2001 Chevrolet Cavalier

ODI OPENED EA 02-028 TO REVIEW COMPLAINTS OF CONSUMERS REPORTING THAT THEIR FUEL GAUGE WAS INCORRECTLY DISPLAYING THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE GAS TANK.THE FUEL GAUGE RECEIVES AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FROM A FUEL TANK SENDING SENSOR CIRCUIT CARD.A FLOAT ARM IN THE TANK MOVES ELECTRICAL CONTACTS THAT RUB AGAINST THE CARD AS THE LEVEL OF FUEL RISES AND FALLS.DISRUPTION OF THE ELECTRICAL SIGNAL (SUCH AS CAUSED BY CORROSION OF THE CIRCUIT CARD) WILL CAUSE INCORRECT READINGS TO REGISTER ON THE FUEL GAUGE.GM REPORTED IN THEIR RESPONSE TO ODI DATED JANUARY 13, 2003 THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE OPERATION IS EXCESS ELEMENTAL SULFUR IN FUEL.GM REPORTED THAT ABNORMAL LEVELS OF SULFUR SPORADICALLY OCCURRED IN CERTAIN PARTS OF CANADA AND THE U.S. RESULTING IN REPORTS OF FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTION.GM MODIFIED THE SENDING SENSOR FOR VEHICLES BUILT AFTER OCTOBER 2000.IT MADE A SECOND SENSOR MODIFICATION FOR VEHICLES BUILT AFTER JANUARY 2003.GM ALSO ISSUED A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN (GM NUMBER 00101) IN DECEMBER 2000 FOR U.S. CUSTOMERS IN THE STATE OF MAINE AND ISSUED SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS INFORMING DEALERS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF SENSORS WITH IMPROVED CORROSION RESISTANCE.THE COMPLAINT TREND INDICATES THAT COMPLAINTS PEAKED IN LATE 2000 TO EARLY 2001.WARRANTY CLAIMS DECLINED SINCE PEAKING IN APRIL 2002.BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND THE INDICATION OF A DECLINING TREND, FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

There is no summary currently available

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS DIFFICULT TO MOVE AND THE LEVER BECAME STUCK. OCCASIONALLY, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. ALSO, THE HOOD WAS HOT, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THERE WERE ALSO MULTIPLE UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

NHTSA ID

11187497

Incident

Mar 13, 2019

Mileage

138,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE AND CLOSING THE DOORS, THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE LIGHT BULB WIRING IN THE ROOF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. *LN

NHTSA ID

11097095

Incident

May 18, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

IGNITION SWITCH AND THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER MALFUNCTIONED IN 2009, ROUGHLY FIVE YEARS AFTER GM'S RECALL. THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH'S SERVICE. IN ADDITION TO THE RECALL, GM INSTALLED AN IGNITION WIRING HARNESS. BACK IN 2009, THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION WOULD OVERTURN, AND THEN, THE ENGINE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SHUT-OFF. TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, BOTH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND LOCK CYLINDER WERE REPLACED AT A COST OF $492. IN 2014, THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS. THIS TIME, IT APPEARS THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAME DAMAGE DUE TO CURRENT FLOW TO THE IGNITION WHEN HOLDING THE KEY IN THE START POSITION. THE HEAT MELTED THE INTERNAL SWITCH. I HAD NOT KNOWN IN 2014 THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. IN THE SAME YEAR, HOWEVER, GM RECALLED A MASSIVE NUMBER OF VEHICLES FOR IGNITION SWITCH DEFECT. CHEVROLET CAVALIER WAS NOT ON THE LIST. TODAY, IT COSTS $180.00, EXCLUDING TAXES AND FEES, TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH INSTALLED BY A CHEVROLET TECHNICIAN. A LOCKSMITH RATE STARTS AT $90 BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE SERVICE FEE, AND LABOR. BASED ON FEW ONLINE REPORTS, THE INSTALLATION TAKES A MINIMUM OF 20 MINUTES. WOULD INSTALLED THE IGNITION SWITCH MYSELF BUT CANNOT LOCATE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS. ALL THE CHEVROLET MANUALS OWNED DO NOT PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS ON REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH. IF I DO INSTALL THE IGNITION SWITCH, I AM UNSURE IF THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER WILL NEED REPROGRAMMING. A FEW REPORTS MADE REFERENCE TO REPROGRAMMING THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER FOLLOWING THE CHANGING OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. SOLUTION: I THINK GM NEEDS TO ADD CHEVROLET CAVALIER TO THE "RECALL" LIST. THE ALTERNATIVE, IGNITION WIRING HARNESS DOES NOT SUPPORT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ENTIRELY WHEN THE CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHT REMAINS ON THE DASHBOARD.

