2000 Chevrolet Cavalier Other / unspecified Problems

WHILE PUMPING MY TIRES WITH AIR I NOTICED MY TWO BACK TIRES (A DIFFERENT BRAND FROM THE TWO FRONT TIRES) HAD CRACKING IN BETWEEN THE TREADS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRES. THIS MUST BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND AN OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. HERE IS TIRE INFORMATION (AND DESIGNATIONS) AS DESIGNATED ON THE SIDEWALL: REAR DRIVERSIDE TIRE: ACHILES PLATINUM MADE IN INDONESIA (5N1) MANUFACTURED BY MULTI STRADA ARAHSARANA TUBELESS STEEL BELTED RADIAL 195/70 R1491H MOLD NO. 03-02 E4 (ENCIRCLED) 0228041 DOT 5KJN HP 3606 THREAD: 1 POLYESTER, 2 STEEL, 2 NYLON; SIDEWALL 1 POLYESTER THREADWEAR 280 TRACTION A TEMPERATURE A ODDLY ENOUGH, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SEEMS TO MATCH THE ABOVE INFORMATION WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS: THREADWEAR 420 TRACTION AA TEMPERATURE A MOLD NO. 03-03 WE BOUGHT TIRES FROM FIGUEROA TIRES IN LOS BANOS. WE DON'T HAVE A RECEIPT TO CONFIRM THIS. THESE TIRES MUST HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BEFORE 04/29/10 SINCE WE DID FIND A SERVICE ORDER RECEIPT FROM WALMART TIRE & LUBE EXPRESS DATED 04/29/10 THAT STATES IN THE TPMS AND TIRE DISCLAIMER RECEIPT: ACTIONS: REPLACE ONE OR MORE OF THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE...REASONS: VISIBLE TIRE CUT, PUNCTURE, BALD SPOT, OR OTHER IRREGULARITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10668234

Incident

Apr 29, 2010

Mileage

123,306 mi

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

I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL TO BEGIN TO SLOW AS I APPROACHED A RED LIGHT. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT INSTEAD CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, AS THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK DOWN. I WAS SURPRISED AND PUSHED DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE CAR WAS ABLE TO STOP. ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR IMMEDIATELY BEGAN ACCELERATING QUICKLY WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL, WHICH WAS STILL STUCK DOWN. I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL REPEATEDLY WITH MY FOOT UNTIL IT BECAME UNSTUCK, AND IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO A NEARBY AUTO REPAIR FACILITY. THE TECHNICIAN LOOKED AT THE CAR AND DISCOVERED THAT THE GAS PEDAL HAD STUCK ON THE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT, WHICH APPEARED WARPED NEAR THE PEDAL AREA. DUE TO THE INDENTATION IN THE MAT, IT APPEARED THAT THE PEDAL HAD BEEN RUBBING ON THE MAT FOR SOME TIME BEFORE BECOMING TOTALLY STUCK. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED THE MAT AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE THEN. THE FLOOR MAT IS THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER MAT SUPPLIED WITH THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10311647

Incident

Jan 8, 2010

Mileage

185,000 mi

3 MONTHS PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 19TH, 2006, I HAD MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BREAK AWAY FROM THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY HAD STOPPED FROM 45 MPH, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE CAR WITH THE LUG NUTS STILL TIGHT. THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL HAD BUSTED OUT. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS SLIDING ON THE CONTROL ARM AND THE FENDER, DOOR AND FRONT BUMPER COVER HAD BEEN DAMAGED. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE ROTOR, BRAKE PADS AND LOWER BALL JOINT JUST TO GET THE CAR MOBILE TO DRIVE. THE CAR HAS DRIVEN THE SAME SINCE THIS HAD HAPPENED, SO I AM SURE THAT A LOT MORE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED IN THE FRONT DRIVETRAIN, BUT CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX AT THIS TIME. I CONTACTED FAIRWAY CHEVROLET IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WHEEL MUST HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY A POT HOLE OR SOMETHING. BEING THE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT HAD BROKE OFF THE CAR, I ASSUMED THAT MAYBE THAT IS CORRECT INFORMATION UNTIL NOVEMBER 19TH, 2006. I WAS DRIVING AND FELT THE SAME VIBRATION FROM 3 MONTHS EARLIER. I CAREFULLY CAME TO A STOP AND INSPECTED THE CAR. NOW, MY PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL WAS ONLY SECONDS FROM BUSTING OFF THE CAR. THIS TIME THE WHEEL IS PERFECT CONDITION, MEANING NO SIGNS OF POT HOLE DAMAGE. AMERICAN TIRE IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA REPLACED THE WHEEL AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A WHEEL BUST APART LIKE THIS, AND AM VERY LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH OR WORSE DEATH. THE SAME DEALER BRUSHED ME AWAY AGAIN, AND NOW I HAVE A DAMAGED CAR BOTH BODY AND DRIVEABILITY. PLEASE HELP. *NM

