2003 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner Complaints

There is a recall on the vehicle I need to get fixed.

NHTSA ID

11671800

Incident

Jan 9, 2005

THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE. PINS ON TILT MECHANISM ARE GONE. DON'T KNOW WHEN IT FELL OUT. NOTICED WHEN CLEANING CAR WHEN I TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL UP.

NHTSA ID

11414792

Incident

May 4, 2012

Mileage

50,000 mi

MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT WAS RECALLED FOR OTHER GM VEHICLES. THE FUEL LEVEL GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE, RPM, SPEEDOMETER.... NONE OF MY GAUGES WORK. THEY GAVE THE WRONG READINGS, THE HAND WOULDN'T RETURN TO THEIR STARTING POSITIONS, THEN THE HANDS WENT LOWER THAN THEIR STARTING POSITIONS TO THE POINT THEY ALL DIDN'T WORK ANYMORE. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THE GM RECALL LIST FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11414789

Incident

May 3, 2012

Mileage

50,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID

11083515

Incident

May 17, 2017

Mileage

200,000 mi

CLUSTER OF DASHBOARD INDICATORS (SPEEDOMETER, GAS GUAGE , ENGINE TEMP, RPM) ALL ARE NOT WORKING NOW. THEY WERE GOING OFF AND ON AT TIMES WHEN DRIVING BUT NOW NOTHING WORKS...MY MECHANIC INFORMS ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. NO RECALL FOUND. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WHY WASN'T THIS COMMON PROBLEM LISTED AS A RECALL WHEN MANY HAVE COMPLAINED??

NHTSA ID

11065548

Incident

Nov 10, 2017

Mileage

198,000 mi

I WAS ONE BLOCK FROM HOME AND MY CAR STALLED IT WOULDN'T START BACK UP. I FOUND MY SELF AT THE INTERSECTION. THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS A BAD FUEL PUMP. THE CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR . ALSO LAST YEAR MY GAUGE TO MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I CAN'T TELL THE ENGINE TEMP. ANYMORE.

NHTSA ID

10899679

Incident

Aug 15, 2015

Mileage

59,925 mi

MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER RECENTLY BEGAN TO MAKE A CLUNKING NOISE, WHICH CAN ALSO BE FELT, IN THE FRONT END. WHEN I PUT IT UP ON A LIFT, I NOTICED THAT THE SUB-FRAME WAS RUSTING (DETERIORATING). I KNOW IT IS 13 YEARS OLD, BUT MY PARENTS OWNED A 1989 CAVALIER Z24 FOR 20 YEARS, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH ITS FRAME. I'VE READ THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR 2003 CHEVY CAVALIERS. WHY IS THIS? WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL? MY FAMILY HAS OWNED SEVERAL NEW AND USED VEHICLES, ALL GM, AND WE HAVE NEVER SEEN A SUB-FRAME RUST TO THIS EXTENT. WE ARE A GM FAMILY AND ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN GM'S LACK OF RESPONSE TO THIS SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ID

