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 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 58 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 58, in the owner's own words
IGNITION GETS VERY HOT WHEN KEY IS TURNED CAN SMELL PLASTIC IGNITION OR BATT 1 CIRCUIT PROBLEM.CLEARCOAT IS PEELING.LUG NUTS COMING LOOSE
I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER REPLACED. THE TECH SAID THE TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONE WEEK LATER I RETURNED AND HAD A NEW BELT TENSIONER INSTALLED. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE NEW AIR CONDITIONER HAD PREMATURE FAILURE. I HAD IT REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AND ALSO HAD A NEW DRIVE BELT INSTALLED DURING THE REPAIR. ABOUT ONE YEAR LATER I BEGAN HEARING A CHATTER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP POSITION AND HAD EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. I TOOK TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID THE BELT TENSIONER WAS BAD. THIS SEEMS EXCESSIVELY SHORT LIFE SPAN FOR A REPLACEMENT PART OF GOOD QUALITY. TODAY THE SHOP TRIED THREE DIFFERENT TENSIONERS AND STILL IT WAS NOT CORRECTING THE ISSUE. I EVEN DOUBLE CHECKED THE BELT ROUTING PATTERN TO ENSURE IT WAS CORRECT. I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE BELT TENSIONERS FOR THIS VEHICLE. ALL MY PRIOR FORD VEHICLE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR TENSIONERS OF SAME DESIGN. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AS A BELT THAT BREAKS OR SLIDES OF A PULLEY DUE TO A FAULTY TENSIONER CAN CAUSE IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER STEERING RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND SITUATIONS. ALSO THE BACKLIGHTING ON THE ODOMETER DOES NOT WORK.THE ODOMETER REGISTERS MILAGE DRIVEN BUT THE BACKLIGHT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.PLEASE LOOK INTO AND DONT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS ISSUE BECOME IMPORTANT.THANKS.
AFTER ACCELERATING OVER 35MPH VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE ABLE TO STOP BUT YOU CAN STILL HEAR AND FEEL THE MOTOR TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE AND THE VEHICLE STARTS TO JERK AROUND. ITS VERY UNSAFE AND NO ONE AT THE CAR SHOP ABLE TO TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG. I'VE HAD SEVERAL THINGS FIXED AND STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES AFTER STARTING UP WILL ACCELERATE ON IT OWN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
THIS CAR HAS BEEN LOVINGLY CARED FOR SINCE IT WAS NEW. THE UNDERBODY IS PERFECT BUT THE SUBFRAME (ENGINE CRADLE) IS BADLY RUSTED, WITH PITTING, SCALING AND A RUSTED THROUGH HOLE. I AM HEARTBROKEN! THIS CAR IS VERY NICE BUT NOW I CAN'T DRIVE IT. *TR
PURCHASED USED 2000 CAVALIER IN 2006. FIRST PROBLEM (WHICH HAS CONTINUED FOR 5 YEARS) IS THAT THE SERVICE LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS CRANKED UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE FIRST TURNED ON. IF YOU TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON. IT WILL NOT GO OFF UNLESS YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT (WITH HEADLIGHTS ON). SECOND PROBLEM IS THAT FUEL HAND DOES NOT REFLECT ACCURATE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE IN TANK. IT GOES UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING (WITH THE CHECK GAUGES LIGHT ON). OR SOMETIMES IT IS STUCK ON E OR STUCK ON F REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH FUEL IS ACTUALLY PRESENT. THIRD PROBLEM IS THAT CAR INTERMITTENTLY OVERHEATS AND IS ALWAYS LOSING COOLANT. I HAVE REPLACED THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, & RADIATOR. THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS CANNOT FIND A LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM (DESPITE PRESSURE TESTING, COMPRESSION TESTING, & BLOCK TESTING). WE ARE BAFFLED WHY IT CANNOT RETAIN CONSTANT COOLANT LEVELS. THIS IS A VERY FRUSTRATING SITUATION AS I AM LEFT WITHOUT RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK ABNORMALLY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE YET IT EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING BEFORE STALLING AGAIN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE YET IT STALLED A THIRD TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE CONTACTS PLACE OF RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 208,000.