NHTSA ID

10176490

Incident

Nov 19, 2006

Mileage

101,545 mi

BOUGHT 2000 CHEVY CAVALIER FROM BAY POINT TOWING IN CONCORD ON 4/8/06 AFTER ONE WEEK OF DRIVING VEHICLE THE FRONT STARTED TO MAKE A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE FRONT WHEEL JUST LOCKED UP MAKE IT HARD TO STEER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS AND BOTH DECLINED WORKING ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO TOO MANY PARTS MISSING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. ONE MECHANIC STATED THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10157136

Incident

Apr 16, 2006

I PURCHASED THIS CAR NOT EVEN 2 YEARS AGO. IT HAD A FAULTY FRONT END AND KEPT GOING BACK TO THE DEALER. IT WAS FINALLY REPAIRED, THE FACTORY GUARANTEE COVERED THE COST OF THIS REPAIR. YET, THEY STILL HAD A STATE INSPECTION STICKER ON IT SAYING THAT IT HAD PASSED. I HAD A TOP MOTOR MOUNT REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO. I CONTACTED GM AND WAS GIVEN EVERY EXCUSE THAT IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT. THE COST FOR THIS REPAIR, $200, OUT OF MY POCKET. ON 6/15/04, I HAD FRONT BREAKS PUT ON. PLUS 2 ROTORS, AS THEY NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR, $348.44, OUT OF MY POCKET. I WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT DID THE BREAKS THAT MY WHEEL BEARINGS ARE NEEDING REPLACEMENT. I HAVE TO BUY THE WHOLE WHEEL HUB AND HAVE THEM PUT ON THE CAR. I DON'T KNOW THE PRICE OF THESE PARTS YET, BUT, IT WILL BE OUT OF MY POCKET.

NHTSA ID

10078341

Incident

Jun 15, 2004

Mileage

46,870 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10023001

Incident

Oct 5, 2001

Mileage

35,900 mi

AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE WE WANTED TO PUT A DIFFERENT RADIO/CD PLAYER IN IT. WHEN WE WENT TO DO SO, WE DISCOVERED THAT IF THE FACTORY INSTALLED RADIO WAS DISCONNECTED, THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SENSORS NO LONGER FUNCTIONED. THIS IS NOT MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN CHEVROLET LITERATURE. THIS, I BELIEVE, IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I LEARNED AFTER TWO DAYS OF RESEARCH THAT IF THE FACTORY RADIO IS EVEN REMOVED FOR REPAIRS, IT MUST BE REPLACED BY ANOTHER FACTORY RADIO OR THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SENORS AGAIN WILL NOT WORK. CHEVROLET SHOULD MAKE THIS FACT CLEAR IN ITS SALES LITERATURE. THIS AFFECTS 2000 AND NEWER CAVALIERS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS THE SAME WITH OTHER GM MODEL CARS.

NHTSA ID

759890

AFTER LOUD BANGING NOISE, THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED DUE TO THE WHEEL BOLTS SHEARING OFF, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO DETACH COMPLETELY. *MJS

NHTSA ID

552625

Incident

Mar 22, 2000