10876674

Incident

Jun 26, 2016

Mileage

113,000 mi

"CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT KEEPS COMING BACK ON FOR THE SAME ISSUE, SUPPOSEDLY THE "AIR INTAKE TEMP SENSOR, REPLACED THAT ONE AND SEVERAL SENSORS REPEATEDLY, HAD THE COMPLETE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTIONS CHECKED AND CLEANED, EVEN REPLACED MY ECM AND BCM [NEITHER OF WHICH WAS CHEAP], AND STILL HAS "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT, EVEN AFTER BEING "CLEARED" OVER AND OVER AGAIN -- THIS CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND THE BODY AND SUB-FRAME ARE SEVERELY ROTTING OUT LEFT AND RIGHT -- HAD A WEIRD LEAK ON THE PASS. SIDE FRONT, UNDER THE DASH. IT COMES AND GOES. THE CAR SMELLS LIKE AN OLD SNEAKER INSIDE. WATER WOULD POUR OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE HEATER DUCT, BUT THERE WAS NO RHYME OR REASON TO IT. ONE I EVEN HAD SOAP FOAM FROM A DRIVE THRU CAR WASH LITERALLY COME BLOWING IN TO THE CABIN, THRU THE VERY SAME HEATER DUCT. THANKFULLY IT HAS SEEMINGLY CLEARED UP, BUT IT IS STILL A HEAD SCRATCHER. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS, PRIVATELY OWNED SHOPS, AND EVEN HAD SOME "CAR SAVVY" FRIENDS LOOK HER OVER, AS WELL AS MY DAD [ANDS ASE CERTIFIED TECH], AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES BACK EVERY TIME. IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN I'D PUT THIS MUCH MONEY INTO A CAR THAT LITERALLY READY TO BREAK APART, I WOULD HAVE SAVED MY MONEY TO PUT TOWARDS ANOTHER CAR. LIVE AND LEARN, I GUESS. SHE WAS DOING SO WELL FOR 10 OR 11 YEARS AND IT'S LIKE SHE JUST STARTED "GIVING UP" ON ME. SHE'S GOT 165K ON HER AND THE PAIN HAS GONE TO CRAP, BUT THAT'S GM FOR YOU, KEPT HER GARAGED, WAXED REGULARLY, HAD HER LOOKING SHOWROOM NEW, UNTIL RECENTLY, THE PAINT'S CLEAR COAT STARTED TO "STIPPLE" [SHARP BUMPS] AND BUBBLE ALL OVER TOP PANELS, STARTING WITH THE ROOF, THEN HOOD, AND NOW TRUNK. IT'S EMBARRASSING TO DRIVE HER, AND I AM NOT PAYING TO REPAINT HER, I ALREADY HAVE WAY TOO MUCH INTO A CAR THAT LIKELY WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION COMING UP IN AUGUST. I'M NOW HANDICAP'D AND DISABLED, FIXED INCOME, CAN'T AFFORD A NEW CAR.

NHTSA ID

10863655

Incident

May 1, 2010

INSTRUMET CLUSTER PROBLEMS FOR A FEW YEARS. FUEL SENDING UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED AT ABOUT 52,000 MILES AFTER QUITING TWICE WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH. DEALER CLAIMED THE CAR QUIT BECAUSE OF A BAD BATTERY THE FIRST TIME AND DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY. IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY. THE FUEL SENDING UNIT INTERMITTENTLY READS WELL BEYOND FULL AND INTERFEARS WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAGE FUNCTION. NOW SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK AT 85 MPH WHILE TURNED OFF. I WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE DOING 67 MPH, I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A TURN AT AN AT GRADE INSECTION TO A ROAD POSTED AT 55 MPH. I COMPLETED THE TURN AND SPED UP. THE SPEEDOMETER READ 58 MPH BUT IT FELT LLIKE I WAS GONG ABOUT 30 MPH. I STOPPED AT ANOTHER INTERSECTION AND THE SPEED DROPPED TO 40 MPH. I MADE THE TURN AND ACELERATED AND THE SPEED WENT TO 110 MPH BUT I WAS NOT GOING NEAR THAT FAST. THE CAR IS IN DRIVEWAY TURNED OFF BUT THE SPEEDOMETER READS 85 MPH. MOST RECENT ISSUE IS STEERING RACK AND K-FRAME RUSTED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MECHANIC STATED HE NEVER SAW A STEERING RACK RUST OUT OR A K FRAME RUSTED AS BAD AS THE ONE ON THIS VEHICLE. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS.

NHTSA ID

10850333

Incident

Mar 16, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CLUSTER BLINKS IN AND OUT

