2003 CAVALIER HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO OTHER MAJOR ISSUES HAVING OCCURRED IN THE PAST. THE FUEL PUMP SUDDENLY WENT OUT ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC AFTER IT STALLED WHILE TRYING IT. *TR
2003 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 2003 record →
CAR STALLED AT STOP LIGHTS DURING THE SUMMER. FUEL PUMP FAILED FOLLOWING WINTER. STALLS AROUND A DOZEN IN ONE SUMMER. *TR
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SUDDENLY STALLED IN TRAFFIC. IN ORDER TO PREVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, I ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WITHOUT POWER STEERING (DUE TO THE VEHICLE STALLING), CONTROL WAS LIMITED AND I ULTIMATELY RAN INTO A SNOW BANK. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD FAR ENOUGH TO PREVENT A MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING OTHER VEHICLES. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, AND I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE ON THE ROADSIDE AND GET A RIDE HOME. AT HOME, I PERFORMED AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE, MOST OF WHICH ARE THE RESULT OF PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. USING INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED AND RUNNING INTERMITTENTLY IN ORDER TO GET IT HOME. ALTOGETHER, THE VEHICLE STALLED THREE TIMES DURING THE PROCESS, AND NOW WILL NOT START AT ALL. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO ALL FEEL THE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED AND I WILL BE TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE TOMORROW. *TR
JUST DRIVING ALONG. THE SPEEDOMETER STARTS TO JUMP, SLOW, SPEED UP, AND STOP. PER PHONE CONVERSATION 1/14/08 PROBLEM WITH SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING, NOT VEHICLE SLOWING DOWN. SMCH *TR
I WANTED TO ADD MY INCIDENT TO YOUR ALREADY OPENED PE07033 ACTION. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 1:00AM WHEN HER 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER STALLED. SHE MANAGED TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS THEN STRANDED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHO THEN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. HAVING READ GMS DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AND ITS CAUSE, I AM DISMAYED OVER THE RISK TO HER SAFETY AND THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR.*CN
THE FUEL PUMP ON MY CAR WENT OUT. THE CAR WOULD STALL AND NOT START BACK UP. *TR
FUEL PUMP DIES, HUNDREDS OF ACCOUNTS: HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-CAVALIER/TVINIC5TFU5SFSI5H/P5 FROM PHONE INTERVIEW WAS GOING 60 MPH WHEN PUMP QUIT, MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR
CAR WAS PERFORMING FINE UNTIL WON'T START CONDITION. HAD TO TOW IN TO SHOP, REPLACE BAD FUEL PUMP. $900 31,500 MILES. *TR
DEFROSTER CONTROL BROKE DUE TO FREEZING WEATHER (ABOUT 30F). DEFROSTER NO LONGER FUNCTIONS SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO CLEAR WINDSHIELD IN COLD OR DAMP WEATHER. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR, BUT COULD NOT FOR ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF $477. WANTED TO CHARGE ANOTHER $630 TO FIX THE PROBLEM (FOR A TOTAL COST OF ALMOST $1100). I FEEL THE COST IS OUTRAGEOUS TO REPAIR A NECESSARY SAFETY ITEM. *TR
FUEL PUMP FAILED WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED ON FREEWAY, CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF POWER (IN BAD WEATHER) IN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF 4 LANE FREEWAY (US101). *TR
I JUST WATCHED A REPORT ABOUT SPEEDOMETER GOING HAYWIRE ON GM TRUCKS AND SUV'S. WELL, I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER IS ALSO HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS SCHEDULED FOR SERVICE ON FRIDAY TO THE TUNE OF $400.00. *TR
FUEL PUMP FAILURE. WAS RUNNING FINE THEN JUST DIED ALL OF A SUDDEN. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT WOULD NOT START BACK UP. *TR
HAD BEEN DRIVING MY CAR AROUND ALL DAY. MADE A QUICK TRIP TO THE STORE, AND WHEN I PULLED BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY, THE CAR STALLED, AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE BATTERY HAD BEEN RECENTLY REPLACED, SO I KNEW THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. CAR ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS WAS FOR A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER. HAD THE CAR TOWED, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATING, I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE. CAR HAS ONLY 70,500 MILES ON IT. COST OF REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED BETWEEN $400-800. *TR
2003 CAVALIER ENGINE STALL ON RED LIGHTS/ COMING TO STOP/ TURNING CORNERS AT LOW IDLE SPEEDS CAUSING A LOSS IN POWER STEERING AND ABS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ACTIVE, IMMEDIATE RESTART IS AVAILABLE, HOWEVER WHILE TURNING HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED DUE TO FAULTY WIRING TO INTAKE TEMP SENSOR. *TR
