1997 Chevrolet Cavalier headlight problems

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE FIRST INCIDENT THAT OCCUR WAS IN 2009. IT WAS THAT THE SWITCH OF THE KEY ENGINE DID NOT WANT TO START. SOMEONE CAME TO FIX IT BUT COULD NOT FIND A WAY TO REPAIR IT. HE HAD TO ADD A BUTTON UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND I WOULD BE TUNING THE KEY TO THE ENGINE TO START I WOULD HAVE TO PUSH THAT BUTTON TO START THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACING LIGHT BULBS CONSTANCY FROM THE REAR BACK OF THE SINGLE LIGHT. THE THEFT LOCK SYSTEM WOULD BE TURNING IT SELF ON WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING. THANKFULLY THERE WAS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT I WOULD BE STRUGGLING TO START MY CAR .I HAD TO WAIT SOME COUPLE OF MINUTES TO START THE CAR. THE RECENT INCIDENT THAT OCCUR WAS WHEN MY NEIGHBOR HEARD LIKE SOME FIREWORKS IN OUR SIDE OF OUR HOUSE. HE TOOK A LOOK AND HE SEEN THAT OUR CAR WAS SOME SPARKLING LIGHTS OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THAT WAS AROUND MIDNIGHT WHAT HE SEEN AND HE TOLD US THAT MORNING. AS I WALK TOWARDS THE CAR I COULD SMELL SMOKE AS IF SOMETHING BURN. I WANTED TO START MY CAR BUT WOULDN'T START. SOME ONE CAME TO FIXED IT AND HAD TO REPLACE SOME CABLE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE THAT WAS THAT CAUSE THE SPARKING OF THE FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #10567219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

AS I WAS GOING TO TURN THE SWITCH ON TO TURN ON MY CAR IT DIDN'T WANT TO START. I HAD SOME ONE FIX IT BUT COULD NOT FIND A WAY TO FIX IT. THEY HAD TO ADD A BUTTON UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL TO START THE CAR AS I TURN THE SWITCH ON. THERE WAS COUPLE A OF TIMES WHERE THE CAR WOULD GO ON PASSLOCK BY ITSELF AND WOULDN'T START UNTIL A LONG PERIOD OF WAITING. THE EXTERNAL HEADLIGHTS BURN CONSTANTLY AND I WOULD BUY NEW BULBS FOR THE BACK LIGHTS. ONE TIME OUR NEIGHBOR SAID HE HEARD NOISE LIKE FIREWORKS ON OUR PROPERTY AND HE SAID THAT HE SEEN OUR CAR WAS SPARKING LIGHT OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THAT MORNING OF THAT DAY HE TOLD US AND AS WE WERE CHECKING THE CAR I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNED. AS A RESULT OF THAT THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO START . THE AUTO REPAIR PEOPLE HAD TO COME TO OUR HOUSE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT SOME WIRES INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL HAD BURNED BUT MOSTLY I HAVE BEEN FIXING MORE OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND BURNED WIRES. I APPRECIATE FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO READ THIS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10564734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

REAR CENTER STOP LIGHT HOUSING, WAS OBSERVED SMOKING INSIDE VEHICLE, FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED 2 BULBS BURNED OUT AND LENS PLASTIC BURNED ONTO LIGHTS.

NHTSA complaint #10183442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

MY 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE OF 1999. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HAD AT LEAST TWELVE INCIDENTS WITH THE FAILURE OF MY TAIL LIGHTS. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME TYPE OF SHORTAGE IN THE LINE BECAUSE I HAVE PURCHASED MORE BULBS THAN I WOULD LIKE TO REMEMBER. I HAVE ALSO RECEIVED ONE CITATION AS WELL AS TWO WARNINGS IN REFERENCE TO THE BROKEN TAIL LIGHT. RECENTLY I SAW THAT THE MORE NEWER MODELS OF THE CAVALIER HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO FIX THE TAIL LIGHT BUT NOT THE LATER ONES. HOPEFULLY THIS COMPLAINT WILL HELP TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE BEEN HAVING.

NHTSA complaint #10104414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN BRAKING THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD DIM. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

NHTSA complaint #10006702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2 CAVALIERS WENT OUT ONLY HAVE ONE HIGH BEAM ON EACH CAR ON PASSENGER SIDE

NHTSA complaint #10005150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START. WHEN VEHICLE DOES FINALLY START IT WILL CONTINUOUSLY STALL. IF STARTED SUCCESSFULLY VEHICLE HAS AN EXCESSIVELY ROUGH IDLE. PH THE VEHICLE DID NOT START IN COLD WEATHER, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD DIDN'T LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS COLD START FOLLOWED BY A HARD RESTARTING AND HIGH OIL PRESSURE RELATED TO THE OIL PRESSURE PUMP IN THE ENGINE. TSB#7761-09B. SCC

NHTSA complaint #10004003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

ABOUT 1-2 MONTHS AGO MY WIFE TRIED TO START THE CAR AND SHE SAID THAT ALL OF THE SYSTEMS(I.E. WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES, INTERIOR WARNING LIGHTS, ETC.) STARTED GOING OFF ALL AT ONCE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD'T PUSH IN, THERE WAS A LOUD BUXXING NOISE, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. EVER SINCE WE HAVE HAD TO TRY SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START AND THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHEN WE ARE DRIVING ALONG (SPEED DOESN'T SEEM TO PLAY A ROLE) AND THE CAR WILL REACT IN A SIMILAR MANNER AND STOP RUNNING. AFTER THIS HAPPENS, IT CAN TAKE US UP TO 10-15 MINUTES TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. JUST THIS MORNING IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND IF THE TRUCK BEHIND US HAD NOT SWERVED AS IT DID, IT WOULD HAVE TOTALLED OUR CAR. WE THEN SPENT ALMOST 20 MINUTES IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC TRYING TO START OUR CAR.(THIS WAS SUBMITTED BY BRIAN QUINNEY - HUSBAND OF SAID OWNER).

