Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
JUST PURCHASED A 2002 CHEVY CAVALIER FOR OUR DAUGHTER AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT IF ANY OF THE 5 RECALLS WERE PERFORMED ON THIS VEHICLE OR NOT. THE NHTSA RECALL PAGE ISN'T WORKING AT THIS TIME AND THE CHEVY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ISN'T WILLING TO HELP. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE??
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
WHILE ACCELERATING ON AN ON-RAMP ONTO AN INTERSTATE, I WAS USING MY MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE (SIGNALING MY MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, THEN ONCE AT 65MPH SETTING CRUISE CONTROL) WHEN THE CAR LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT BEFORE THE WHEEL LOCKED. I TURNED MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON AND COASTED/BRAKED MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO TRIED TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THE INCIDENT WAS ON A SATURDAY. ON MONDAY WHEN THE SHOP WAS OPEN FOR BUSINESS, THEY TRIED THE CAR AND IT STARTED/RAN JUST FINE. THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY CHARGED ME FOR THE TOW ONLY. PREVIOUSLY, THE CAR WOULD FAIL TO START. SIMILARLY DEAD. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS THE IGNITION - REPLACED THAT TWICE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP - REPLACED THAT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH-REPLACED THAT THREE TIMES. WINTER 2013 THE CAR STARTED FINE AND THEN A BLOCK FROM HOME ALL POWER WENT OUT AND ENGINE FAILED TO START UP AGAIN. TOWED CAR TO ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST. THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RUSTED OUT WIRE. REPLACED THE WIRE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN SIX MONTHS LATER. THEY REPLACED ANOTHER WIRE. I'VE NOTICE THE CAR WILL THINK A BLINKER IS OUT BEFORE THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM JUST FAILS. *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 50 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THE STEERING COLUMN AND WHEEL EXHIBITED SEVERE LOOSENESS. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE SPEED RATE WAS REDUCED AND CONTINUED OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURES. THE DRIVER EXPERIENCED EXTREME DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 15 MPH, THE CONTACT COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL MOVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT BY LIFTING UP THE WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT ONLY STATED HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE ENGINE SIZE AND TRANSMISSION TYPE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72,810.
TWO YEARS AGO MY 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER(THEN TWO YEARS OLD) HAD THE BARREL THAT THE KEY GOES INTO ON THE STEERING COLUMN BREAK. NOW, TWO YEARS LATER IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. UPON INSPECTION, THE FIRE MARSHAL DETERMINED THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE CAUSING THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TOTALED BY THE FIRE MARSHAL.
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVILER. ON THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THE CONTACT TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WAS A PIN THAT HELD THE STEERING COLUMN AND THIS FELL OUT, AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS MOVING AROUND INSIDE THE DASHBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART WAS IRREPLACEABLE. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT WANT TO FIX THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAD TOO MANY MILES.*AK
BOUGHT VEHICLE AT 48,048MILES...2 WEEKS AFTER BUYING VEHICLE, STEERING KNUCKLE ON DRIVERS SIDE WAS IN NEED OF REPAIR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO MAKE CLICKING AND HIGH PITCHED NOISE UNDER COASTING AND SLOWING OF VEHICLE. DEALER IS REPLACING STEERING KNUCKLE ON VEHICLE UNDER WARRENTY.
CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND COULD NOT STEER IT BACK ONTO HIGHWAY, CAR HIT TELEPHONE POLE AND I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED.*AK
WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL COULD HEAR GRINDING NOISE. DEALER GREASED THE PROBLEM WHICH WENT AWAY FOR AWHILE. WHEN THE NOISE CAME BACK THE DEALER SAID THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR HAS 58000 MILES . THE STEERING HAS BECOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SAFTEY HAZARD.*AK
HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING, NOTICED IT BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT. WHAT THEY DID WAS INSTALL RACK AND RESET ALIGNMENT. THE CAR WAS FINE AFTER THIS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THE DEALER IS SAYING NOW IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM, BUT I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME KIND OF STEERING PROBLEM. AND SO THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN\\'T FIXED THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM.
BOUGHT THE CAR ON 5/27/02. SINCE THEN THE RACK AND PINION FAILED IN MARCH 2003, THE DEALERSHIP REALIZED IT WAS A PROBLEM ONLY IN MAY 2003. THE STEERING GRINDS METAL ON METAL WHEN DRIVING----THE HORN DIED 2 TIMES, THEIR WAS AND STILL IS A PULSATION IN THE BRAKES--A RATTLING IN THE SUSPENSION. GM PUT OUT A PI (PRODUCT INVESTIGATION OUT ON IT)--SAID THEIR IS NO FIX, BUT STEERING PROBLEMS ARE NOT DANGEROUS, AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING, I HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS HERE, W/ THE BBB AUTO-LINE, AND NHTSA AS WELL AS HIRED MY OWN PERSONAL LAWYER AS I HEARD GM FIGHTS PEOPLE TOOTH AND NAIL.
BOUGHT MY 2002 CHEVROLET LS SPORT CAVAILER ON 5/27/02. SINCE THEN THE RACK AND PINION WENT IN MARCH 2003--WHICH THEY DID NOT DISCOVER UNTIL MAY, AND WHEN DRIVING I GET A LOUD GRINDING NOISE STILL WHICH IS METAL ON METAL. I ASKED ANOTHER MECHANIC NOT AFFILIATED W/ THE AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP (THAT TOLD ME AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS THIS CAN NOT BE FIXED-AND THAT THEY HAVE A PI OUT ON IT), IF THIS COULD POSE A PROBLEM. HE SAID THE CONTINUOUS GRINDING W/ METAL ON METAL WHEN STEERING, CAN CAUSE TOO MUCH FRICTION AND HEAT UP AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE, ETC. I AM HAVING MY HUSBAND DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THAT ONLY HAS 13,300 MILES NOW. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT, AND THE DEALERSHIP, NOR GM CAN TELL ME OR SIGN OFF IN IN WRITING THAT THIS WON'T CAUSE A PROBLEM. THEY (GM) BELIEVE STEERING PROBLEMS, AND NOISES YOU HEAR WHEN STEERING LIKE METAL ON METAL ARE NOT DANGEROUS. I WAS TOLD THAT GM KNOWS THIS IS A DEFECT BY THE DEALERSHIP AND GM NOW ITSELF CALLED ME AND TOLD ME, BUT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WHY DOESN'T THE REGIONAL MGR FOR GM DRIVE MY CAR THEN, AND TELL ME THAT--SINCE SHE MAKES ALL DECISIONS THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS, AND HENCE WON'T DO A THING ABOUT IT. SEEMS LIKE THE DEALERSHIP AND GM SAYS IT'S A PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE TO KEEP PAYING ON A CAR THAT I WON'T DRIVE. BESIDES THE CONTINUAL GRINDING IN MY STEERING, AND THE FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION THAT THEY FIXED, THE HORN DIED 2 TIMES AS WELL. *AK
I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ROAD BENDS TO THE LEFT (SLIGHTLY) THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 30 MPH I PROCEEDED TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN AT 20-25 MPH WHICH I HAVE DONE THOUSANDS OF TIMES THE CAR CAME OUT OF THE TURN AND WOULD NOT RECOVER THE STEERING WENT OUT AND THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL STRIKING A TREE AND INJURING MYSELF THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *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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