2000 Chevrolet Cavalier Fuel system Problems

UNNECESSARY GAS ODORS. SEAT BELTS KEEP UNLOCKING. STEERING

NHTSA ID

10816442

Incident

Dec 24, 2015

Mileage

167,000 mi

THIS CAR WILL NOT START. AND WHEN IT DOES START IT BACK FIRES. I HAVE REPLACED THE STARTER, THE FLEX PLATE THE SENSORS, AND THE MUFFLER, AND NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK AND NO MECHANIC CAN TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH. I EVEN WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A CAR CODE READER AND IT SAYS EMISSIONS BUT STILL NO LUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10435327

Incident

Sep 20, 2011

GAS GAUGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT WORK, IT REGISTARS HIGHER THAN THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE CAR. I SPENT OVER $450 DOLLARS AT THE GARAGE TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT WHY THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING AND WOULDN'T RESTART. THE GARAGE COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I DISCOVERED MYSELF AFTER THE 3RD TIME, THAT PUTTING GAS IN IT FIXES IT, AND REALIZED THE GAS GAUGE WAS NOT REGISTERING EMPTY, WHEN THE CAT WAS EMPTY, AND I WAS SIMPLY RUNNING OUT OF GAS. *TT

NHTSA ID

10417843

Incident

May 15, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10390337

Incident

Apr 15, 2006

Mileage

50,000 mi

2000 CAVALIER FUEL PUMP WENT OUT CHEVROLET ---THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH A VERY EXPENSIVE SOLUTION 280 FOR A NEW ONE PLUS THE AGGRAVATION OF TRYING TO TAKE APART AND REPLACE THE HOSES WHY DON'T THEY JUST RECALL THESE CARS 200-2004 AT LEAST TO REPLACE THE WEAK JUNKY FUEL PUMPS WITH BETTER ONES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10260292

Incident

Feb 23, 2009

Mileage

169,000 mi

MY CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT START. WOULD RUN FINE, START SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THEN NOT START. LEFT ME AND MY YOUNG DAUGHTER STRANDED, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOOD IF IT WERE IN A BAD PART OF TOWN OR HAD I NOT HAD FAMILY CLOSE TO COME GET ME. NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO START AT ALL, DON'T HEAR THE FUEL PUMP PRIME. A MECHANIC TOLD ME TO HIT GAS TANK WITH MALLET WHILE TRYING TO START IT. IT STARTED BY DOING THAT, AND I WAS TOLD THE FUEL PUMP IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS GOING TO COST OVER $700...MONEY I DON'T HAVE. THIS I AM FINDING TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR....CHECK OUT THIS DISCUSSION FORUM FOR MANY MORE COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AT........ HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-CAVALIER/TVINIC5TFU5SFSI5H ............. THIS CAR REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR THE FUEL PUMP, IT IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243417

Incident

Sep 20, 2008

Mileage

101,000 mi

WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR CUTS OUT AND DIES AND THEN DOESN'T RESTART. THIS IS DUE TO A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS DESIGN RELATED. THE PUMP FAILED AT 90,000 MI. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223487

Incident

Mar 25, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY. ONLY EVER GOES DOWN TO HALF WHEN IT SHOULD REALLY BE READING "EMPTY." NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS REALLY IN THE TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219756

Incident

Jan 4, 2008

Mileage

87,555 mi

FUEL PUMP ON CHEVROLET CAVALIER Z24 WENT OUT AT 76,000 MILES. IT LOST POWER AND DIED ALL OF A SUDDEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY, NO CARS WERE AROUND AS IT WAS ALMOST MIDNIGHT. COST TO REPAIR WAS OVER $600, NOT INCLUDING THE TOWING. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAD FUEL PUMPS MALFUNCTION ON THEIR CAVALIERS, AND ON SOME CARS NEWER AND MOST WITH LOWER MILES THAN ON THIS CAR. SAME STORY, JUST LOSES POWER AND DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THIS WAS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS A DEFECT WITH THE CAVALIER, YET THEY WON'T ISSUE A RECALL. I HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM ANYONE THAT OWNED A CAVALIER THAT DIDN'T HAVE SOME SORT OF PROBLEM WITH IT. ALSO, HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SHIFTER CABLE AND POWER WINDOW MOTOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. EXTREMELY UNHAPPY WITH THE CHEVROLET. *AK

