2004 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner Complaints

The whole steering column is loose The pins are all backed out I’m afraid to drive it I think this is a manufactured design flaw

NHTSA ID

11589380

Incident

May 17, 2020

The vehicle failed to pass pa. state inspection due to a severely rusted frame over the rear axles. The estimate to repair the frame was @$3000.

NHTSA ID

11450759

Incident

Apr 1, 2021

The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the front driver’s side tire had detached. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. An independent mechanic went to the contact's residence and diagnosed that the lower control arm rusted and detached from the subframe. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

NHTSA ID

11438861

Incident

Aug 1, 2021

Mileage

200,000 mi

IN THE PARKING LOT WHERE I WORK MY CAR WOULD NOT START. WHEN MOVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEVER IT DID NOT CATCH ON TO ANYTHING. THE CAR JUST ROLLED BACKWARDS AND I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PRESS ON THE BRAKES PREVENTING AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE AUTO SHOP. DIAGNOSIS: SHIFTER CABLE WAS DETACHED FROM TRANSMISSION. PREVIOUSLY ON 09/13/2011 THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY CAR. THE SHIFTER CABLE BROKE AND I HAD TO BE TOWED TO LOU BACHRODT CHEVROLET BOTH TIMES. THE 2ND TIME INVOICE NO. CWCS692729 $502.24 AND $477.55 INVOICE NO.CWCS149491 THE FIRST TIME. THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. TWO TIMES IS TOO MANY.

NHTSA ID

11383222

Incident

Dec 3, 2020

Mileage

85,509 mi

CAN'T SAFELY INSTALL A CAR SEAT BECAUSE THE SAFETY BELTS DO NOT PROPERLY RETRACT. THEREFORE THE CAR SEAT IS NOT STABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11318646

Incident

Mar 6, 2020

Mileage

49,000 mi

WHEN I'M DRIVEN ABOUT 25 MILES THE ACCELERATOR STAYS STUCK AND THE SPEED KEEP GOIN UP IF YOU DON'T PUT THE BRAKES

NHTSA ID

11281975

Incident

Nov 13, 2019

Mileage

11,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AT RANDOM INTERVALS FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THEN TURNS OFF. SPEED, ROAD CONDITIONS, AND GEAR MAKE NO DIFFERENCE AS TO WHEN IT COMES ON. IT HAS COME ON WHILE TURNING, WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AT 20 MPH, WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP, AND WHILE GOING 50MPH ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

11277967

Incident

Oct 29, 2019

Mileage

165,700 mi

EVERY TIME I GO TO MY JOB MY POWER STEERING RESERVOIR BECOMES EMPTY AFTER I PUT ONE OR MORE QUARTS IN THE RESERVOIR. ANYTIME I DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I SWAY BACK AND FORTH NO MATTER HOW MUCH CONTROL I HAVE OVER THE VEHICLE. MY STEERING GETS SO HARD TO THE POINT WHERE I ALMOST CRASH EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR ANYWHERE BECAUSE I HAVE NO POWER STEERING OR DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER THE STEERING BECAUSE IT BECOMES SO TIGHT.

NHTSA ID

11228454

Incident

May 28, 2019

Mileage

166,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK AND ACCELERATES.

NHTSA ID

11180951

Incident

Feb 18, 2019

Mileage

135,000 mi

LOST PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE STEERING BECAUSE SHEER PEN RELEASED AND ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER-( INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE )

NHTSA ID

11124077

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

185,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BROKEN WHILE CAR IN MOTION ON A RAINY DAY AND MY CAR STALLS EVERYDAY WHILE AT LIGHT EVEN SHUTS OFF IF I'M AT LIGHT

NHTSA ID

11080397

Incident

Mar 18, 2018

I HAVE HAD MY USED CHEVY CAVALIER 2004 CAR FOR ALMOST A YEAR. AS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE ENGINE HAS JUST STOPPED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN THE TIME SPAN OF 5 MONTHS. NO ONE ( AUTO SHOPS) CAN FIND THE ISSUE. THEY HAVE ZERO ANSWERS. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS. I WOULD BE BANNED FROM THE INTERNET IF I SAID WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY TO CHEVY. THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS YESTERDAY...AUG 3RD 2017.

NHTSA ID

11012830

Incident

Aug 3, 2017

I'VE OWNED THE 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SINCE IT HAD 2000 MILES. IT CURRENTLY HAS AROUND 85000. WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2017 A GREASY BOLT CAME FLYING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AREA. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I'VE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS AND ACCIDENTS DUE TO FAULTY "PINS" THAT HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT. NOW MY 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER STEERING WHEEL MOVES TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT. THIS CONDITION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS OCCURRED IN MANY GM/ CHEVROLET CARS. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND BEING CHECKED OUT.

