2004 Chevrolet Cavalier Transmission Problems

CLUTCH PEDAL STARTED TO STOP SHORT. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH LIGHT SNOW I PRESSED THE PEDAL TO SHIFT GEAR BEFORE A SLIGHT TURN AND INCLINE THE PEDAL STAYED DOWN. THE LACK OF POWER TO THE WHEELS WITHIN 5 SECONDS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE EVEN WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE AND GO INTO THE SPIN TO CORRECT. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND GOING BACKWARDS THEN THE FRONT END TRIED SWINGING BACK AND HIT THE CENTER MEDIAN DAMAGING THE FRONT END-BUMPER RIPPED OFF, REINFORCEMENT BENT/FOLDED, FENDERS WARPED, BOTH HEADLIGHTS BROKEN, CONDENSER SLIGHTLY FOLDED TO LEAK, RADIATOR SUPPORT WARPED, FRAME BENT. THE SLAVE CYLINDER WAS LEAKING...AGAIN THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME. PEDAL WOULD START TO STOP SHORT THEN THE SLAVE WOULD START TO LEAK. FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE SLAVE AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING. THEN THIS HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS "JUST OUT OF THE REPAIR WARRANT BY 800 MI THEY-THE DEALER- WAS "LIABLE FOR NOTHING" AND WOULD DO NOTHING TO HELP." THE VEHICLE'S SLAVE WAS REPLACED AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING-WITH THE CLUTCH-WHEN IN 2009 THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN...AGAIN...AGAIN AND THE MASTER CYLINDER FOR THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED.-PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM SINCE......THIS WHOLE ISSUE SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED WHICH CAUSED THE SECOND FAILURE AND THE ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312149

Incident

Feb 5, 2008

Mileage

60,000 mi

THIS IS THE SECOND PROBLEM I'VE HAD WITH THIS. CLUTCH PROBLEMS DUE TO A FAULTY HYDRAULIC LINE IN A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER. FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED MAY 1ST WHEN THE MASTER TO SLAVE HYDRAULIC HOSE SPLIT OPEN (WAS TOLD BY THE ASE CERTIFIED REPAIR PERSON THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED). THIS WAS A DEALER ONLY PART AND THERE ARE NO USED PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS. NOW THERE ARE NO LEAKS, BUT CLUTCH STILL STICKS TO THE FLOOR. DRIVING FINE, THEN NO CLUTCH TO PUT CAR INTO CORRECT GEAR. HAD HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT TODAY I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WHEN CAR STALLED AFTER IDLING REALLY LOW. SHUT OFF CAR WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT-- FINALLY AFTER A FIGHT WITH THE STICKSHIFT, GOT INTO GEAR SO I COULD GET TO A PARKING LOT. AFTER LOOKING ON-LINE FOR SOLUTIONS AND A CLOSER REPAIR SHOP, REALIZING THIS HAPPENS QUITE A BIT TO OWNERS. I'M SCARED TO HAVE MY 4 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN MY CAR AND WOULD RATHER HAVE HER IN A 1988 MAZDA THAT THE SEATBELTS DON'T CLICK BACK. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY SINCE IT HAPPENS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. IF I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD SOME QUICK THINKING ON MY PART, I PROBABLY WOULD BE IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10280611

Incident

Aug 17, 2009

Mileage

93,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN MY CAR ONE DAY I INTENDED TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR, BUT IT ONLY MADE A GRINDING NOISE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME SINCE THE NOISE PERSISTS EVEN WITH REV MATCHING THAT ITS A SYNCRO/CONE PROBLEM. I TRY TO SHIFT DURING THE PROPER RPM AREA, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL SHIFT WITHOUT A PROBLEM OTHER TIMES IT GRINDS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES ON IT THEN, NOW AROUND 70,000, STILL HAS THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255854

Incident

Jun 15, 2007

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY 2004 CAVALIER HAS HAD TWO MASTER/SLAVE CYLINDERS TO FAIL. CLUTCH GOES TO THE FLOOR FAILING TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH PEDAL. DEALER TRIED TO CHARGE ME $800 WHEN I HAD WARRANTY. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL SERVICE ADVISORS. WILL NEVER RECOMMEND A GM- CHEVROLET VEHICLE TO ANYONE EVER. GM = NIGHTMARE. DON'T BUY GM EVER!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10249893

Incident

Nov 10, 2008

Mileage

58,000 mi

MY 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER WAS PURCHASED MAY 2004 NEW OFF THE LOT. SINCE THEN, MY CLUTCH SYSTEM HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED ALMOST EVERY YEAR. IT FIRST STOPPED WORKING AT 36,000 MILES, JUST 6,000 AFTER FACTORY WARRANTY RAN OUT. IT THEN STOPPED WORKING AGAIN WHILE STILL UNDER PART WARRANTY WHICH LASTS 12,000 MILES. IT AGAIN STOPPED WORKING JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES AFTER THAT WARRANTY RAN OUT. AND NOW HAS GONE OUT FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN UNDER 3,000 MILES. I CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN THE SYSTEM IS BECOMING FAULTY AFTER ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES, HOWEVER DUE TO THE FACT THAT LABOR IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY WARRANTY, I DRIVE IT UNTIL THE CLUTCH SYSTEM STOPS WORKING. THIS HAS NOT BEEN OF ANY BENEFIT TO ME OR MY CAR. HOWEVER, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACING ANY PART(S) THIS OFTEN, SO I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE ANSWER I GET TO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS ALWAYS THE SAME, THE SLAVE CYLINDER O RING IS "LEAKING LIKE A SIV" AND THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS GONE OUT. AND DUE TO THESE TWO ISSUES, IT EFFECTS THE QUALITY OF MY CLUTCH FLY WHEEL. I SEE NO END IN SIGHT FOR THIS PROBLEM, I CAN NOT EVEN GET REBUILT PARTS FOR THIS PROBLEM TO SAVE MYSELF MONEY AND AS STATED BEFORE, LABOR WILL NEVER BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE NOW PAID FOR HALF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF MY CAR IN PARTS AND LABOR AS IT WAS NEW OFF THE LOT. THIS LEMON OF A CAR IS COSTING ME WELL OVER $1,100 EVERY YEAR IN REPAIRS TO THE CLUTCH SYSTEM AND I CAN NOT AFFORD IT ANY MORE. I HAVE NOT HEARD YET WHAT CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR CHEVY IS GOING TO DO FOR THIS BUT I FELT THAT THIS WAS WORTH YOU HEARING ABOUT SO AS TO HELP OTHERS AFTER ME WHO MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND TO ALSO HELP ME WITH MY CURRENT PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247640

Incident

Nov 1, 2008

Mileage

36,000 mi

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THROUGH CITY STREETS AND SUDDENLY WAS NOT ABLE TO DISENGAGE CLUTCH WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM 2ND TO THIRD. TRANSMISSION STUCK IN 2ND. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY A COUPLE MILES FROM HOME. FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON MY PART FOUND CLUTCH HYDRAULIC HOSE HAD HOLE WORN INTO IT DUE TO BRACKET LOCATION. POOR DESIGN WITH RESPECT TO HOSE CONFIGURATION AND BRACKET LOCATION. HIGH POTENTIAL FOR PERSONAL INJURY WHEN OPERATING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239176

Incident

Jun 20, 2007

WHEN I WAS DROPPING MY SISTER OFF AT THE AIRPORT, I WAS LEAVING IN MY CAVALIER WHICH IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND ENGAGED THE CLUTCH IT STUCK ON AND WOULD NOT COME OFF. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND BRAKES TO STALL OUT THE CAR. ONCE THE CAR STALLED IT ALSO CAME TO REST AGAINST A TREE, WHICH THANKFULLY DID NOT CAUSE ANY DAMAGE EXCEPT A FEW SCRATCHES. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I HAD NOTICED THAT A HOLE HAS WORN IN THE HYDRAULIC RUBBER LINE FROM THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER. THE HOSE WAS RUBBING AGAINST A WIRING HARNESS METAL BRACE BRACKET JUST BELOW THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED ALOT OF DAMAGE OR PERSONAL INJURY OR EVEN DEATH IN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. I HAD JUST LEFT THE HALIFAX WATER FRONT WHERE THERE WERE ABOUT 6000 PEOPLE AND IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENED. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MAJOR PROBLEMS. I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. WHEN IT HAPPENED THERE WAS NO WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10237572