NHTSA ID

10190675

Incident

May 13, 2007

Mileage

76,828 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10151971

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

THERE HAVE BEEN TWO ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE THAT I FEEL SHOULD BE RECALLS DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY CAR HAS ALSO HAPPEND TO OTHER CAVALIER OWNERS. RECENTLY THE FUEL TANK GAUGE WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING, WHICH CASED ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND HAVE TO CALL A FAMILY MEMBER TO PICK ME UP. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE PLASTIC BEHIND THE WINDSHEILD ON THE DASHBOARD CRACKED IN TWO DIFFERENT PLACES. I WORK WITH A GIRL THAT HAS THE SAME VEHICLE I DO AND BOTH OF THESE ISSUES ALSO HAPPEND TO HER CAR. I JUST THINK THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. ITS KINDA WEIRD THAT THE SAME MALFUNCTIONS HAPPEN TO TWO CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. ANOTHER ISSUE IS I HAD NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THE FAILED IGNITION SWITCH. I HAD TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT ONLINE WHEN LOOKING FOR A NEW PART FOR MY CAR. THATS KIND OF SCARY! THANKS YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE YOU TAKE GREAT CONSIDERATION IN MY ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

10120337

Incident

May 3, 2005

Mileage

58,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING TO WORKING ON NOVEMBER 19 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30AM WHEN MY CAR STALLED AT A STOP LIGHT ON A MAJOR STREET. I TRIED TO GIVE IT GAS BUT IT WOULD NOT ACCERATE. I TRIED TO START IT A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE CAR WAS ON A 1/4 OF GAS WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO I THOUGHT IT WASN'T THE FUEL. I HAD TO CALL MY BOSS, WHO CAME OUT TO TRY TO HELP BUT HAD NO LUCK IN GETTING IT TO START OR FIGURING OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS SO WE HAD TO CALL AAA AND HAVE THEM TOW MY CAR TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP. AFTER 2 DAYS OF HAVING MY CAR IN THE SHOP, I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT MY FUEL PUMP WAS COMPLETELY SHOT DUE TO MY FUEL GUAGE READINGS NOT READING CORRECTLY. WHEN MY FUEL READING WAS AT 1/4 IT WAS ACTUALLY OF EMPTY. MY MECHANIC THEN INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN DEFECT FOR MY YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL CAR. I WAS THEN INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC THAT IT WOULD COST $675.00 WHICH INCLUDED PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME, I CALLED THE GM DEALER BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT SINCE THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE IT COVERED UNDER SOME KIND OF WARRANTY. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA DEALER, WHO INFORMED ME THAT IT HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT THAT ITS NOT UNDER ANY KIND OF EXTENDED WARRANTY. WHEN I HEARD THAT, I WAS VERY ANGRY BECAUSE I FELT THAT IF THIS IS A KNOWN COMPLAINT/DEFECT THAT THESE CERTAIN CARS MAY HAVE, WHY SHOULD I, THE CUSTOMER OF CHEVROLET, HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS? SINCE I AM IN NEED OF MY "RELIABLE" TRANSPORTATION, I PAID FOR A NEW FUEL PUMP (ALL $675.00 WORTH OF IT).*AK

NHTSA ID

10104497

Incident

Nov 19, 2004

Mileage

82,500 mi

INACCURATE OR ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE READINGS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10086325

Incident

Feb 8, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

I WAS ON MY WAY HME FROM WORK ON A VERY BUSY ROAD ALL OF SUDDEN CAR JUST LOST POWER CAR WOULD NOT RESTART TOOK TO SHOP WAS TOLD THE FUEL PUMP WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO $$700 REPAIR FOR SOMETHING THAT I FEEL SHOULD NOT NEEDED TO BE DONE ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE I ONLY HAD 51000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE I BOUGHT A NEW CAR FOR THIS REASON TO AVOID MAJOR REPAIRS AS OF THIS DATE THE CAR HAS FAILED AGAIN WITH THE SAME CONDITIONS AS PREVIOUS JUST STALLED AND WONT RESTART AND THE WARRENTY HAS RUN OUT ON THAT( 12,000 OR 12 MTH) SO THAT WILKL BE ANOTHER COST TO REPLACE THIS PUMP IN LESS THAN A YEARS TIME. THIS IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS ON A 2000 VEHICLE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND GM STATES NOT ARE PROBLEM THINGS HAPPEN , YES THINGS HAPPEN BUT NOT CONTINUOUS ON NEW VEHICLES AND THE SAME PROBLEM I THINK GM REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS FOR SOME TYPE OF DEFECT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY COSTLY

NHTSA ID

10073178

Incident

Oct 1, 2003

Mileage

51,300 mi

WHEN THE FUEL IN THE TANK REACHED A QUARTER EMPTY, VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE FUEL TANK CAP WAS SCREWED ON TO TIGHT. THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS INFORMATION IS UNTRUE BECAUSE THE CAP CAN ONLY BE TIGHTEN TO A CERTAIN POINT. *LA

