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 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 42 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 42, in the owner's own words
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.
MY CAR ABRUPTLY SLOWED DOWN AND BEGAN TO DRAG AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING INTO A LOW GEAR AND THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED. *TR
I,WAS COMING FROM WALMART .ONTO THE THREE LANE HIGHWAY ,I CROSSED OVER INTO THE LANE THEN I SAW THIS CAR ,I HIT MY BRAKES ,THEY FROZE AND MY CAR SLID INTO THE FINDER OF THE OTHER CAR ,I COULD NOT STOP AND IT SLED ONTO THE OTHER LANE AND STOPPED. *TR
HIT THE BRAKES TO AVOID A REAR END CRASH ANDABS AND TRAC OFF SERVICE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THERE WAS NO COLLISION, HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED WITH BOTH FRONT ABS SENSOR HARNESS WAS WORN-OUT HAD TO FIX AND REPLACE AND COST 398.81$
THE REAR BRAKES ON THE CHEVROLET CAVALIER CAN BECOME UNADJUSTED AND WHEN YOU HAVE TO BRAKE QUICKLY, THE BRAKES CAN LOCKUP AND SEND YOU INTO A SKID. THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, BUT I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TYPE BRAKING SYSTEM THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH SO I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CAR WENT INTO A SKID UNTIL MUCH LATER, AFTER I ALMOST REAR ENDED SOMEONE. PERSONNEL AT THE REPAIR SHOP EXPLAINED THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO ME. *TR
WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY UNTIL I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR FOR A WHILE. LAST MONTH I COULD NOT COME TO A STOP AT ALL AND DAMAGED THE FRONT END I ASKED AROUND AND FOUND ANOTHER PERSON WITH THE SAME MODEL CAR THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM ALSO. *JB
2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES AND THE ENGINE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THE CONSUMER HEARD GRINDING/RUBBING NOISES INTERMITTENTLY. THE FOG LAMP WENT OUT. THE BRAKES WERE NOISY AND WOULD STICK WHEN APPLIED. WATER LEAKING INTO THE TRUNK. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START AND THE VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM AND ALARM STOPPED WORKING. THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFT INTO LOW GEAR. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE HVAC BLOWER WOULD NOT WORK IN THE FIRST AND SECOND SPEED. THE DEALER FOUN AIR IN THE BRAKE LINE AND DETERMINED THAT HTE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING WAS FALLING OUT
DT: HORN DID NOT BLOW UNLESS CALLER HIT THE RIGHT SPOT. CALLER SAID THERE WAS A DEAD SPOT IN THE HORN PAD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED. ALSO, TORQUE CONVERTER LIGHT DID NOT COME ON.. COIL PACKS WERE DEFECTIVE. CALLER STATED THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND CALLER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETECTED UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. DEALER REPLACED THE COIL PACKS. MANUFACTURER SAID WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THEY COULD NOT HELP. ALSO, SEAT BELTS COME OUT OF THE GUIDE AND HIT THE PEOPLE IN THE EYE. CALLER SAID THE FRONT BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE. CALLER DOWN SHIFTED THE GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. ALSO, HAD TO REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS THREE TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE TRUNK LATCH HAD A GAP IN IT, THE LID DID NOT CLOSE TIGHTLY. *AK *NM
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO A AUTOMOBILE REPAIR PLACE ON 8/26/04 THEY FOUND CODE C1214 SOLENOID RELAY CKT OPEN. CONNECTOR TO EBCM WAS NOT COMPLETELY ON. THEY REINSTALLED. THEN ON 3/22/05 ABS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. TOOK IT TO AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOUND CODE C1214 SOLLENOID RELAY COIL OR CONTACT CIRCUIT OPEN. THEY CHECKED CONNECTIONS AND REPLACED FUSE. THE ABS LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN ON 4/30/05 SAME.*AK
WHEN STEPPING ON THE BREAKS OF MY 2001 CAVALIER A VIBRATION IS CAUSED AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. I KNOW SOMEONE ELSE WHO OWNS A 2001 CAVALIER AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO HER CAR. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE HIT ANYONE YET BUT IT GETS REALLY CLOSE ESPECIALLY WHEN STOPPING FAST. *JB
(1) WHILE DRIVING, GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS OR SMALL POT HOLES, CAR BEGINGS TO MAKE A LOUD VIBRATION NOISE UP IN THE FRONT WHEEL AREA AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES FREEZE AND CAUSE CAR TO SKID ON DRY OR WET CONDITIONS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYS LIT THEN GOES OFF AFTER DRIVING A PERIOD OF TIME. (BUT NO NOISE) TOOK TO LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER, AND FOUND NO PROBLEM, AS OF TODAY, CAR CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME INCIDENT. BEEN GOING OFF AND ON FOR THE LAST 2YRS. HAD BRAKES SERVICED, NEW PADS AND ROTORS TURNED, MADE THINGS WORSE.. CAR WOBBLES WHEN COMMING TO A STOP. ALSO CAR GRABS AND LETS OFF WHEN STOPPING, FEELS LIKE IT'S PUSHING THEN LETTING OFF THE BRAKES OFF AND ON. *AK
TWO DAYS AGO, MY ABS (ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM) WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT MY ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODUEL (EBCM) WAS BAD AND THAT I NEEDED A NEW ONE. GIVEN THAT MY CAR IS A 2001 CAVALIER WITH LESS THAN 47,000 MILES, THEY SAID THIS WAS VERY UNUSUAL. REPAIRS WILL BE OUTRAGEOUSELY EXPENSIVE.
