Owner-reported complaints naming the other system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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
I WAS TURNING LEFT ON TO A STREET AND I HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND THEN THE CAR JUST CAME TO A STOP. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE RIM WAS SNAPPED IN HALF. THIS CAUSED MY AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. *TR
SPEEDOMETER STICKING AT 80 TO 160 MPH, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS NEVER EVER BEEN DRIVEN AT THOSE SPEEDS, SPEEDOMETER REGISTARS ANWHERE FROM 10MPH TO OVER THE LIMIT OF THE SPEEDOMETER (180MPH) WHEN THE CAR IS SHUT OFF OR STOPPED. THIS STARTED AT 25,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED REGISTERING OVER THE RED (AND HAS ACTUALLY TOUCHED THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE NEEDLE) APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR LATER STARTED AT 32,000 MILES. AT 39,000 THE GAS GAUGE STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH A PORTABLE GARMIN NUVI GPS SINCE 2008, JUST TO USE THE ESTIMATED SPEED IN THE HOPES I WILL NOT GET A SPEEDING TICKET. THE FIRST TIME I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW MY SPEEDOMETER AT 85 MPH, I INSTINCTIVELY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, AND WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I WAS ONLY GOING 50 MPH AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED. I NOW HAVE A TEEN DRIVER, AND I CANNOT ALLOW HER TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE SHE IS NOT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO ESTIMATE HER SPEEDS. I WILL NEVER KNOW IF MY CAR TRULELY OVERHEATS BECAUSE IT OVERHEATS ON THE GAUGE 3-5 TIMES A WEEK. I HAVE TO FILL MY GAS BASED ON WHEN I FILLED IT LAST & HOW MANY MILES I HAVE DRIVEN SINCE AS I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE. THIS CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, THAT CAN LEAD TO DEATH AND INJURY, AS A TOLD YOU MY EXPERIENCE WITH INSTINCTIVELY SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES, AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF I RUN OUT OF GAS UNKNOWINGLY IN THE 3RD LANE OF AN EXPRESSWAY. I ALSO OWN A 2002 CHEVY CAVALIER WHOSE GAS GAUGE REGISTARS 1/4 OF A TANK WHEN IT IS EMPTY. I SPEND OVER $450 AT A GARAGE TO FIND OUT THAT THE CAR WAS NOT BREAKING DOWN, BUT WAS ACTUALLY RUNNING OUT OF GAS. THE 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER OF COURSE HAS THE MORE DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER A MESS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VECICLE WAS NOT STILL UNDER WARRANTY WITH THE LOW MILEAGE, AS IT HAD BEEN OVER 3 YEARS. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE CARS? LETS HOPE I'M NOT DRIVING IN FRONT OF YOUR MOTHER OR DAUGHTER TOMORROW. *TT
TRANS AXLE WENT OUT APRIL 09 WITH A HORRIBLE MESS OF OIL, STEERING RACK REPLACED 6 MONTHS LATER, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW/ MOTOR PROBLEM, FUEL PUMP WENT 75,000 A BIT SHY OF A YEAR LATER. NOW MY DEFROST ISN'T WORKING; POSSIBLY THE SWITCH 85,000. HAD BRAKES DONE TWICE SO FAR WITH LEAKS; THIS INCLUDES HYDRAULICS, ROTORS, PADS, SHOES ETC. MY STEERING HAS SEIZED WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A VERY EXPENSIVE INCONVENIENCE. *LN
CAR WOULDN'T START AFTER PUTTING GAS IN IT. CAR WAS TOWED TO CHEVY DEALER, FUEL PUMP REPLACED, AND AFTER THREE DAYS CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY IT CAN SAY THAT I AM GOING 90 WHEN I AM GOING ONLY 35 ALSO THE HEAT GAUGE NEXT TO IT WILL GO WAY OVER INTO THE SPEEDOMETER AREA WHICH THEN THEY HIT EACH OTHER WHICH CAUSES THEM TO NOT WORK PROPERLY ALSO THE GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK RIGHT EITHER WHEN I GET LOW ENOUGH FOR THE CHECK GAUGE LIGHT TO COME ON IT WILL START GOING UP SAYING THAT I HAVE A HALF TANK OF GAS EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THAT I DO NOT. *TR
HORN STOPPED WORK. WENT TO TAKE DAUGHTER TO GET LICENSE AND IT DIDN'T WORK. CHECKED FUSES AND STILL DID NOT WORK. I TOOK TO THE DEAL AND THEY SAID I HAD TO GET THE HORN MODULE AND AIR BAG REPLACED. I HAVEN'T HAD THE CAR THREE YEARS YET. *NM
9-17-2005 - CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSED TO FLOOR AND STAYED ON FLOOR, CAR WOULD NOT GO IN GEAR. CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FOUND AT FAULT AND REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. 7-19-2006 - CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSED TO FLOOR AND BARELY CAME UP OFF FLOOR. VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT GRINDING GEARS. CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FOUND AT FAULT AND REPLACED. CUSTOMER AND DEALER SPLIT COST OF REPAIRS. 7-25-2006 - CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSED TO FLOOR AND BARELY CAME UP OFF FLOOR. VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT GRINDING GEARS. SUSPECT MASTER CYLINDER IS AGAIN AT FAULT, CAR IS PRESENTLY BEING REPAIRED. **VERY NEARLY CAUSED AND ACCIDENT WHEN CLUTCH WOULD NOT ENGAGE. NOTE: NHTSA # 10005459 AND 10019423 FOR SAME PROBLEMS. *NM
BRAKE FAILURE, 1ST HAPPENED AT 1024 MILES, DEALER RELUCTLEY FIXED IT, HAPPENED AGAIN AT 19.500, DEALER AND GM REFUSED TO FIX.
WHILE APPROACHING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED A FLAT TIRE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DISCOUNT TIRE SHOP. AT THE TIRE SHOP TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TIRE WAS FINE, BUT THE WHEEL RIM BROKE IN TWO PIECES. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE JACKING UP VEHICLE WITH A FACTORY INSTALL JACK. JACK SUDDENLY BROKEN INTO THREE PIECES, CAUSING THE MOTOR MOUNT TO SNAP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
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
Data on this page last refreshed .