VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM OF RESTARTING AFTER RUNNING FOR 15 MINUTES OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
1999 Chevrolet Cavalier complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1999 record →
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED. *AK
WAS AT FULL STOP AND WHEN ACCELERATING GAS PEDAL HUNG UP, CAUSING CAR TO ACCELERATE TO 95 MILES PER HOUR THEN SLAMMING BRAKES PEDAL RELEASED AND CAR MADE 90 DEGREE SPIN. *AK
THE ROOF CONTINUES TO LEAK AND THE DEALER AND THE MANAFACTURER WILL NOT TAKE IT BACK. IT FALLS WELL WITH IN THE LEMON LAW FOR VA. *AK
AFTER DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES, WE EXPERIENCE A BRIEF HESITATION. THIS CONTINUES EVERY 5-10 MINUTES FOR THE DURATION. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WNEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 60+ M.P.H. ON THE INTERSTATE. HAVE REPORTED THIS TO LYNCH'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT SEVERAL TIMES. NO RESULTS. CAN'T DUPLICATE COMPLAINT. *AK
THE POWER STEERING LOCKS HARD. YH
WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, BRAKE ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
INTERIOR AND DASH LIGHTS FLICKER OVER RAILROAD TRACKS OR A HARD BUMP. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON TWICE, AND VEHICLE SHOOK VIPOLENTLY. IN ADDITION,DOORS DO NOT FIT CORRECTLY BECAUSE THEY FREEZE AND ARE DIFFICULT TO OPEN. *AK
NO LIGHT ON DRIVE PANEL AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. YH
WHEN TRAVELING WITH AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER BEING USED CONSUMER NOTICED VERY BAD FUMES/ ODORS WITHIN THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT WHICH CAUSED THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE TO BECOME SICK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE PEDAL LOCKS UP WHEN TRYING TO STOP MAKING STOPPING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DO . THEY ADVISE THE PROBLEM IS NORMAL. *AK
BRAKES SEEM TO GRAB, WARPED ORTORS , NEED REPLACING
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS IT FELT NORMAL. BRAKES WOULD GRAB, AND VEHICLE WOULD KEEP ROLLING. IT JERKED FORWARD THREE TIMES BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
ABS BRAKES ARE FAR TOO SENSITIVE. IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP ON A SNOWY GRADE. *AK
VEHICLE HIT A DEER AT 50-55 MPH. BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BUT AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT SHOW AIR BAGS HAVE DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSING A MALFUNCTION WITH THE POWER WINDOWS/ HORN ASSEMBLY AND BATTERY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHEN HITTING A BUMP VEHICLE MAKES A SQUEAKING NOISE AS THE OWNER APPLIES THE BRAKES. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND DIED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED THE VHEICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
POSSIBLE EXHAUST FAILURE MAY BE CAUSING FUMES THAT ARE GETTING THE DRIVER SICK WHILE DRIVER IS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *YC
ABS BRAKE PROBLEM; ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING DRIVER TO SKID 127 FEET BEFORE STOPPING. DRIVER HIT AN EMBANKMENT, AND VEHCLE DID A 180 DEGREE TURN. THIS HAPPENED WHEN BRAKING IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. NO INCLEMENT WEATHER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WAS AT STOP POSITION & STARTED TO ACCELERATE. THE STEERING WHEEL PPED OUT OF DRIVER'S HAND. VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO JERK RIGHT OR LEFT INTO OTHER LANE. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.IT IS INTERMITTENT. *AK
BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE A "METAL TO METAL" SOUND, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
LIGHT COLORED DASHBOARD IS CAUSING A GLARE AGAINST STEEP SLOPE WINDSHIELD, RESULTING IN REDUCED/POOR VISIBILITY. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN / TURNING. HOWEVER, VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TO CORRECT FAILURE ON SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YC
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD 15MPH, MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND A DOG CROSSED IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. BRAKES FAILED, SWERVED AND AVOIDED HITTING THE DOG. AS A RESULT, HAD AN ACCIDENT. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK *ML
LIGHT COLOR OF INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUSE UNSAFE REFLECTIONS IN WINDSHIELD
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, LEFT IN NEUTRAL WITH PARKED BRAKE ENGAGED ON A RAINY DAY. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES LATER VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND HIT ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE ACROSS THE STREET. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A WALL. HOWEVER AIRBAG EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT. *YC
SEAT BELT IN THE BACK SEAT DOESN'T TIGHTEN ON A CAR SEAT AND I THINK SHOULD LOCK AND TIGHTEN WHEN THE BRAKES AREN'T BEING APPLIED. *AK
THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT CAUSE, THEN CAUSED A MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT
THERE IS NO LIGHT ON THE SHIFT LEVER INDICATOR SO AT NIGHT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ WHAT GEAR DRIVER IS PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER MADE RIGHT TURN INTO DRIVEWAYAND TURNED STEERING BACK TO LEFT, AT THAT TIME, VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. *AK
AT ANY SPEEDS IN WET OR RAIN CONDITION BRAKE STOPPING DISTANCE IS ALMOST DOUBLED FROM DRY ROAD USE, VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH FACTORY SPOKE ALLOY WHEELS . ON INSPECTION OF ROTOR/CALIPER AREA IT IS EVEDENT THAT NO KIND OF SHIELD AROUND ROTOR ALLOWS WATER TO GET ON ROTORS , POSSIBLE THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS MISSING SHIELDS OR THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT STALLING/ACCELERATION AND STARTING PROBLEMS. MJS
DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND CARRIER. MJS
BRAKES EXPERIENCING CONTINUED GRINDING NOISE FOUR REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE GRINDING NOISE WHILE BRAKING. MJS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. HIT A GUARDRAIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO SENSOR AND THE COMPUTER MODULE. BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INSPECTED COMPUTER WHICH REVEALED THAT THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED; BUT, IN REALITY, DID NOT. ALSO THE SEAT BELT DID NOT SECURE PROPERLY, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT IT FELT LIKE IT WAS LOCKED AND IT WOULD NOT GO DOWN, CAUSING THE CAR TO REAR END THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF IT . *AK
THE STEERING LOCKS UP. NLM
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier → · Every Cavalier year → · How the figures are calculated →