NHTSA complaint #764152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH

I AM VERY FRUSTRATED. I AM NOW LOOKING AT HAVING TO REPLACE THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS MY HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND CRUISE CONTROL YET AGAIN, AND THIS TIME ONLY 3 WEEKS AFTER IT WAS LAST REPLACED, WHICH WAS 1/2/02 AND THAT WAS ONLY 2 AND 1/2 MONTHS AFTER I LAST HAD IT REPLACED IN OCTOBER, AND BEFORE THAT, IT WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST (IN ALL MY CAR HAS HAD 5 SWITCHES SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW AND NOW LOOKING AT HAVING A 6TH). FOR A SWITCH TO BURN OUT LIKE THIS SO FREQUENTLY, IS A HAZARD AND NOT SAFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE HAD, IN THE PAST, MY HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE I WAS ON A FREE-WAY AT NIGHT. MY MECHANIC, ON 1/2/02 ALSO REPLACED THE ACTUAL HEADLIGHTS AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF A CHEVY DEALER MECHANIC, WHO TOLD HIM THAT APPARENTLY THE TRAILBLAZERS ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME SWITCH. I THINK THE CHEVY DEALER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS AND TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR IN EVERY MONTH OR TWO TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED. IT IS NOT FAIR TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAS TO DO IT FREE, AND NOT FAIR TO ME BECAUSE IT IS A BIG INCONVENIENCE, NOT TO MENTION UNSAFE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM OCCURING SO FREQUENTLY. PERHAPS A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU WOULD GET CHEVY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #757269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THIS PAST THURSDAY, 10/11/01, FOR THE THIRD TIME, MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. I HAVE HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED TWICE BEFORE AND AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE IT REPLACED A THIRD TIME. THIS SWITCH RUNS MY HEADLIGHTS, BRIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS EXCEPT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONNECTION APPEARS TO BE BURNING OUT. I DO NOT THINK IT SHOULD BE BURNING OUT SO OFTEN OR IN THIS CASE, SO QUICKLY - 3 MONTHS SINCE THE LAST TIME I HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED. I HAVE DECIDED THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SWITCH AND THE ENGINE THAT IS CAUSING THIS, THEREFORE SOMETHING CHEVY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF AND IN MY CASE, REIMBURSE ME FOR, SINCE THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME I'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS IN THE 5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED MY CAR. I ALSO FEEL, HOWEVER, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT THIS IS NOT SAFE, TO BE DRIVING ALONG AT NIGHT AND HAVE YOUR HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. MY REAR LIGHTS STAY ON, WHICH I AM GRATEFUL FOR, BUT HAVING NO HEADLIGHTS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE.

NHTSA complaint #753191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

MY HEADLIGHTS INCLUDING BRIGHT LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK DUE TO A CORRODED HEADLIGHT HARNESS. ON THE FIRST TWO FAILURES THE CORRODED WIRES WERE REPLACED BY SPLICING GOOD WIRING TO THE EXISTING HARNESS. FINALLY I PURCHASED A NEW HARNESS ($275) FOR A TOTAL COST OF APPROM. $700 INCL. LABOR. THE HARNESS WHICH WAS REPLACED WAS THE ORIGIONAL FACTORY INSTALLED PART.

NHTSA complaint #740004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

CAR WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 10 HOURS. WHEN STARTED AND PUT IN DRIVE, "ETS OFF" LIGHT FLASHED AND THEN REMAINED ON STEADY. ALONG WITH THIS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO STAYED ON. BOTH LIGHTS REMAINED ON FOR DURATION OF DRIVE HOME FROM WORK, APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES. ENGINE SOUNDS FINE, NO STRANGE NOISES, BUT WARNING LIGHTS STILL REMAIN ON. TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC TO BE CHECKED OUT.

NHTSA complaint #739737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

1). WHEEL BEARINGS WEARING OUT THEN TIRES AND WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT CANT GO MORE THAN 40 MPH OR CAR WILL SPIN AROUND IN ROAD . BACK LEFT BRAKE LIGHT ALWAYS NOT WORKING. ENGINE WITH ONLY 12,000.00 MILES KNOCK BAD UNTILL WARMED UP AND SOME TIMES DONT STOP WHEN WARM.IGNITION SWITCH WILL LOCK UP AND CANT GET CAR TO CRANK MUST WIGGLE AND GIGGLE TO GET IT TO WORK.HORN HAS NOT WORKED SINCE BOUGHT CAR.TRANSMISSION CLATTERS WHEN TRYING TO GIVE TO MUCH GAS

NHTSA complaint #725844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

VEHICLE HAS DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHTS. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED HEADLIGHTS THREE TIMES. THE HEADLIGHTS FILL UP WITH WATER, MAKING T IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE.

NHTSA complaint #851316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH

LOW BEAM SWITCH FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #542730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS

FOG LIGHT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #541805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.