ENGINE STALLING AND DELAYED ACCELERATION. WHEN CAR WAS SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH CAR SHUT DOWN. FUEL PUMP FAILED ON CAR WITH 71000 MILES. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, FUEL PUMP HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
FUEL PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE ON ROADWAY AND HAD TO BE PUSHED TO A SAFE LOCATION. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNING THAT FUEL PUMP WAS FAILING. DUE TO SEVERAL OTHER OCCURRENCES I'VE FOUND ONLINE, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR MAKE/MODEL/YEAR OF VEHICLE. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER AND IT JUST SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE "FUEL PUMP". IT'S GOING TO COST OVER $800.00 TO FIX. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THIS IS HAPPENING TO EVERYONE, NOT JUST ME. ONLY 66,350 MILE AND NOT EVEN 5 YEARS OLD, THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS. *TR
FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAR WOULD NOT START. *TR
VEHICLE STOP RUNNING AND WOULD NOT START BACK UP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTO REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW FUEL PUMP. *TR
MY FUEL PUMP IN MY 2003 CAVALIER WENT ON TUES. JUST LEARNING HOW COMMON THIS IS AND HOW MUCH THIS COSTS. I FEEL COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF - QUOTED $700+ FOR THE PART, NEVER MIND THE LABOR OR THE TOW JOBS. AFTER VIEWING THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE (PLEASE SEE THIS!) HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET- CAVALIER/TVINIC5TFU5SFSI5H/P6 WOW IS ALL I CAN SAY. THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL OF US. I SPENT CLOSE TO $15,000 CDN FOR THIS VEHICLE JUST OVER 2 YEARS AGO. OF COURSE, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED "MOMENTS" AGO! PLEASE HELP US - THERE ARE CLOSE TO 300 CAVALIER OWNERS IN THE SAME BOAT. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 CAVALIER, AND THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR HAS APPRX. 79,000 MILES. THE COST FOR THIS REPAIR THIS WAS OVER $700 DOLLARS. *TR
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER FUEL PUMP FAILED. CONSUMER STATES THAT OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM. HE BELIEVES THAT GM SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. HE ALSO STATES THAT HE WANTS A REFUND FOR THE REPLACED FUEL PUMP. *KB
THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY IT CAN SAY THAT I AM GOING 90 WHEN I AM GOING ONLY 35 ALSO THE HEAT GAUGE NEXT TO IT WILL GO WAY OVER INTO THE SPEEDOMETER AREA WHICH THEN THEY HIT EACH OTHER WHICH CAUSES THEM TO NOT WORK PROPERLY ALSO THE GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK RIGHT EITHER WHEN I GET LOW ENOUGH FOR THE CHECK GAUGE LIGHT TO COME ON IT WILL START GOING UP SAYING THAT I HAVE A HALF TANK OF GAS EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THAT I DO NOT. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO GO GET GROCERIES WITH MY 2 YR OLD SON. THE CAR HAS NO PROBLEMS AND DROVE FINE THERE. I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND MY CAR STALLED. I TRIED AGAIN AND IT STALLED ONCE MORE. I MANAGED TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER ENOUGH TIMES TO GET IT OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT. IT WAS AROUND 8PM AND GETTING COLD AND I HAD NOT ONLY TO DEAL WITH THIS, BUT HAVE A YOUNG CHILD OUT IN THE COLD WHETHER WHEN HE SHOULD BE GOING TO BED. I CALLED MY BOYFRIEND AND HE PICKED US UP AND HE LOOKED AT THE CAR A BIT SINCE HE KNOWS QUITE A BIT ABOUT CARS. HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING OBVIOUS SO WE HAD IT TOWED FOR TESTING TO MECHANIC HE KNOWS. THE MECHANIC WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO GIVE US A BIT OF A DISCOUNT ON THE TOW AND FUEL PUMP, BUT GETTING THIS REPAIRED WAS STILL COSTLY. I ENDED UP PAYING HALF AND MY BOYFRIEND WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO HELP ME PAY FOR THE OTHER HALF. BEING A SINGLE MOM AND STILL FINISHING UP SCHOOL I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY AT THE TIME TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT GAVE ME NO WARNING AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED IN THE FIRST PLACE. I'M GLAD THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY SON. PEOPLE COUPLE HAVE GOTTEN HURT IF WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT. GM NEEDS TO REALIZE HOW BIG OF AN ISSUE THIS IS. *TR
FUEL PUMP FAILED. 67,000 MILES. *TR
