Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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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 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 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 31, in the owner's own words
BRAKE LINES ARE CORRODED WAY TOO EARLY. BEGAN LEAKING. I'M TRYING TO REPLACE THEM MYSELF, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE 1500-2000 DOLLARS FOR PARTS AND LABOR. LUCKILY THE BRAKES PEDALS WENT TO THE FLOOR IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN I FOUND THE LEAKS. *TR
DRIVER WAS HEADING SOUTH ON I684, ON THE EXIT RAMP TO 287 WEST, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VEHICLE SUDDENLY APPEARED TO SHUT OFF, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AND BRAKE. DRIVER RAN OFF THE ROAD AND WENT NOSE FIRST INTO A DITCH, DAMAGING THE FRAME, RADIATOR, AIRCO AND NOSE OF VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AS A RESULT. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND A DRIVER TRAVELING WELL UNDER THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT CUT IN FRONT OF ME. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR STARTED SLIDING AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TURN THE WHEEL TO AVOID COLLISION, THE WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN CAUSING ME TO HIT THE CAR SQUARE IN THE REAR. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AIRBAGS NEVER TOUCHED ME, BUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE COVER SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD AND THE PASSENGER SIDE COVER SHATTERED THE PASSENGER WINDOW. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND SUDDENLY THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT DOWNSHIFT AND ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AND WAS DRIVEN TO HIS RESIDENCE WITH CAUTION. THE CONTACT DETECTED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS FRONT BRAKES WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AFTER 10,000 MILES. IN ADDITION, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES CONTINUED TO LOCK ON THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS THAT INDICATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM ALSO FAILED. THE DEALER INSTALLED AN ATS LIGHTING SYSTEM TO ENSURE THE WARNING PANEL WOULD ILLUMINATE IF THERE WERE ANY FURTHER FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 65,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,500. UPDATED 02/10/09. *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT. UPDATED 02/11/09. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE BRAKES LOCK WHEN THE CONTACT DRIVES OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. HE WOULD HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO UNLOCK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SPRING IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE THAT CAUSED THE BRAKES TO LOCK. THE SPRING WOULD TRIP A SENSOR ON THE DASH AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. THE DEALER IS REPAIRING THE FAILURE AND IS ALSO INSTALLING AN ABS SENSOR LIGHT FOR THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. UPDATED 02/05/09 *BF UPDATED 02/0909. *JB
WE WERE TOLD THE CAR WAS INSPECTED BEFORE WE BOUGHT IT! HEAD LIGHT OUT OF ADJUSTMENT BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING ENGINE STARED RUNNING ROUGH FEW HOURS AFTER WE DROVE OFF A CD WAS FOUND STUCK IN THE PLAYER DOOR NEEDED ALIGNMENT PARKING BRAKES NOT WORKING RIGHT. *NM
AT APPROXIMATELY 30000 MILES MY CAR WOULD SHAKE OR BOUNCE, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE CHECKED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, THOUGH THE PADS WERE OK. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL THE PROBLEM RETURNED. AGAIN THE ROTORS WERE TURNED, AND THIS TIME THE PADS REPLACED. BUT A FEW MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM RETURNED YET AGAIN. NOW THE ROTORS HAVE TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE PADS. A CO-WORKER SAID HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON HIS 2002 CAVALIER. HE WAS TOLD AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THAT THE ROTORS WERE TOO SMALL ON THE CAR AND WARPED EASILY DUE TO THIS DEFECT. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE ROTORS THAT ARE TOO SMALL MAY CAUSE A BRAKE FAILURE. *JB
DT:THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. THE REAR SEAT BELT WERE NOT RETRACTING. A PIECE OF PLASTIC BROKEN ON THE SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THE SEAT BELTS COULD BE REPAIRED AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE. , THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. ALSO , THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE REPAIRED. THE DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE. HOWEVER, WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED IT WOULD NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. *AK
AUG 31 2002, PURCHASED VEHICLE. DECEMBER 5, 2002: ABS ACTIVATED - LOST BRAKE POWER, SAILED THROUGH RED LIGHT. ABS ACTIVATED ON DRY PAVEMENT IN GARAGE, NO DECELERATION, USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PREVENT COLLISION WITH BACK WALL OF GARAGE. DECEMBER 9, 2002: TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP/ MECHANIC AND MANAGER DROVE THE VEHICLE. SAID ABS WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. JANUARY 21, 2003: BRAKES FAILED CAUSING REAR-END COLLLISION. AIRBAGS DIDNT DEPLOY $5,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO FRONT END - LESS THAT 4000 MILES ON VEH. CONTACTED GMC, EXPLAINED EVENTS . GMC INVESTIGATOR DOWNLOADED DATA FROM ABS/AIR BAG DEVICE. FROM THAT INFORMATION ALONE, GMC DETERMINED NOTHING WRONG WITH BRAKES WITHOUT DRIVING IT -UNDRIVABLE DAMAGE. I RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS PRINT OUT. IMMEDIATELY UPON GETTING MY VEHICLE BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, I NOTICE VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REPAIR MECH STATES HE DIDNT TOUCH THE BRAKES - WASNT ACCIDENT RELATED. DEALERSHIP BLAMED THE BRAKE PROBLEMS ON THE ACCIDENT EVEN AFTER REPAIR MECH TOLD THEM DIRECTLY IT WASNT. DEALER TURNED MY ROTORS AND REPLACED THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING WHICH WAS BROKEN. I STILL HAVE CONSISTANT PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS -ACTIVATES FOR NO REASON/DOESNT ACTIVATE WHEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO/WHEN ACTIVATED IT DOESNT SLOW THE CAR DOWN/WHEN ACTIVATES -ALL BRAKE POWER IS GONE. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE LOCKS UP AND SKIDS REGULARLY WHEN BRAKING BUT ABS DOESNT ACTIVATE. AN INDEPENDANT MECH POINTED OUT THE DEALERSHIP HAD TURNED MY ROTORS TO A POINT BEYOND THE "MACHINE TO" AND THEY FAILED TO SAND THE ROTORS WHICH WAS CAUSING THE HORRIBLE GRINDING. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP GENERAL AND MAINTENANCE MANAGERS. WE ALL OBSERVED REMEASURING OF THE ROTORS THEN THEY REPLACED THEM *TOO THIN*. MANAGERS STATED THEY DIDNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT "MACHINE TO" SPECIFICATIONS AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DONT SAND ROTORS AFTER TURNING THEM. UNTRUE: THE SECOND TIME THEY TURNED THEM, THEY DID SAND THEM .
THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS DUE TO DEFECT.*AK *BF *NM
DRIVER NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 CAVALIER I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY ROTORS TURNED (2) TIMES AND THEY ARE IN NEED OF IT AGAIN (THIRD TIME). I HAVE ONLY PUT 39450 MILES ON MY CAR AND AFTER THE SECOND TIME I BEGAN TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT BRAKING FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. I HAVE BEEN DOWNSHIFTING WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS INSTEAD OF APPLYING MY BRAKES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS IS OCCURRING SO FREQUENTLY. I HAVE ONLY HAD TO REPLACE MY DISC BRAKES ONE TIME. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE IN WHICH I HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS TURNED SO FREQUENTLY. ESPECIALLY SINCE APPROX 10000 MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES WHERE VERY LITTLE BRAKING OCCURS. *JB
SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO ALREADY PUT A NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW TIRES (ACCEPTABLE) TWO SETS OF BRAKES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL IS ON AND NO ONE CAN FIND OUT WHY SO THEREFORE I CAN'T GET AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL LIGHT IS OFF. HELP. *NM
WHEN BRAKING CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES STEERING BECAME HARD TO CONTROL. AS RESULT, VEHICLE SLED INTO A POLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE DAMAGE. ALSO, DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED A COMPLAINT TO GENERAL MOTORS AND HAVE A FILE #. I WARNED THEM AND EXPERIENCED MYSELF THAT THE ABS WERE DANGEROUS AND I WAS EXPOSED TO NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES FREEZING AND SKIDDING WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR PATCH OF ICE. THE BRAKES SKID AND DO NOT STOP. THIS COMPLAINT WAS PUT IN OVER SIX MONTHS AGO. NOW MY DAUGHTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THE BRAKES SKIDDING AND NOT STOPPING. *JB
CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A ROTOR PROBLEM DUE TO HIS DRIVING HABIT. *LA *CB
FRONT ROTORS WARPED PREMATURELY, ABOUT EVERY 10000 MILES. GRINDING NOISE HEARD AT LOW SPEEDS, WHETHER IN GEAR OR COASTING & NOT BRAKE RELATED. PREMATURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE, CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. *AK
THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED PREMATURELY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM
CHARGED 165.00 FOR A SERVICE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB
CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE SHOWED PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKING SYSTEM . BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.*AK
MY ROTORS WERE FIRST CHECKED APPROXIMATELY MARCH 2003 WHEN I COMPLAINED OF THEM CAR SHAKING WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY30,000 MILES AT THE TIME. THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE TURNED WHICH I AGREED BUT SAID IT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX AND I WOULD PROBABLY BE BACK. SO IN JULY 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES, I RETURNED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING. AT THIS TIME, THEY WERE TWO THIN TO BE "TURNED" AND I NEED NEW ONES. WHICH I HAD TO COMPLAIN IN ORDER TO GET NEW ONES BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME FOR THEM. (SEPTEMBER 2003) A FRIEND OF MINE BOUGHT A 2003 CAVALIER WHICH THEY HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS WITH 20,000 MILES AND THEY HAD TO HAVE THEIR ROTORS TURNED ALREADY. THEY COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THEM FIXED AT THE DEALER AND THE SAME DEALER AS MINE SAID THEY COULDN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE SHE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER PLACE BUT THEY WOULD HAVE REPLACED THEM. SHE TOLD THEM THAT AS SOON AS THEY WERE SHAKING AGAIN THAT THEY WOULD BRING IT IN FOR NEW ROTORS. PLUS I HAVE HEARD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROTORS ON CAVALIERS AFTER I BOUGHT MINE CONCERNING BRAKES. THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS - RECALL!!!*AK
CAR SHAKES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, TOOK THE CAR TO REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED OUT. HE STATED THAT HE ROTORS USED ARE TOO THIN ,AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT HE CAN DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. ROTATING THEM WILL BE ONLY A TEMPORAY SOLUTION. HIS ADVISE WAS THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND COMPLAIN.*AK
AT 13,000 MILES MY CAR WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE DEALER SAID THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, THE DEALER TURNED THEM AND THE SHAKING STOPPED. THE DEALER SAID THIS COMPONENT WAS ONLY WARRANTED FOR 12,000 MILES, BUT REPAIRED THE CAR AT NO COST. AT ABOUT 26,000 MILES THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AGAIN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAID THE ROTORS WERE AGAIN WARPED, BUT THEY COULD NOT BE TURNED BECAUSE THIS WOULD MAKE THEM TOO THIN. HE RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ROTORS WITH AN AFTER MARKET SET DUE TO THE FACT THE GM ROTORS SEEM TO WARP PREMATURELY.*JB
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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