CONSUMER 2000 CAVALIER STALL WHEN TURNING OR STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT. *TS AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE FOR THE IGNITION THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE OVERHAULED. TWO SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED. *NM
THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED 3 BLOWN HEAD GASKETS; ONE DAY IT WILL START AND ANOTHER DAY IT WOULD NOT START.
THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHIN 3 MINUTES TO START UP. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT GETTING INTO THE ENGINE. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED 4 WEEKS AGO. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE DEXCOOLANT, BUT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEATED AGAIN. *AK THE HEATER COULD NOT BE TURNED ON OR THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. THE HEADGASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *SC *JB
THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 2917 MILES ON IT WHEN THE STEERING RACK HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM AT 6237 MILES THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE A STRUT MOUNT AND A BEARING PLATE. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE O2 SENSOR AND STARTER WAS REPLACED. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED TWICE AND THE HEADLAMP WAS REPLACED. *JB
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS. *AK
LOW TRACK LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATED OR WHEN THE GEAR WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. *BF IN ORDER FOR THE LIGHT TO GO OUT, THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, SOMETIMES THE ENGINE SHUT OFF BY ITSELF. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE BEGININING, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKED.
VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS STARTING AND WHEN IT STARTS A FEW BLOCKS DOWN THE ROAD IT SHUTS OFF. *BF *TC
CAR IDLES EXTRMEMLY ROUGH AND FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. BOGS WHILE DRIVING, MAKES A FIRING NOISE FROM THE TAILPIPE. I PUT BETTER GAS IN THE CAR, NEW SPARK PLUGS AND FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER. NO HELP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN CAR IS STARTED, BUT ALSO GOES OFF JUST AS FAST. WHEN IDLING, IT DOES NOT STAY AT THE SAME LEVEL. VERY ROUGH. CLUSTER FOR DIGITAL ODOMETER IS BROKEN, I NEED TO BANG ON THE DASHBOARD TO READ THE MILEAGE. THE LIGHT IN THE CENTER CONSOLE IS ALSO OUT. *AK
GROWL / MOAN TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE ON HEAVY ACCELERATION WHEN MAKING A SHARP LEFT HAND TURN. *AK
THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT 4 TIMES (ALL IN THE SAME DAY) I WAS DRIVING TO AND FROM PENSACOLA, FLORIDA ON INTERSTATE 110 AND HIGHWAY 98 AND THE GAS FILTER AND SPARK PLUGS WERE CHANGED. THESE INCIDENTS WERE IN THE SPRING 2003. THE DEALER INFORMED ME IN APRIL 2003 THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE THE PROBLEM AND THEY FIXED IT AND SAID WE SHOULD BE FINE. THE MOST RECENT EPISODE WAS ON HIGHWAY 20 IN NICEVILLE, FLORIDA. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AND NEWBORN WHEN THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING AGAIN AND THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING HIT. CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING WITH NO WARNING AND WAS STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE AND BUSY HIGHWAY. MOST RECENTLY THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE FIXED. THIS CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AND I BOUGHT IT NEW WITH KEEPING THE MAINTENCE UP. AS OF NOW THE CAR CANNOT BE STARTED AND THEY HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I AM CONCERNED AS THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE WHERE I COULD NOT GET TO THE SHOULDER OR ON THE LOCAL MILE LONG BRIDGE WHERE THERE IS NO PLACE TO PULL OVER TO. I AM JUST GLAD MY WIFE AND CHILD WERE NOT INJURED THIS TIME. *LA
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
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY VEHICLE STALLED. HIGHWAY STATE PATROL HAD TO GIVE CONSUMER A RIDE BECAUSE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A GARAGE, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT THE PROBLEM RELATED TO THE PART THAT WAS PUT ON BY THE FORD DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIR. MECHANIC TOOK THE PART OFF AND THE VEHICLE STARTED. HE PUT IT BACK ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CONSUMER INDICATED THE PART THAT FORD WAS USING FOR RECALL REPAIR WAS FAULTY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *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
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING POWER AND BRAKE POWER. *AK
MY COOLING SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING MY CAR TO OVERHEAT AND KILL MY 2.2L ENGINE. ALSO AT 36000 MY TIMING CHAIN BROKE. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY IS REFUSING TO PAY.
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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