NHTSA ID

10985572

Incident

Apr 5, 2017

Mileage

85,000 mi

SPEEDOMETER HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I CAN NO LONGER TELL HOW FAST I AM DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10946542

Incident

Sep 15, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

CLUSTER PANEL TEMP GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING NOW THE GAUGE IS STAYING IN ONE SPOT SO HAVE NO IDEA IF TEMP IS GOOD OR NOT. WHAT IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE I WILL NOT KNOW WITHOUT THIS WORKING. HAVE TAKEN TO TWO GARAGES THEY BOTH SAY ITS THE CLUSTER PANEL. STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING ,GAGE STAYS THE SAME.THIS STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO WITH ONLY 68,500 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10935344

Incident

Nov 15, 2016

Mileage

68,500 mi

1. SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT. 2. DRIVERS SIDE SEAT DROPPED WILL NOT GO BACK TO UPRIGHT POSITION.

NHTSA ID

10918076

Incident

Oct 16, 2016

Mileage

201,767 mi

MY CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING A WHILE AGO. SINCE I DIDN'T GET A RECALL ON IT I WAS UNAWARE OF PEOPLE DID COMPLAIN ABOUT IT UNTIL MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHERE THE CLUSTER IS AND ALL THE WIRES ARE TOTALLY BURNED UP. I AM FURIOUS. I READ OTHER COMPLAINTS AND SOME PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I COULD NOT READ ALL OF THEM SO, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THANK GOD I DIDN'T GET INJURED OR DEATH. CHEVROLET SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ID

10907389

Incident

Sep 15, 2016

Mileage

105,127 mi

TAKATA RECALL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER HITTING TELEPHONE POLE. SNAPPED IN HALF, CAR TOTALED. STATE ROAD 252 MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA. CAR IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10894003

Incident

Aug 6, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER HITTING TELEPHONE POLE. SNAPPED IN HALF, CAR TOTALED. STATE ROAD 252 MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA. CAR IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10893994

Incident

Aug 6, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

IN MOTION. 2004 CAVALIER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY AFTER IMPACT WITH TELEPHONE POLE. PICTURE OF POLE SNAPPED IN HALF. STATE ROAD 252 MARTINSVILLE INDIANA. PICTURE OF POLE CAR IS TOTALED.

NHTSA ID

10893984

Incident

Aug 6, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT WORK. THEREFORE DO NOT KNOW THE SPEED IN WHICH IS BEING TRAVELED, TEMPERATURE OF ENGINE, AMOUNT OF FUEL OR ANYTHING. CHECK GUAGES LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF LIKE EVERY WEEK. HAVE NO CLUE WHY IT STOPPED WORKING AND PERSONAL MECHANIC IS APPALLED AT THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10861095

Incident

Mar 19, 2016

2 ISSUES. FIRST, TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HIGHER AND HIGHER EACH TIME THE CAR WAS STARTED UNTIL THE NEEDLE WENT ALL THE WAY AROUND TO THE SPEEDOMETER AND KEPT THE SPEEDOMETER FROM READING THE SPEED. ENTIRE GAUGE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. SECOND ISSUE WAS PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT WOULD PERIODICALLY LOCK, NOT ALLOWING THE PASSENGER TO USE THE SEAT BELT.

NHTSA ID

10854186

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

72,000 mi

MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND IS STUCK AT 195 DEGREES WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON. IT THEN RISES JUST AS NORMAL BUT STOPS AT 260 DEGREES WHICH IS IN THE RED ZONE

NHTSA ID

10853643

Incident

Apr 5, 2016

Mileage

152,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND MAKING A TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAVNUEVER. THE FAILURE WAS PERMANENT. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E063000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10818422

Incident

Sep 4, 2015

THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER REGISTER BELOW ZERO WHEN STOPPED OR IN MOTION. NO WAY TO TELL THE SPEED OR RPM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ALL ON THE ROAD. IF CONTROLLING SPEED IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE WORTH RECALLING WHY DO WE HAVE SPEED LIMITS? NHTSA NEEDS TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND LAUNCH A RECALL AS THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND NOT ISOLATED ITS VERY WIDESPREAD AND THE FACT THEY HAVE NEGLECTED IT SHOWS THERE REAL LACK OF CONCERN FOR SAFETY.

NHTSA ID

10811841

Incident

Oct 12, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi