THE FIRST INCIDENT WITH MY 1995 BASE MODEL CHEVROLET CAVALIER WAS WHEN THE HORN STOPPED WORKING, WHEN I NEEDED IT MOST ON A FREEWAY WHEN SOMEONE WAS ABOUT TO HIT ME WHILE CHANGING LANES. THE HORN FAILED, AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $100, WHICH I COVERED, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY OFF OF WARRANTY. MONTHS LATER, THE TRUNK LATCH REFUSED TO WORK. I COULD NOT OPEN THE TRUNK FROM THE REAR OR FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. IN LATE 2000, MY BRAKES WERE MAKING GRINDING NOISES. TURNS OUT THE ROTORS WERE BADLY WARPED AT 50,000 MILES. NOW, 15,000 MILES LATER, THE BRAKES ARE GRINDING AGAIN, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE ROTORS MAY ONCE AGAIN BE WARPED. AT THE BEGINNING OF 2002, I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING COOLANT ALL OVER MY ENGINE. THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. ONLY RECENTLY HAVE I HEARD THAT THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE COVERED BY A "SECRET" WARRANTY UP TO 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES, SOMETHING I WISH I HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. FINALLY, WITHIN WEEKS OF THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR, THE PLASTIC ON THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT SNAPPED OFF, SO NOW I MUST HAVE THE ENTIRE SEATBELT REPLACED. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH ALL OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS CAR, AND I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER CAVALIER OWNERS HAVE HAD EVEN WORSE EXPERIENCES THAN ME! I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GENERAL MOTORS STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS AND AT LEAST REIMBURSE ME FOR SOME OF THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR COST, WHICH WAS NEARLY SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS, BUT THIS MAY ONLY BE A PIPE DREAM. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE CAVALIER ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FOR THE 2.2 L ENGINES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A LONG-RUNNING PROBLEM ON CAVALIERS THROUGHOUT THE 1990S THAT GM HAS YET TO PUBLICLY ADMIT OR ADDRESS. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THEM TO RECALL IT, SOMEONE DYING ON THE ROAD WHEN HIS OR HER CAR EITHER STALLS IN BUSY TRAFFIC OR CATCHES ON FIRE?
NHTSA complaint #758889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Temple Hills, MD
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
"LOW ANTIFREEZE" LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. ADDING ANTIFREEZE FIXES TEMPORARILY, AND WE STILL SMELL FUMES FROM HOOD. INFORMED BY MANUFACTURER OF FAULTY CYLINDER HEAD GASKET MONTHS BEFORE PROBLEM MANIFESTED. DESPITE COUNTLESS REPAIRS, LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR CUTS OFF SPORADICALLY. NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. MIDDLE BACK SEAT BELT ALSO RELEASES, CAUSING OUR TODDLER'S CHILD SEAT TO TIP OVER WHEN VEHICLE TURNS CORNERS.
NHTSA complaint #758642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Nampa, ID1 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH I BRAKED HARD TO MISS A DEAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY SONS SEATBELT IN THE REAR LEFT FAILED TO LOCK AND HE FLEW FORWARD INTO MY SEAT (DRIVERS) AND MY SEAT DOESNT LOCK DOWN THEREFORE I WAS FLUNG INTO THE STEERING WHEEL AT 65 MPH AND LOST CONTROL...MY SONS WAS HURT AND WE ALL COULDVE BEEN KILLED. THE FLIP FLOP NON LOCKING DRIVER SEATS NEED TO BE RECALLED! THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGERSOUS AND WITH THE REAR PASSENGERS WEIGHT AND THE SEAT PUSHING ON THE DRIVER THERE IS NO WAY TO OPERATE THE CAR THEREFORE I COULD HAVE HIT ANOTHER CAR AND KILLED EVERYONE! PLEASE INVESTIGATE!
NHTSA complaint #747434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cresthill, IL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS. WHILE DRIVING APPLIED BRAKES VERY HARD TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, AND SEAT BELTS FAILED TO TIGHTEN AND TO RESTRAIN HER. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #832041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Torrance, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELTS LOCKING.
NHTSA complaint #542528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Derry, NH
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #516046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hialeah, FLCrash2 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, ALSO FAILURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE, THE SEAT BELT CAME OUT THE BUCKLE.
NHTSA complaint #804621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lawrenceburg, IN
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELTS TWIST WHILE RETRACTING, RENDERING THEM INOPERABLE.
NHTSA complaint #509270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Austin, TX
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT FROM THE FLOOR BROAD CAME OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #977414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Beachwood, OH
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
SHOULDER BELT CAN'T BE ADJUSTED AND CUTS DRIVER ACROSS THE NECK. TT
NHTSA complaint #966022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Burton, MI
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT IN DRIVER SIDE WILL TIGHTEN UP AND WON'T RETRACT. TT
NHTSA complaint #964827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.