Incident

Aug 10, 2008

Mileage

100,137 mi

CLUTCH STARTED FEELING SLUSHY AND THEN FAILED AFTER A FEW MONTHS. CLUTCH STAYS TO THE FLOOR. REPAIR TO BE DONE, REPLACE SLAVE CYLINDER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10232075

Incident

Feb 1, 2008

Mileage

36,000 mi

MY 2004 CAVALIER HAS HAD TWO SLAVE CYLINDERS TO FAIL. CLUTCH GOES TO THE FLOOR FAILING TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208095

Incident

Nov 5, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

I HAVE 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH LESS THAN 40K MILEAGE. ON AUGUST 31, 2007, THE CLUTCH PAD SUDDENLY DID NOT BACK UP ON MY WAY HOME. I CHECKED THIS WEBSITE AND FOUND I HAD THE SAME ISSUE AS ANOTHER CONSUMER. ALL THE LIQUID WAS COMING OUT FROM THE CLUTCH LINE BETWEEN MASTER CYLINDER TO TRANSMISSION. WHEN I CHECKED THE LINE, I FOUND OUT THE CLUTCH LINE WAS TOUCHING THE WIRE BOX CORNER ALL THE TIME. THERE IS A HOLE IN THAT TOUCHING POINT. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM FOR THIS KIND OF CAR. THE GM CHEVY DEALER SAID THE PURCHASED DATE HAD PASSED THREE YEARS. NO WARRANTY AT ALL. WHEN I SEARCH THE WEB FOR HELP. I FOUND THE OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAIN THE SAME PROBLEM TOO. *TR UPDATED 10/24/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10201764

Incident

Aug 31, 2007

Mileage

42,000 mi

I HAVE 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH LESS THAN 24K MILEAGE. ON AUGUST 4, 2007, THE CLUTCH PAD SUDDENLY DID NOT BACK UP ON MY WAY HOME. I CANNOT CHANGE THE SPEED. WHEN AAA GUY CAME TO TOW, HE FOUND OUT THERE WAS NO HYDAULIC LIQUID. I BOUGHT THE LIQUID AND ADDED IT INTO THE HYDRAULIC LIQUID RESERVOIR. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND PRESSED THE CLUTCH, THE AAA GUY FOUND ALL THE LIQUID WAS COMING OUT FROM THE CLUTCH LINE BETWEEN MASTER CYCLINDER TO TRANSMISSION. WHEN I CHECKED THE LINE, I FOUND OUT THE CLUTCH LINE WAS TOUCHING THE WIRE BOX CORNER ALL THE TIME. THERE IS A HOLE IN THAT TOUCHING POINT. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM FOR THIS KIND OF CAR. THE GM CHEVY DEALER SAID THE PURCHASED DATE HAD PASSED THREE YEARS. NO WARRANTY AT ALL. WHEN I SEARCH THE WEB FOR HELP. I FOUND THE OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAIN THE SAME PROBLEM TOO. IF YOU NEED MORE DETAIL INFORMATION, I STILL KEEP THE BROKEN PART. I CAN SEND THE PICTURE OR THE BROKEN PART. THANKS, JUN SHEN *TR

NHTSA ID

10199524

Incident

Aug 4, 2007

MY 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAS LESS THAT 41,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS ABOUT 180 MILES FORM HOME WHEN THE CLUTCH WENT OUT. I WAS TOLD BY THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN THAT CITY THAT THE CLUTCH CYLINDER, CLUTCH PLATES, AND CLUTCH FLUID NEED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, WHICH COVERS UP TO 75,000 MILES, DOES NOT COVER "EXTERNAL PARTS". WHICH IS WHAT THE CLUTCH IS CONSIDERED. IT'S GOING TO COST ME AROUND $1400 TO GET IT FIXED. IN MY OPINION, THE CLUTCH SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED ON A VEHICLE THIS NEW. HAD I BEEN ON THE FREEWAY OR BUSY STREET, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR...*NM

