Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. 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. 29 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 29, in the owner's own words
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREE WAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR LOST ALL ACCELERATION POWER. GOT IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. IT TRIES BUT WON'T START. ALL POWER IS WORKING AND STARTER AND ALTERNATOR ARE TRYING TO WORK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. HE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND AFTER WAITING 15-20 MINUTES, HE AS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ONE YEAR. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GASOLINE ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07E021000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY: PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES) BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,000.
FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING JUST LAST MONTH I HAD TO BE TOWED BECAUSE MY GAUGE SHOWED FULL ALSO GOT FUEL SEND THROUGH ROAD SIDE SERVICE ON 2 OCASSIONS I TRIED TO KEEP TRACK OF BY WRITING DOWN MY MILEAGE BUT THEN THE FUEL GAUGE APPEARS TO BE WORKING FOR A WHILE. *TR
IN DECEMBER, 2006 I HAD A NEW ALTERNATOR AND A NEW FUEL PUMP PUT IN (895.00). 1/10/07 MY IGNITION MODULE AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WENT OUT (695.45). 5/14/07 MY IGNITION COIL NEEDED REPLACING (252.18). NOVEMBER 8, 2007 I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND VALVE COVER GASKET ($500) I'M AM TIRED OF REPAIRING. IT'S GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT'S CAUSING MY IGNITION STUFF TO BURN OUT. *TR
IN DECEMBER, 2006 I HAD A NEW ALTERNATOR AND A NEW FUEL PUMP PUT IN (895.00). 1/10/07 MY IGNITION MODULE AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WENT OUT (695.45). 5/14/07 MY IGNITION COIL NEEDED REPLACING (252.18). NOVEMBER 8, 2007 I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND VALVE COVER GASKET ($500) I'M AM TIRED OF REPAIRING. IT'S GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT'S CAUSING MY IGNITION STUFF TO BURN OUT. *TR
FUEL PUMP FAILURE ON A 2001 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH ONLY 67000 MILES. ESTIMATES FOR PARTS AND LABOR RUN APPROX. 400 - 500 DOLLARS . *TR
VEHICLE'S ENGINE TURNED OFF WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH. PULLED OVER SAFELY. CRANKED BUT WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO GM DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALERSHIP DETERMINE FUEL PUMP NEEDS REPLACING. FUEL PUMP REPLACED AT A COSTS OF $ 640.00 CAR HAS ONLY 29000 MILES ON IT. OWN A 2001 OLDS ALERO. FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. ONLY 76000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *TR
THE CAR WAS BOUGHT AND THE RECALL HAS CAUSED OTHER PROBLEMS. SO NOW THE CAR CAN NO LONGER BE USED. PLEASE HELP ME IN THIS THANK YOU. *TR
CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO WARNING, HARD START ETC. JUST STOPPED. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. THE CAR HAS 66000 MILES AND I PURCHASED IT USED. THE TOTAL COST WAS $800 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE FUEL PUMP ITSELF COST $489. *TR
I BOUGHT A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVILIER ON JANUARY 2007 USED AT 71,000 MILES IN MARCH MY CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY WITH 1/4 TANK OF GAS, NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL IT BROKE DOWN AGAIN NEAR MY HOME, AND I REALIZED THE GAUGE WAS READING WRONG. I HAD TO USE THE TRIP SETTING TO ENSURE I DIDN'T RUN OUT OF GAS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND SPENT $500 ON A NEW FUEL PUMP , THE MAN SAID THE SENSOR IN THE PUMP WAS OUT AND THE WIRES WERE DAMAGED. NOW, I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE ODOMETER THAT SEEMS TO BE SCRAMBLING UNLESS I PUSH ON THE COVER, IT JUST SHOWS RANDOM NUMBERS AND WONT STAY ON TRIP OR MY MILEAGE, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS YET.*AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THEN SHUT OFF. THE FUEL GAUGE READ 1/4. HE PUT 2 GALLONS OF GAS IN THE VEHICLE AND IT STARTED IMMEDIATELY. HE THEN ADDED 12 GALLONS OF GAS. WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE READS 3/4, THE VEHICLE IS ABLE TO TAKE 10 GALLONS OF GAS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 182,875 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,875.
2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER MAKES A CLICK NOISE IN FRONT END WHEN TURNING HARD RIGHT. *TS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE STEERING GEAR WAS REPLACED. THE VALVE COVER GASKET, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND STRUTS WERE REPLACED. *JB
REPLACED FUEL PUMP TWICE WITHIN THE LAST 3 YRS. STEERING COMPONENT THREE TIMES. FUEL TANK ONCE. MAKES NOISE WHEN TURNING FROM POWER STEERING LEAK, AND ALSO HAS OIL LEAK. THE CAR ONLY HAS 93,000 MILES. ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD. 01 CAVALIER BOUGHT FROM TERRY LEE CHEVY. THIS CAR SUCKS!!!NEVER BUY AGAIN!!!! NOTHING WAS DONE TO FIX HALF THE STUFF WRONG. TLC SUCKS. OH YEAH I FORGOT THE SENDING UNIT WILL BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME INN THREE YEARS. *JB
MY CAR HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE STARTING UP PREVIOUSLY. IT WAS SLOW TO START UP AND I THOUGHT IT WAS MY BATTERY DYING AGAIN. ON DECEMBER 2004 WHEN I WENT TO START MY CAR IT REFUSED TO START. WE CALLED FOR A BOOST, AND THE AAA DRIVER TOLD US IT WASN'T OUR BATTERY BUT OUR FUEL PUMP. HOWEVER, SINCE IT WAS A 2001 CAR WE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT. WHEN WE ASKED VARIOUS MECHANICS ABOUT THE COST OF FIXING THE FUEL PUMP ON OUR CAVALIER THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE THE PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS SO NEW. HOWEVER, IT WAS. THIS CAUSED ME AND MY FAMILY EXCESSIVE TROUBLE IN HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE LOSS OF THE CAR FOR THE FEW DAYS IT TOOK TO GET IT REPAIRED. WE EVENTUALLY HAD TO SHELL OUT NEARLY $640 TO FIX IT. WE HAD TO GET A WHOLE NEW FUEL PUMP AND HAVE IT INSTALLED. I DO NOT HAVE THE ORIGINAL GAS PUMP. THE MECHANIC SAID, "WON'T START, WOULD NOT JUMP START. CK FUEL AND IGNITION SYSTEMS AND FOUND NO FUEL PRESSURE. CK FUEL SYSTEM WIRING. R&R FUEL TANK AND REPLACE FAULTY FUEL PUMP. INSTALL NEW FUEL FILTER." *JB
(2) AFTER FIRST STARTING THE CAR, GO TO PUT IN DRIVE CAR KEEPS HESITATING, LOSING POWER, THEN AFTER IT WARMS UP IT DRIVES FINE, (POSSIBLE FUEL PUMP ISSUES).CAR BEGINS TO STALL, AND WILL NOT START. ALL PLUGS, PLUG WIRES, AIR FILTER, SENSORS, AND ANYTHING TO DO WITH EMISSIONS HAS BEEN REPLACED, STILL DOES THE SAME PROBLEM TO THIS DAY. PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR. TOOK TO LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND DID NOT FIND AN ISSUE. *AK
CAR WOULD RUN FINE AND THEN NOT START. *AK
DRIVING ON 4 LANE INTERSTAT IN CENTER LANE WHEN FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING AS CARS DOING IN EXCESS OF 65 MPH FLEW BY ME. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO ROLL INTO RIGHT LANE, THEN SHOLDER TO CALL AAA FOR A TOW. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THE CARS BEHIND WERE NOT OBSERVANT. *AK
SINCE PURCHASING THE 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER, LET ME TELL YOU, IT HAS TRULY BEEN LIKE A ROCK THROWN IN THE WATER. LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I HAD TO BRING THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CAR ALMOST DIED ON ME ON THE ROAD WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC. I WAS LATE FOR WORK, AND I WAS STUCK IN THE WAL-MART PARKING LOT FOR FOUR HOURS. I FINALLY GOT OVER THAT. OF COURSE, I DIDN'T TAKE OUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, WHICH IF I HAD KNOWN THAT WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THAT I WAS GETTING A LEMON, I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRUE SOUR PUSS AND BOUGHT A FORD. RECENTLY I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL, NOT ONLY DOES IT NOT GET GOOD GAS MILEAGE THAT IT SHOULD, I WAS RECENTLY TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP INSIDE THE GAS TANK FAILED. $643.77 LATER, I HAVE MY LEMON BACK, AFTER NOT HAVING A CAR FOR WORK FOR A FULL WEEK. THE DEALERSHIPS AROUND MY AREA WERE SOLD OUT OF THE FUEL PUMPS, WHEN TALKING TO SEVERAL PARTS SALESMAN, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD A RUN ON FUEL PUMPS DUE TO THEIR FAILURES, THEY SELL SEVERAL PER WEEK. HUH, IMAGINE THAT? I HAVE 43,000 MILES AND MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36,000. WHAT I AM SUPPOSE TO DO WITH MY LEMON? MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT BECAUSE IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. HOPEFULLY SOMETHING CAN BE DONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. I AM ASKING THAT THE GOVERNMENT RECALLS THESE VEHICLES FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. I KNOW THE FUEL PUMP IS THE SAME GENUINE CHEVROLET PART THAT WAS IN THERE TO BEGIN WITH. CAN I DEPEND ON THIS? HOPEFULLY, SOMEONE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THIS AND CALL ME SO I CAN REALLY EXPRESS HOW I FEEL. *AK
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
GAS GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY. SHOWS 1/4 TANK OF GAS HOWEVER GAS TANK IS BONE DRY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO RECALL THIS GAS SENSOR AS I HAVE READ ABOUT MANY CARS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. RIDICULOUS THAT THIS HASN'T BEEN TAKEN CARE OF YET.*AK
AT 30,000 MILES I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL WITH HALF A TANK OF GAS, MY CAVILER DIED. TOWED TO THE SERVICCE CENTER AND THE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT 45,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WAS MAKING NOISE, A GRINDING NOISE, TOOK IT IN AND CHEVOLET PUT IN A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. IT WAS OUT OF WARRENTY SO COST ME ALOT! FOR A NEW CAR THIS IS REALLY UPSETTING. MOST RECENTLY JUNE, 2003 THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING IN TWO PLACES, TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND CHEVOLET KEPT IT FOR 5 DAYS, COULDNT DIAGNOISE THE LEAK, ASSUMED IT WAS BOLTS ON THE FRAME OF THE TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. WAITING NOW FO RTHE NEXT PROBLEM. VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK
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
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS ALTHOUGH THE FUEL GAUGE READ 1/2 FULL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHICH STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW SENSOR. *NLM
THE VEHICLES FUEL GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. *NLM FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 1/4 TANK OF GAS WHEN ACTUALLY THE TANK WAS EMPTY WHICH LEFT THE CONSUMER STRANDED ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE FUEL TANK SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT
TRANSMISSION RATTLE/NOISE; REPLACED TRANSMISSION FLUID, DID NOT FIX PROBLEM; GM SERVICE WOULD NOT WRITE UP DEFECT AFTER 1ST ATTEMPT: CLUTCH ASSEMBLY CLUTCH PEDAL FAILED TO RELEASE; 1ST ATTEMPT WAS TO REPLACE CLUTCH CYCLINDER LINE ASSEMBLY, 2ND ATTEMPT WAS TO REPLACE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY SLAVE CYCLINDER, 3RD ATTEMPT, REPLACED PRESSURE PLATE, 4TH ATTEMPT COULD NOT REPRODUCE FAILURE, FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DEFECTIVE, REPLACED IT AND SENDER. DT
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.
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