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE CAR BEGINS TO JERK AND IT MAKES STOPPING DISTANCE EXTREMELY LONG.*AK
BRAKE ROTORS WILL RUST AND PIT WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RAIN OR IN VERY HUMID WEATHER IF CAR IS NOT USED TO RUB OFF RUST. PITTED ROTOR CAUSES HEAVY VIBRATION WHENEVER I APPLY THE BRAKE. TO CORRECT PROBLEM I MUST HAVE ROTORS RESURFACED OR REPLACED OFTEN.*AK
BRAKE ROTORS ARE WORN ON 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. (NAR) *MR ROTORS DETERIORATED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WITH RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE, AND CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT ROTORS SHOULD BE REPLACED AFTER LESS THAN 45,000 MILES. *LA *CB
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD. A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, AND BOTH FRONTAL ROTORS BECAUSE THEY WORE OUT PREMATURELY. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC BRAKES PADS WERE REPLACED TWO TO THREE MONTHS AGO, AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE. *AK
BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE BRAKES WERE SENSITIVE. THE DASHBOARD WAS REPLACED, BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AND WENT OFF AT LEAST TWENTY TWO TIMES. *JB
MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT(2001 Z24 CAVALIER) HAS GIVEN ME PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM. PISTON RODS FAILING, FUEL PUMP LEAKING, CRANKSHAFT FAILURE, GEAR BOX BENT CAUSING ME TO ONLY START CAR IN NEUTRAL AND CAN'T PARK ON HILLS. ALSO... VALVES HAVE BROKEN NUMEROUS TIMES, ENGINE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN, FUEL GAUGE WAS BROKEN, POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING, SUNROOF SHATTERED ON ME... EVERYTHING HAS BROKEN ON THIS BRAND NEW CAR I BOUGHT. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HELP ME EVEN UNDER WARRANTY... I GOT A LEMON AND THEY WANT ME TO KEEP IT. SO MANY PROBLEMS I CANT LIST THEM ALL... MOST RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 11 MONTH OLD SON AND WE JUST GOT THE CAR OUT OF THE SHOP AFTER 14 DAYS REPAIR ON A VALVE, AND THE NEXT DAY WE WERE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE SEIZED UP ON ME AND BRAKES, AND I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP US FROM CRASHING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED IN AND THE CONNECTED SOME HOSE THEY "FORGOT" TO CONNECT AND TOLD ME TO LEAVE. AFTER WE ALMOST COULD OF DIED, I WILL NOT GET INTO THE VEHICLE THAT I AM STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR TOO. I WISH SOMEONE COULD HELP ME! (INCIDENT DATE IS MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE) *LA
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *AK *JB *NM
AT 35,500 MILES FRONT STEERING STARTED MAKING A POPPING NOISE WHILE TURNING CORNERS. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT RESET. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THE ABS MASTER COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. AND STEERING WAS LUBED. AT 37,000 MILES POPPING CAME BACK, DEALERSHIP SAID THAT SINCE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. ALSO, AT 45,000 MILES THE BRAKES WERE SHAKING, AFTER INVESTIGATION, MECHANIC STATED THAT ROTORS WERE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 18 MONTHS AND AM LOOKING AT HAVING TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM AND I ONLY HAVE 55,000 MILES ON THE CAR NOW. THEN TODAY, MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEGUN TO STAY ON. AM GOING TO HAVE TO GO, ONCE AGAIN, TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR FEAR THAT AIRBAGS WON'T INFLATE IN COLLISION. *LA
AIR/HEAT FAN, STEERING COLUMN ,BRAKES, ENGINE. *LA
VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE AND PARK BRAKE WAS NOT APPLIED. VEHICLE ROLLED BACK ABOUT 30 FEET, AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK
CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE ROTORS EXPERIENCED PREMATURE WEAR. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK THE CAUSE DUE TO ROTOR DISC AND COOLING FIN SIDE DIMENSIONS, WHICH WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR THE VEHICLE. *PH *JB
WITH APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE JERKED. *TT THE GAS GAUGE DID NOT GIVE THE CORRECT READING AND WAS FIXED THREE TIMES. *SCC *JB
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE. ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND ROTORS WERE REPLACE. ALSO STATES THAT MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED BECAUSE THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACE TWICE ON LESS THAN 18 MONTHS, THE VEHICLES ROTORS ARE NOT ORIGINAL PARTS. *NLM
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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