NHTSA ID

10172741

Incident

Nov 3, 2006

Mileage

41,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY CAR, A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH 21 MILES ON IT. SINCE THEN I HAVE TRIED TO RETURN IT AND NOW THE MINOR BUT FREQUENT ISSUES ARE MUCH BIGGER AND MORE FREQUENTLY! FIRST MY TRUNK LATCH BROKE A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE. THE CD BROKE THE NEXT WEEK, CIGARETTE LIGHTER BROKE, AND PASSENGER SEAT WOULDN'T MOVE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. A FEW MONTHS AGO THE FUEL GAUGE BROKE, TEMP GAUGE AND AC. THEY COULDN'T VERIFY IT SO COULDN'T REPAIR, UNTIL IT COMPLETELY FAILED THIS MONTH. ALSO, I WAS LEFT STRANDED AT 2:30 AM WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD SON WHEN THE CLUTCH FELL THROUGH THE FLOOR. IT WAS REPAIRED AND NOW THE RPMS SHOOT UP TO 6000, IS UNRESPONSIVE TO ANY PEDALS, AND REQUIRES TURNING THE ENGINE OFF. THIS HAPPENED IN SAN FRANCISCO ON HIGHWAY 101, I AM TRULY AFRAID FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF. SON, AND OTHERS DRIVING THIS CAR OR NEAR ONE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER UNMENTIONED THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, TOO MANY TO TELL IN THIS SUMMARY. THEY OF COURSE CAN'T DUPLICATE THIS MAJOR PROBLEM AND THEREFORE CAN'T "CORRECT." ALSO THEY STATE IT DOESN'T FALL UNDER LEMON, BUT WHAT IS AT STAKE OUR LIVES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10167018

Incident

Aug 20, 2006

Mileage

5,000 mi

CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED, SLAVE CYLINDER IS INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10165395

Incident

Aug 10, 2006

Mileage

45,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS, THE CLUTCH DID NOT ENGAGE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CLUTCH ENGAGED AND THE GEARS WERE SWITCHED. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER AND THE DEALER DETERMINED THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10156537

Incident

Apr 28, 2006

Mileage

37,115 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAS BEEN HAVING A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS ON DRY ROADS, IT WILL STALL AND SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THE AUTO AIR CONTROL SYSTEM SENSOR AND THE ENTIRE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM HAVE BOTH BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED AT A SERVICE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS SMOOTHLY, AND WILL REMAIN IN A LOWER GEAR AT HIGHER SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID

10149859

Incident

Feb 5, 2006

Mileage

15,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THANKSGIVING I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AND I NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH APPEARED STUCK TO THE FLOOR. THE REMAINDER OF THE WAY HOME (30 MILES) IF I SLOWED DOWN THE WOULD STALL AS I COULD NOT PUSH THE CLUTCH IN. THE CAR, A 2004 CAVALIER, HAS A TOTAL OF 42000 MILES ON IT. UPON GETTING THE CAR TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THE MASTER CYLINDER, THE SLAVE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10143646

Incident

Nov 24, 2005

Mileage

45,000 mi

I HAVE AN EXCESSIVE GRINDING FEEL WITHIN THE CLUTCH PEDAL. A TSB FOR THIS HAS BEEN ISSUED AND SO FAR THE VEHICLE IS 6 MONTHS OLD. 2 CLUTCH ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND ONE FLYWHEEL. THE ORIGINAL TSB STATES DO NOT REPLACE THE CLUTCH COMPONENTS AND FLYWHEEL BECAUSE THIS WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. GM, WHY ARE YOU GOING AGAINST YOUR OWN TECHNICAL EXPERTS ADVISE? WANT TO PREVENT A DEVASTATING RECALL BY HOODWINKING YOUR CUSTOMERS IN SAYING THE PROBLEM IS DESIGNED IN THE TRANSMISSION AS NORMAL? THIS HAS TO BE UP CHANNELED TO HIGHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. LEMON LAWS AND IGNORANT AND COMPLACENT CUSTOMERS WHO ARE AFRAID OF GOING THE DISTANCE WILL ONLY ALLOW THEIR INVESTMENTS TO BE TRADED OR JUST LIVE WITH THE COMPLAINT. LOOKING AT THE HISTORY OF 2000-2004 CAVALIERS, SUNFIRES AND MALIBUS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE COMBINATION IS ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. I WISH THERE WAS A FORUM TO ALLOW CROSS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OWNERS FOR A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. THIS IS AMERICA. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD I GET BETTER RETURN SERVICE AT WAL MART FOR DEFECTIVE MERCHANDISE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10081039

Incident

Jun 18, 2004

Mileage

34 mi