Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 47 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 47, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. DURING THE FAILURE THE BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE ROLLED TO A STOP AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE BRAKE LINES FRACTURED AND WERE POSITIONED IN A MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE RUBBING AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
ABS LIGHT ON BRAKES NOT WORKING RIGHT HUB WOBBLING!! *TR
I DRIVE MY CAR FOR CANADA POST ,SO I DO LOTS OF MILEAGE,BUT AFTER OWNING MY CAR FOR AROUND 5 MONTHS I WENT TO COME TO A STOP AND REALIZED I HAD VERY LITTLE BRAKES,I HAD TO PUMP THEM REPEATEDLY TO STOP AT A INTERSECTION,I CONTINUED TO THE NEXT BLOCK WHERE I OPENED THE DOOR AND PRESSED THE BRAKES TO NOTICE BRAKE FLUID POURING OUT OF THE WHEEL .I TOOK THE TIRE OFF AND SEEN THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD BEEN RUBBING ON MY CV BOOT ,THE LINE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS GROOVED FROM RUBBING ON MY CV JOINT AND IN TURN BROKE THE CV BOOT AND BROKE THE BRAKE LINE ,I WENT TO GM AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND THEY SAID NO SO I REPLACED THE LINE MYSELF WITH A LITTLE MODIFICATION TO STOP IT FROM RUBBING BUT NOW I GOT A CV JOINT THAT IS ABOUT TO BRAKE DUE TO THIS BRAKE LINE CAN YOU PLEASE CHECK TO SEE IF THIS IS JUST MY CAR OR OTHERS ALL SO ,I HAVE ALL SO HAD MORE BRAKE PROBLEMS FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT THIS CAR SUCH AS ABS LOCKING UP ON MEAT INTERSECTIONS I THINK DUE TO TRACTION CONTROL I HAVE GONE TO TAKE OFF AND HAD TO CHANGE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO 1 ST GEAR IN ORDER TO CROSS A ROAD SAFELY I REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY DID NOTHING ,EVEN WHEN ALL THE ABS LIGHTS CAME ON AND TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON 4 DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR ,THEY RESET THE COMPUTER AND GAVE IT BACK ,IN TURN I BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER GARAGE AND THEY TOLD ME THE ABS COMPUTER IS BLOWN ,I FIGURE I WILL TELL THE WHOLE STORE DUE TO ALL THE BRAKING PROBLEMS I HAVE MAYBE THAT IS WHY MY HOSE BROKE . *AK
THE VEHICLE'S TRAC OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. *NM THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW BRAKE BOOSTER BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. *JB
THE 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER WAS PURCHASED IN JULY 2003 WITH APPROXIMATELY 32,000 MILEAGE. ON DECEMBER 25, 2003 WITH 34,016 MILEAGE THE BRAKE DASH LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM. THE FLUID WAS BARELY VISIBLE WHEN CHECKED. THE MECHANIC LATER DETERMINED THE PROPORTIONING VALUE WAS LOSING A DROP OF BRAKE FLUID WITH THE APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAL DEALER. THE REPAIRED CAR WAS COMPLETED ON JANUARY 2, 2004. HE DIFFERENCE WAS REMARKABLE. IT WASN'T UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED THAT I REALIZE HOW MUCH IT HAD LOST IT BRAKING ABILITY. TODAY I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE IT REPAIRED BY THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER ONLY THE DEALER COULD MAKE THE DETERMINATION OF DEFECTIVE PARTS. *AK
BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN STOPPING FROM ANY SPEED. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT WAS COMMON WITH ABS. BRAKES WEAR POORLY, HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES 2X SINCE PURCHASE. ENGINE STUTTERS WHEN CAR FIRST STARTED OR WHILE STANDING. KEY HOT OUT OF IGNITION, WAS TOLD RECENT RECALL AFFECTING IGNITION RELAY WOULD FIX, DID NOT. CHECK ENGINE SERVICE AND ABS LIGHTS COMING ON AND STAYING ON. CAR HAS ONLY 32,000 MILES. *JB
AFTER PURCHASE OF MY VEHICLE - BATTERY WAS DEAD DEALER REPLACED NEW BATTERY LOST COOLANT - ENGINE WAS SMOKING THEN FOUND OUT VEHICLE WAS ON RECALL HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS AND PADS WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON VEHICLE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE CHEVY CAVALIERS THEY DO NOT LAST. I COMMUTE TO WORK BY TRAIN AND HARDLY DRIVE SO I WAS SURPRISED WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE WITH NOT ALOT OF MILES. *NM
WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT 20-25 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED LOW TRACTION INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHING. CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED AND ENGINE STALLED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WHEEL BEARING, CALIPER. AND BOTH FRONTAL ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THIS WAS THE TWELFTH SET OF WHEEL BEARINGS THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED THIS YEAR. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCK UP AND VEHICLE SKIDS TO A STOP IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT LOW SPEEDS FROM A COLD START. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, PER SEVERAL LOCAL MECHANICS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW A SPEED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AND IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. *PH THE ABS SENSOR HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE. *SCC *JB
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB
THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES FOR PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE FAILURE AND BRAKE RELATED PROBLEMS. IT RESULTS IN FAILURE OF BRAKE SYSTEM OF THE NEW MOTOR. THE DEFECT STILL EXIST STILL WAITING ON THE RESPONSE FROM GENERAL MOTORS. *MR *CB
WE BOUGHT A USED CHEVROLET CAVALIER FROM THE YEAR 2000 WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY (GM CERTIFIED) FOR 3 MONTHS OR 3,000 MILES. SINCE THE BEGINNING THERE WERE 4 PROBLEMS NOT YET FIXED. 1 - THERE IS A POPPING NOISE UNDER THE BACK OF THE CAR. DEALER (KOONS CHEVROLET - WITHE MARSCH, MD) SAID HE COULDN'T DUPLICATE. AFTER BRINGING THE CAR FOR THE 3RD TIME, HE SAID THE BRAKES WERE DIRTY AND HE CLEANED THEM, BUT THIS NOISE IS STILL HERE, WHEN STARTING AT A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT FOR EXAMPLE, OR WHEN RIDING ON A ROUGH ROAD. 2 - THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE IN FRONT WHEN DRIVING. IT'S STOPPING WHEN PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT'S LINKED WITH THE BRAKES FOR SURE. THE PADS ARE NEW AND THE DEALER SAID THE ROTOR MAKES HIS NOISE, BUT HE REFUSED TO CHANGE IT (WHEREAS IT'S UNDER WARRANTY). HE SAID IT'S NOT UNSAFE. BUT THIS NOISE IS COMING LOUDER AND I FEEL LIKE A LOSS OF CONTROL. 3 - THE ABS LIGHT COME ON EVERY SINGLE DAY WHILE DRIVING AND NOT BRAKING. THE 1ST TIME, THE DEALER CHANGED THE BULB. THE 2ND TIME PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVE) HE CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR, BECAUSE MY CAR BROKE DOWN THE DAY BEFORE (NO MORE POWER AT ALL). HE SAID THE ALTERNATOR PUTTED A LOW VOLTAGE TO THE ABS CAUSING THE LIGHT TO TURN ON. THE PROBLEM IS NOT SOLVE. AND I NEED TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN SOLVED, AND THIS IS THE 5TH TIME I AM GOING TO THE DEALER. I THINK HE'S PLAYING WITH ME, SO THAT MY CAR WON'T BE UNDER WARRANTY ANY MORE, AND I WOULD PAY TO CHANGE STUFFS IN THE FUTURE. PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU. *NLM
I HAVE A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE FIRST PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED WAS IN OCT 2001,WHILE DRIVING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO THE MAXIMUM READING WITHOUT WARNING, I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE. WAITED A WHILE STARTED BACK WENT APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MI AND SAME PROBLEM,AFTER STOPPING 3-4 TIMES I STARTED BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH TEMP GAUGE IN THE RED FOR A APPROX 1 MILE AND ALL GAUGES RETURNED TO NORMAL. CHEVROLET GARAGE COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM..MY SECOND PROBLEM I KEEP HEARING A CLANGING/RATTLING SOUND FROM THE FRONT AREA OF VEHICLE WHILE SITTING STILL IF YOU TURN STEERING WHEEL YOU CAN HEAR A THUMP FROM THE FRONT LEFT AREA WHERE STRUT IS LOCATED..MY THIRD PROBLEM IS MY CHECK ENGINE/SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AT VARIOUS TIMES. MY FOURTH PROBLEM I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT ROTORS THREE TIMES NOW DUE TO THEM WARPING,THE FIRST TIME I HAD LESS THEN 10,000 MILES....... *NLM
ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AN STAYED ON. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE ABS MODULE BEING DEFECTIVE AND NEEDING TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHEN BRAKE APPLIED THEIRS A SHIMMY IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE ROTOR BEING OUT OF ROUND. CONSUMER HAD ROTOR REPLACED PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY SHE HYDROPLANED AND HIT THE DIVIDER STRIP THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR
I HAD HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR NOT STOPPING WHEN I WOULD BRAKE IN THE PAST. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY BRAKEPADS & ROTORS. I PAID TO HAVE THEM REPLACE AND LESS THEN 2000 MILES LATER MY MOM HAD AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS A CLEAR, DRY, MODERATELY TRAVELED ROAD. A WOMAN CUT OF KIP THE MAN IN FRONT OF MY MOM. HE BRAKED, MY MOM SAW WHAT HAPPENED AND HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO BRAKE ,AND WAS ONLY DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MILES PER HOUR. SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DIDNT SLOW, SO SHE STEPPED HARDER CAUSING THE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. WHEN THAT HAPPENED THE ABS SYSTEM MADE ITS NORMAL NOISE TO INDICATE IT WAS ENGAGED BUT THE CAR STILL DIDNT STOP. KIPS TRUCK AND TOW BALL STOPPED MY CAR. THE AIR BAGS DIDNT DEPLOY AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO KIPS TRUCK. MY MOM IS A VERY EXPERIENCED DRIVER. SHE HAS DRIVEN PROFESSIONALLY FOR A REPUTABLE COURIER SERVICE, AND FOR THE SAN ANTONIO VIA (BUS) SYSTEM. I KNOW THERE WAS NOTHING MORE SHE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. I TOOK IT TO CHUCK OLSEN THE DEALERSHIP WHO SOLD ME THE CAR, TO CHECK THE ABS SYSTEM. THEY KEPT MY CAR FROM FRIDAY THE 21TH OF JUNE 2002 TO FRIDAY THE 28TH OF JUNE 2002. THEY DIDNT DO ANY EXTENSIVE TESTING, VERY BASIC VISUAL CHECKS, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WROTE ON THE EVALUATION. I DIDNT AGREE WITH THE INITIAL INSPECTION, SO I ASKED TIMIKI J AT GM WHO HANDLED MY PRODUCT FAILURE ALLEGATION, IF I COULD GET A SECOND OPINION. SHE SAID IT WAS FINE BUT THEY WOULDNT PAY FOR IT. SO I PAID ABOUT $125 TO GET A SECOND OPINION. IT TOOK THE NEXT DEALERSHIP ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO DO A COMPLETE INSPECTION; THEY DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS PRESENTLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BREAKING SYSTEM. IN THE INSPECTION NOTES THEY DID NOTE THAT THAT DOESNT MEAN SOMETHING DIDNT HAPPEN. JUST THAT THE ABS COMPUTER HADNT RECORDED A FAILURE. I CALLED TIMIKI 3 TIMES AFTER THE SECOND INSPECTION AND LEFT THREE MESSAGES ASKING HER TO CALL ME BACK. TO THIS DAY, I STILL HAVEN
WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THE BRAKES LOCK UP, CAUSING THE CAR TO GO INTO A SKID. IT'S ECSPECIALLY WORSE ON WET ROADS. NOW IT'S STARTING TO LOCK UP GOING STRAIGHT AND GO INTO A SKID COMING TO COMPLETE STOPS. THE CAR IS VERY UNSAFE. I'VE DECIDED AFTER ALMOST HAVING A NEAR CAR WRECK, TO TAKE IT IN NEXT WEEK. THE LAST KNOWN REPORT WAS ON JULY 8, 2002, WHEN I WAS DRIVING I HAD TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR LOCKED UP AGAIN AND IT STARTED BOUNCING UP AND DOWN. I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE THE CAR RE-ENDED ANOTHER CAR. PLEASE HELP ME WITH ANYMORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND OTHER BRAKING PROBLEMS.*AK
VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE WHILE DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, PROBLEM DUE TO MASTER CYLINDER GOINT OUT.*AK
3/01 STARTED HAVING A PULSATING WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED.WENT TO THE DEALER WERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED .THEY SAID THE ROTORS WERE WARPED IN FRONT.THEY TURNED THE ROTORS .THE PULSATING WAS GONE.1/02 STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN ALONG WITH WHEN I WENT TO STOP I STARTED SLIDING .THAT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THE NEXT TWO DAYS BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO A CHEVY DEALER.WHEN THEY CHECKED IT THEY SAID I NEEDED MY ROTORS TURNED DOWN AGAIN.SO THEY DID THAT AGAIN.DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM UNTILL NOW,5/02.I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AFTER ONLY 6000 MILES SINCE THE LAST TIME.I SPOKE WITH THE CHEVY DEALER AGAIN AND THEY SAID IT WOULD PROBABLY NEED NEW ROTORS AND BRAKES.I AM TAKING IT IN MONDAY TO HAVE THIS DONE! THE LAST TIME I HAD TO PAY $60.00 .THEY SAID THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS.I HAD 30,000 MILES ON THE CAR THEN. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WITH BRAKES SINCE I STARTED DRIVING ,34 YEARS AGO!*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ANTENNA IS MISSING. *TT
WHEN APPYLING BRAKES SEVERE VIBRATION OCCURS WITHIN FRONT WHEELS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER , AND DEALER COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*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.
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