13 of the
867 complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier are about the
throttle and cruise control — 1% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
32,750 miles.
A
13
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Vehicle Speed Control
538.5%
Cruise Control
538.5%
Cables
215.4%
Accelerator Pedal
17.7%
Acceleration & Cruise Control across every Chevrolet Cavalier year
I WAS HEADING OUT OF MY HOUSE IN THE EVENING AND GOT ABOUT 2 OR 3 MILES FROM MY HOME WHEN I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION MY VEHICLE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN I APPLIED PRESSURE TO GAS PEDAL. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO COAST JUST ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION AND MY VEHICLE ENDED UP SHUTTING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH OUT WARNING, NO SIGNS, NO LIGHTS MY VEHICLE JUST GAVE OUT ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION HAD IT OCCURRED JUST 5 SECONDS BEFORE I CLEARED THE INTERSECTION I MAY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORST IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND OTHER CONSUMER REVIEW SITES GIVE DETAILED SCENARIOS OF THIS DANGEROUS FUEL PUMP FAILURE AND ITS ABRUPT OCCURRENCE. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT MILEAGE AS LOW AS 7,000 AND WORKS ITS WAY UP. I WOULD LIKE TO BE SPOKEN WITH PERSONALLY BY SOMEONE ON THE BOARD AND FOR REASONS WHY THIS PROBLEM DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10325771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 35,000 milesHOT Springs, AR
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
IN EXTREME HEAT OR COLD TEMPERATURES INSIDE VEHICLE THE SPEEDOMETER WILL JUMP IN INTERVALS OF FIVE MPH. SOMETIMES IT WILL RESET ITSELF IF LEFT ALONE. IF PASSES 70 MPH MARK IT WILL CONTINUE RISING UNTIL IT POINTED DOWNWARD TOWARDS THE ODOMETER.
NHTSA complaint #10190535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 43,500 milesChesapeake, VA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE SPEEDOMETER STICKS ON MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT IS STUCK AT 40 MPH WHILE STANDING STILL, ON ACCELERATION IT WILL RISE ACCORDING TO THE SPEED ATTAINED.
NHTSA complaint #10164122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 16,748 milesST. Louis, MOCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
DT: THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNWANTED ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT WAS TRYING TO PARK WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A SERVICE DEALER THAT DID NOT TELL HER THE CAUSE. SHE BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL. *AK UPDATED 11/30/05.
NHTSA complaint #10141933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Polo, IL
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER GEAR BECAME STUCK WIDE OPEN.*MR WHEN USING THE PASSING GEAR THE ENGINE STUCK OPEN. THE CONSUMER FORCED TO PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE IDLE VALVE WAS STUCK.
NHTSA complaint #10118921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 21,000 milesSevierville, TN
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
THERE ARE NUMEROUS THINGS, AND THE DELAERSHIP HAS CONVINCED GM, BECAUSE I WROTE GM ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS, THAT I AM MAKING THIS STUFF UP TO GET AN SUV. FIRST THE RADIO WASN'T WORKING, THEY PUT THE CABLE BACK ON SAID IT WAS LOOSE, ITS STILL NOT SOUNDING LIKE A RADIO SHOULD. NEXT WAS THE POPPING IN THE FRONT END, DEALERSHIP TURNED ROTORS, UNDER WARRANTY BACK BRAKES SQUEALED REAL LOUD THEY SAID IT WAS DUST I HAD TO PAY FOR THAT. BACK BRAKES STILL SQUEAL, FRONT END STILL POPS LIKE A BAD CV JOINT. TRUNK WOULDN'T SHUT HAD TO KEEP SLAMMING IT. TOOK IT BACK THEY GREASED IT WORKED FOR AWHILE STARTING TO GET HARD TO SHUT SOMETIMES. BRAKE LIGHTS AND BACK LIGHTS AND CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING . TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 5 OR 6 TIMES TILL THEY FINALLY REPLACED IT HOW LONG IT WILL LAST I DON'T KNOW. FRONT SUN VISOR POPPED WHEN IT HUNG UP IN REAR VIEW MIRROR REAL FLOPPY CAN'T USE IT NO MORE DEALER SAID THEY ORDERED IT IN DECEMBER. STILL WAITING NOT FIXED. REAL BAD ODOR OF GAS IN CAR WHEN TANK IS HALF FULL, NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY. SEAT BELT MAKES A FUNNY NOISE WHEN YOU ARE WEARING IT, PINS YOU BACK AGAINST SEAT REAL HARD. NO EXPLANATION FOR THAT. HAVE TO STOP AND JERK ON IT TO LOOSEN IT LIKE A SEAT BELT SHOULD WORK. DEALER SAYS I AM IMAGINING THIS STUFF BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT CAR, BOUGHT IT NEW STILL PAYING FOR IT. BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF IT THEY HAVE EVERYONE CONVINCED I AM A PSYCHO WOMAN WANTING AN SUV AND THATS WHY I AM COMPLAINING THAT IS ALL FALSE. JUST PLAIN HATE A CAR I AM PAYING FOR.
NHTSA complaint #10113912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 30,500 milesEureka, MO
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1/2/05-CAR WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN IT BEGAN TO LUNGE INTO TRAFFIC, CAR WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL WHERE IT CONTINUED TO LUNGE UNTIL A RIGHT TURN WAS MADE, CAR IS IN SERVICE TODAY 1/3/05.
NHTSA complaint #10105655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 36,000 milesHolmen, WI
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INFORMATION REGARDING GM RECALL 04083, REGARDING THE 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAVING FAULTY TAIL LIGHTS. MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THIS RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND HAVE FINALLY BEEN TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE'S VIN: [XXX] IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. IS THERE ANY THING THAT I CAN DO SHORT OF PAYING FOR THE REPAIR PARTS MYSELF?*AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #10104461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ansley, NE
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL TURNED ON INTERMITTENTLY WHICH CAUSED CRUISE CONTROL TO WORK SPORADICALLY.
NHTSA complaint #10101723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,500 milesHarrison, MI
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHENEVER THE CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE LOST POWER. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE TURNED OFF TO DISENGAGE IT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10042665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shepherdsville, KY
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
BRAKE PEDAL ON THIS CAR IS MUCH HIGHER THAN ACCELERATOR PEDAL. UNTIL THE DRIVER GETS USED TO THE HEIGHT MISMATCH, THE DRIVER'S FOOT HITS THE SIDE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE THIS WILL CAUSE A HUGE LAG IN RESPONSE TIME IN BRAKING.I CALLED THE LOCAL CHEVROLET SERVICE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT AN ADJUSTMENT FOR EITHER PEDAL (LOWER THE BRAKE OR RAISE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL).
NHTSA complaint #10032824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Indianapolis, IN
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REROUTED THE THROTTLE CABLES.
NHTSA complaint #10024220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Indianapolis, IN
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER WAS REROUTING THE THROTTLE CABLES.
NHTSA complaint #10024249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.