NHTSA ID

10071885

Incident

Mar 20, 2003

Mileage

25,030 mi

I HAD 3 FUEL PUMPS WITH IN 1 YEAR AND CONTINUE TO HAVE EMISSIONS PROBLEMS, ODOMETER AND STRANGE NOISES FROM UNDER HOOD, SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LATER THE PROBLEMS CONTINUE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10058704

Incident

Aug 28, 2001

Mileage

30,000 mi

CAR WOULD NOT START. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE FUEL PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. FOUND OUT IT WAS THE STRAINER IN THE FUEL PUMP. THIS PART WAS REVISED BY MANUFACTURER. MY PARENTS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2000 CAVALIER. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054915

Incident

Jan 19, 2004

WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED LIMIT OVER BUSY BRIDGE 1/12/04 AT 7A.M. AND SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS CAR STOPPED AND FAILED TO TAKE ANY GAS CAUSING 4 ONCOMING VEHICLES TO SWERVE AND ALMOST HIT ME IN THE REAR. THE CAR THEN STARTS AND RUNS FINE FOR A COUPLE DAYS THEN THE CAR STOPS AGAIN ON 1/14/04 AGAIN ON BUSY HIGHWAY CAUSING ALMOST A 3 CAR COLLISION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I BELIEVE THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED ON TWO OCCASIONS AND MANY OTHERS COULD HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IT IS LIFE THREATENING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THE FUEL PUMPS ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR. *CB

NHTSA ID

10054372

Incident

Jan 12, 2004

Mileage

34 mi

FUEL GAUGE IS NOT READING THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10051890

ON 3 SEPERATE OCCASIONS MY CAR HAS NOW WHILE DRIVING JUST SHUT OFF W/ NO WARNING. WE HAVE REPLACED FUEL FILTER AND STILL IS DOING IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT COULD BE FUEL PUMP OR IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE CONTACTED THE CHEV COMPANY AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY ANY PART OF THE REPAIR. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND FEEL IT SHOULD BE MADE A RECALL OR TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET HURT.MY CAR NOW SITS IN MY YARD UNABLE TO DRIVE AND WANT SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THE SITUATION OR I WILL HAVE TO GO TO A LAWYER.

NHTSA ID

10039610

Incident

Sep 25, 2003

FUEL PUMP STOPPED WORKING AND VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. INDEPENDENT DEALER IN THE LAST PAST TWO YEARS HAD REPLACED FOUR FUEL PUMPS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10034398

Incident

Aug 22, 2003

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2000 CAVALIER HAS FAILED TO SHOW THE PROPER AMOUN OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANK. I HAVE HAD THE CAR RUN OUT OF FUEL WHILE THE GAUGE SHOWS 1/2 TANK REMAINING. ALSO, AFTER REFUELING I HAVE HAD THE GAUGE SHOW AN EMPTY TANK, OR THE NEEDLE WILL VARIE BETWEEN FULL AND EMPTY WHILE I AM DRIVING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030933

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

Mileage

35,500 mi

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE STEERING IS BEGINNING TO HAVE A DISTINCTIVE POPPING SOUND AND LOOSENING DEVELOP. I KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM AND I AM TAKING IT TO A PROFESSIONAL TO AVOID SERIOUS PROBLEMS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT GM COULD NOT DEVELOP A BETTER STEERING COLUMN THAN THIS. IT WOULD SEEM A RECALL SHOULD BE PLACED ON GM FOR INSPECTIONS TO THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM (PART). I KNOW THAT THIS MAY SEEM TRIVIAL BUT I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE A FUEL PUMP ($700 PLUS) OUT OF POCKET AT ABOUT 2000 MILES OVER MY WARRANTY. JUST SEEMS LIKE GM HAS YET TO UNDERSTAND QUALITY IN THE SMALL AUTOMOBILE. OR AT LEAST GIVING A LITTLE ON AN OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART. EXAMPLE: I OWNED A 87 3 SERIES BMW THAT I PUT 425,000 PLUS MILES ON AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A STEERING COLUMN. I DID REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AFTER AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE TANK HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 310,000 MILES. A FUEL PUMP AT 39,000 MILE AND A STEERING COLUMN AT 46,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025510

Incident

Jul 7, 2003

Mileage

39,000 mi

STALLING, HESITATING, LOSS OF POWER, DECREASING OF HORSE POWER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10025160

Incident

May 24, 2003

Mileage

50 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. THE OLD FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED WITH A REDESIGNED FUEL PUMP. *JB *CB *JB

NHTSA ID

10020358

Incident

May 19, 2003

Mileage

9,775 mi