NHTSA ID

10924470

Incident

Jun 9, 2014

THE WHOLE FRONT DASH HAS MANY CRACKS IN IT AND APPEARS TO BE DANGER SINCE PIECES ARE FLYING OFF AS I DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

10874074

Incident

Jun 12, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATLEY 35 MPH, AN UNUSUAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TROUBLE CODE DETECTED A FAILURE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE MECHANIC RESET THE STEERING COLUMN SENSOR; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E063000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10794585

Incident

Oct 15, 2015

Mileage

180,000 mi

SOMETIMES, DURING REGULAR BRAKING, REAR BRAKES LOCK AND CAR DOES NOT STOP. HAPPENS ON ASPHALT EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. ONLINE RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO STEM FROM A FEW CAUSES AT TIME OF PRODUCTION.

NHTSA ID

10745488

Incident

Jul 27, 2015

Mileage

73,000 mi

MY VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON 2/15/2012. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO GREENLEAF COLLISION INC., LOCATED AT 5100 A. KENTUCKY AVENUE, NASHVILLE,TN 37209,615.320.7818, OWNER [XXX]. ON 2/16/2012 MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN TO GREENLEAF COLLISION INC, FOR REPAIRS. ONCE I FOUND OUT FROM GREENLEAF COLLISION, INC. THAT MY CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2001 WAS ON RECALL LIST TO BE REPAIRED FOR "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE", GENERAL MOTORS. THE GREENLEAF COLLISION INC., HAD MY CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2001, TOWED TO FREELAND CHEVROLET 5333 HICKORY HOLLOW PARKWAY, ANTIOCH, TN. 37013, 615.731.3020. MY CHEVROLET CAVALIER, IS IN THE RECALL FOR "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE", ONCE MY VEHICLE WAS SENT OVER TO FREELAND CHEVROLET FOR REPAIR OF THE "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE", TO MY UNDERSTANDING BY GREENLEAF COLLISION INC. I WAS INFORMATED THAT MY VEHICLE THE CHEVROLET CAVALIER, WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE", ON 3/8/2012 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WERE MY CHEVROLET CAVALIER," IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE" . MY WAS TOTALED OUT, THE VEHICLE JUST CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, AND WE WERE HIRE AND TOTALED OUT. MY "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE" WITH MY CHEVROLET CAVALIER TOTALED OUT, AND WAS NOT REPAIRED, AT FREELAND CHEVROLET ON 3/7/2012 THE" IGNITION SWITCH", WAS NOT REPLACE/NOR REPAIRED. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED OUT, AND I WAS LEFT WITHOUT VEHICLE COMPENSATION, AND I WAS INJURED, AND MY GRANDCHILDREN WERE INJURED ALSO. I HAVE AN CLAIM NUMBER WITH GENERAL MOTORS:[XXX]. WHO HAS A THIRD PARTY COMPANY NAMED ESIS/GM CENTRAL CLAIMS UNIT P.O. BOX 300, DETROIT, MI 48265-3000. 800.888.0164. ESIS/GM CENTRAL CLAIMS UNIT HAS NOT PROCESSED MY CLAIM WITH THE" IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE", ON THE CHEVROLET CAVALIER. I REQUEST HELP IN RECEIVING COMPENSATION ON MY TOTALED OUT VEHICLE. YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IS GREATLY NEED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10692802

Incident

Mar 8, 2012

Mileage

188,288 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER SUSTAINED BODY AND HEAD INJURIES, THE REAR MIDDLE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY AND THE REAR MIDDLE PASSENGER SUSTAINED BODY INJURIES. THE INJURIES REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10690793

Incident

Mar 8, 2012

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.