NHTSA ID

10838183

Incident

Feb 18, 2016

I HAVE NOTICED A LOT AND I MEAN A LOT OF THESE CAVALIERS HAVE HAD HORRIBLE FRAME PROBLEMS I USE TO WORK ON CARS EVERYDAY UNTIL THE LAST YEAR WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE MECHANICS FIELD AN NOW I OWN A 03 CHEVY CAVALIER ITS A TWO DOOR 5 SPEED 2.2 I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE STORE AND I FELT SOMETHING RUBBING SO I STOPPED AN GOT OUT TO FIND OUT MY K FRAME WAS HORRIBLY ROTTED AN BROKE NOW THIS VEHICLE IS 13 YEARS OLD BUT AS ROTTED OUT AS IT WAS IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENED ITS BEEN BAD I WAS JUST THE LUCKY OWNER THAT THE FRAME GAVE OUT ON AN I DEMAND TO KNOW WHY THIS ISN'T A RECALL ANOTHER THING IS I OWNED A 98 FORD F150 WHICH HAD RECALLS AN WHEN I WAS SENT THE LETTER ABOUT THE RECALLS I ASKED FORD WHY THE FRAMES ON THE F150 OR RANGER WASN'T A RECALL THEY HAD NO ANSWER. I PUT MY CHILD IN THESE AUTO MAKERS CARS AND TRUST THEIR WORK TO KEEP HIM SAFE BUT THEY HAVE NO ANSWER FOR WHY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PART ON THE WHOLE VEHICLE IS FALLING APART. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY NEED TO USE STAINLESS STEEL, ALUMINUM, OR WHAT BUT IT NEEDS FIXED OR THE VEHICLES NEED REIMBURSED AN CRUSHED. I COULD OF BEEN DOING 70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY WOMAN AN SON IN THE CAR AN THE FRAME COULD OF WENT AND KILLED US ALL. IS THAT WHAT ITS GONNA TAKE TO GET THIS [XXX] FIXED SOMEONE ELSE TO DIE/HURT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10825225

Incident

Feb 6, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

I WAS LOOKING AT MY LOCAL NEWS STATION AND A MAN HAD CALLED THE INVESTIGATION TEAM ABOUT CRACKS IN HIS DASHBOARD SO THEY COULD GET IN TOUCH WITH GM ABOUT IT BECAUSE NOTHING WAS BEING DONE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CRACKS IN MY DASHBOARD AND PART OF IT WAS CRACKED SO BAD IT CAME OUT AND IT IS BIG ENOUGH FOR ME TO SIT AN APPLE IN. THE MAN WHO BROUGHT THE STORY TO ATTENTION WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CRACKS OVER THE AIRBAG THAT IF IT EVER CAME OUT THAT DEBRIS FROM THE DASHBOARD WOULD FLY EVERYWHERE AND THAT WOULD BE HAZARDOUS TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR. THIS IS A CONCERN TO ME NOW BECAUSE THE CRACKS STARTED OUT SMALL BUT GOT BIGGER OVER TIME. I'M ALMOST SURE THAT THERE WILL BE MORE CRACKS APPEARING ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER GETS HOT AND MY CAR IS NOT ALWAYS IN THE HEAT OR IN AREAS WHERE THE HOT SUN IS BEAMING DOWN ON IT. TO ME THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A DEFECT FOR THAT TO JUST HAPPEN. I ALSO HAVE A FORD ESCORT 2000 MODEL AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO THAT DASHBOARD. I CAN TAKE PHOTOS BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD THEM ON THE COMPUTER, TELL ME OTHER WAYS I CAN SEND PHOTOS IF POSSIBLE. MY VEHICLE IS MOSTLY STATIONARY AT MY HOME ADDRESS WHENEVER I AM NOT AT WORK AND I NEVER HARDLY USE THE FREEWAYS. THERE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN NO TAMPERING WITH MY VEHICLE. THE STORY I SAW ON THE NEWS WAS AIRED I BELIEVE LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE.

NHTSA ID

10821266

Incident

May 28, 2015

METAL ON METAL NOISE FOUND OUT SHOES AND ROTORS ARE DAMAGEDDAMAGED. I HAVE NO MONEY. V CAN'T FIX THIS. SMELL INSIDE OF LEAK. TEMP RUNNING HIGH. 200.

NHTSA ID

10810161

Incident

Dec 6, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH ENTERING THE HIGHWAY, THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN ACTIVATED AND RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AND SPUN ONTO THE ROADSIDE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. ALL THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE WERE SEVERELY INJURED AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V524000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ...UPDATED 02/19/16 *BF UPDATED 09/20/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10787770

Incident

Jan 11, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY TO THE ON FUNCTION AND HAD TO WIGGLE THE KEY TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10786735

Incident

Oct 25, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V524000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10784949

Incident

Dec 8, 2014

JULY 2009 IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS STUCK. I HAD IT REPLACED FOR $362.75 AT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. AUGUST 2014 IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS STUCK. I HAD IT REPLACED FOR $488.83 AT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. SEPTEMBER 2015 IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS STUCK, MY KEY CAME OUT OF LOCK AND THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. I HAD TO COME OFF OF THE CLUTCH TO PURPOSELY MAKE THE CAR CUT OFF AND HAD TO UNPLUG THE BATTERY. THE 2003 CHEVROLET IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT IT NEEDS TO BE. MY IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER HAS FAILED ME 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 6 YEARS. THANKFULLY, I'M ALIVE AND ABLE TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THIS. CHEVROLET & GM KNEW ABOUT THE LOCK CYLINDER RECALL WHEN I HAD MINE REPLACED LAST YEAR.

