTLES, GLOVE BOX WILL NOT STAY CLOSED, PASS SEAT GETS STUCK WHEN YOU MOVE IT FORWARD, THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK AND YOU HAVE TO APPLY MORE FORCE THAN USUAL TO GET IT MOVING, DRIVERS DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY, MORE AIR THAN NORMAL COMES INTO VEHICLE, THERMOSTAT FAILED AT 30000 MILES, INSTALLED SIDEWINDER 6500 CAR ALARM WHICH FAILED TO OPERATE AFTER THE BATTERY BUSTED, PLUS NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS NOT MENTIONED HERE.*AK
EVER SINCE WE'VE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE THERE'S BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IT WILL STALL OUT AND SHUT OFF. IN FEB OF 2000 THE SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE GAS GAUGE FLUCUATES. IT WILL SHOW 1/4 TANK OF GAS LEFT AND TEN MINUTES LATER THE CHECK GAS LIGHT COMES ON AND THE GAUGE DROPS. SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL WIRE ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WENT BAD. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WON'T SHUT ANY MORE, THE LATCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT'S LIKE EVERY 3 OT 4 MONTHS SOMETHING WITHER MINOR OR SIGNIFICANT GOES WRONG WITH IT AND PERSOANLLY I AM SICK OF IT. I BELIEVE THAT MY CAR IS A LEMON AND I WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.*AK
CAR DIES OUT, EVERYTHING SHUTS OFF,I HAVE TO RESTART, HAVE CONTACTED DEALER SERVICE DEPT EACH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED THEY CLAIM THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING.
CAR SHUT OFF AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, AFTER SPITTING AND SPUTTERING. WAS ALMOST REARENDED. SEEMS WORSE WHEN CAR IS COLD, BUT STILL SPITS AND SPUTTERS AFTER ENGINE IS WARM. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON STEADY. GAS CAP IS ON FINE. I WILL WAIT FOR TANK OF GAS TO FINISH AND GET ANOTHER TO SEE IF THERE WAS PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS. IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, WILL TAKE IT TO BENNETT CHEVROLET, MY DEALERSHIP,
GAS GAUGE VARIES BY AN 1/8 TO 1/4 AT RANDOM.
THE CAVALIER WAS DRIVEN TO WORK BY MY DAUGHTER ON 11-09-98. SHE PARKED THE CAR AND LOCKED IT AND WENT TO WORK AT THE AFTER SCHOOL DAY CARE FOR THE YMCA. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, A PARENT ENTERED AND ASKED WHO OWNED THE CAVALIER BECAUSE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM IT'S ENGINE. BY THE TIME MY DAUGHTER RAN OUTSIDE THE CAR HAD BURST INTO FLAMES. THE SCHOOL CUSTODIANS TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS BUT THEY WERE ONLY SUCCESSFUL IN PUTTING OUT THE FLAMES THAT RAN FROM MY CAR TO 2 OTHERS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE DUE TO EITHER FAULTY ELECTRICAL OR GAS LINES. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY HAVE HAD THEIR INSPECTOR LOOK AT THE CAR ON 11-16-98. SINCE THE INSPECTOR LOOKED AT THE CAR, THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE JENNY YURENKA WILL NOT RETURN MY PHONE CALLS. A RECEPTIONIST INFORMED ME THAT IT WILL TAKE GM ANOTHER 14 DAYS TO DETERMINE WHAT TO DO WITH A CAR THAT BURSTS INTO FLAMES FOR NO APPARENT REASONS.
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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