NHTSA ID

10779168

Incident

Sep 30, 2015

THE DASHBOARD PIECES HAVE STARTED TO CRACK BAD. I REPLACED THE CONSOLE PIECE BUT THEY DONT MAKE A REPLACEMENT FOR THE STRIP ALONG THE BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD. ITS GOT CHUNKS MISSING OUT OF IT.

NHTSA ID

10762383

Incident

Aug 1, 2013

STEERING WHEEL AND SHROUD BECAME TOTALLY DISENGAGED AND FELL INTO MY LAP WHILE TRYING TO TURN ONTO LIVERNOIS ROAD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO STEER VEHICLE.LUCKY I WAS LEAVING POST OFFICE AFTER MAILING LETTERS AND NOT WHILE ON FREEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704146

Incident

Apr 2, 2015

Mileage

184,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK. WHEN THE CONTACT INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE OVERHEAD LIGHT DID NOT TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,161.

NHTSA ID

10701610

Incident

Aug 31, 2004

Mileage

8,161 mi

POWER SUDDENLY SHUT OFF, CAUSING POWER STEERING TO FAIL, WHICH MADE ME WRECK INTO A DITCH. IT ALSO CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO NOT DEPLOY AND PREVENTED SEATBELTS FROM LOCKING INTO PLACE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE HIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10680126

Incident

Jan 3, 2012

Mileage

189,587 mi

I HAD BEEN READING ABOUT RECENT RECALLS WITH GM, ESPECIALLY IGNITION SWITCHES. I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BAD IGNITION SWITCH. I FIRST NOTICED WHEN I WENT TO START THE CAR IN THE MORNING, A DAY AFTER COMING HOME FROM WORK. GOOD THING IT HAPPENED THEN BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED OFF SITE. I WENT TO START THE CAR, NOTHING HAPPENED EXCEPT WIPERS AND RADIO DID NOT WORK AS WELL WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STRANGE. FINALLY THE RADIO AT LEAST CAME ON AT SOME POINT, BUT CAR STILL WOULD NOT START. AFTER IT WAS FIXED THEY SAID THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD AND THE MECHANIC ASKED IF I HAD LOOKED FOR THE RECALL ON IT. I SEARCHED ONLINE BUT DID NOT FIND IT. I KNOW MY CAR IS OLDER, HOWEVER OF ALL THE CARS I EVER OWNED AND I HAD MANY, I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH IGNITION SWITCHES! I THINK I HAD ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE SWITCHES AND WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. UNFORTUNATELY I PROBABLY CAN'T GO BACK TO GET THE PHYSICAL IGNITION SWITCH AT THIS POINT, TOO LATE. I HAVE THE PROPER PAPERWORK FOR IT HOWEVER. ALSO ON ANOTHER NOTE, MY REAR DRIVER SIDE SIGNAL KEEPS GOING OUT, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I REPLACE IT. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING GM SHOULD LOOK INTO AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676476

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

Mileage

115,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES MALFUNCTION PERIODICALLY AND LOCK INTO ONE POSITION OR DON'T WORK AT ALL. CANT TELL WHAT YOUR SPEED IS , TEMP IS, RPM ETC! THIS I THINK IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I SEE THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE AS I HAVE INVESTIGATED IT ON LINE. THIS IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT'S HAPPENING... HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=RZILY3GXEXA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663613

Incident

Aug 13, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE COULD BE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,914 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,914.

NHTSA ID

10609903

Incident

Apr 17, 2013

Mileage

26,914 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

NHTSA ID

10605667

Incident

Apr 7, 2014

Mileage

40,000 mi