I WAS DRIVING HOME AND MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE ROAD. I PUSHED IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR BUT IT WOULDN'T START. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND HAD IT LOOKED AT. AFTER HE RAN DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND LOOKED AT IT. HE DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. IT COST ME $688 TO GET THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. *TR
MY DAUGHTER WAS MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY GOING 45 MPH WHEN HER CAR JUST STOPPED. IT WOULDN'T RESTART AND SHE WAS STUCK IN A TRAVEL LANE. THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 2 FEET BETWEEN THE LANE AND THE STEEL MEDIAN BARRIER SO ALMOST HALF OF HER CAR WAS IN THE TRAVEL LANE. WE CALLED THE POLICE AND THEY STOPPED AND REDIRECTED TRAFFIC UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. THIS HAPPENED ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AT 10:30PM. *TR
I T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35MPH AND I RECEIVED A CONCUSSION FROM MY HEAD HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE MY AIRBAG SPLIT APART AT THE SEAMS. *TR
SHUT CAR OFF AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED A TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ACROSS THIS BUSY HIGHWAY, UPON MY TURN THE CAR LOST POWER AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ON COMING LANES OF TRAFFIC. RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED TO STALL MOVING ONLY A FEW FEET AT A TIME AND WOULD NOT RESTART, BEING THAT I AM DISABLED THIS CAUSED A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THIS BUSY HIGHWAY (AKA) HIGHWAY OF DEATH IN THIS AREA. IN CALIFORNIA HWY 99/70 NORTH BOUND NORTH OF SACRAMENTO CA. AFTER A TIME SOME MOTORIST ASSISTED ME AND PUSHED MY VEHICLE OUT OF LANES OF TRAFFIC TO THE EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY. I HAD NO WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ABOUT TO FAIL OR THAT ANY SYSTEM NEEDED ATTENTION. BECAUSE OF MY DISABILITIES, I WOULD NEVER DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT WAS NOT RELIABLE OR WOULD CAUSED A SITUATION TO ARISE THAT WOULD BE A DANGER TO MYSELF AND THE MOTORING PUBLIC. A MECHANIC AT A CHEVROLET DEALER THAT I HAVE KNOWN FOR YEARS ADVISED ME THE BEWARE OF FUEL PUMPS IN THESE VEHICLES AS THEY HAVE A VERY HIGH RATE OF FAILURE. I ALSO ASKED THE MECHANIC IF KNEW WHAT I COULD DO TO AVOID THIS SITUATION AND HE STATED THAT NO OFFICIAL MANUFACTURE ADVISORY WERE AVAIL. IN HIS OPINION THE FUEL PUMPS OF POOR QUALITY AND SUFFERED FROM OVER HEATING BEING THEY A COOLED BY THE GASOLINE IN THE TANK. AND SUGGESTED TO KEEP THE TANK FULL. I NEVER LET THE FUEL GET BELOW 1/4 TANK LEVEL AND USUALLY REFILL AT 1/2. THIS IS A 2003 MODEL WITH 39,593 MILES THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY HOME. NOT REPAIRED. I AM NOT SURE
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING A REASONABLE SPEED ON LAUREL CANYON DRIVE, A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY IN CA AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS BLOCKING TRAFFIC AND OTHER TRAFFIC WAS SPENDING BY MAKING ME EXTREMELY FEARFUL FOR MY SAFETY. I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THERE WAS A GREEN LIGHT AND THEN COASTED DOWN A HILL TO A PARKING PLACE. I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO FIRESTONE WHO DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS REPLACED FOR $679. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL RECALL OR WOULD HAVE KEPT THE OLD PART. THIS DEFINITELY SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES AND IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU CAR SUDDENLY STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY. *TR
MAKING AN ADDITION TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE07033: I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER'S TRAC LIGHT CAME ON (STATING THAT THE ETS SYSTEM WAS DISABLED) AND THEN THE CAR STALLED. CAR WAS RUNNING PERFECT BEFOREHAND AND HAD NO TELLTALE SIGNS OF FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT INTO THE CENTER TURN LANE AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY. I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR. IT WOULD CRANK, BUT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. CAR HAD ABOUT HALF TANK OF GAS. CAR WAS TOWED TO NEAREST REPAIR SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THE FUEL PUMP WENT. CAR HAS ONLY 61,000 MILES AND THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. ACCORDING TO HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-CAVALIER/TVINIC5TFU5SFSI5H THIS IS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY POSE A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN IF THIS HAPPENS DURING HIGH-TRAFFIC, ON THE FREEWAY, ETC., AND RESULT IN A CRASH. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN IT JUST STALLED. IT STARTED BACK. NO MORE PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. I WAS AGAIN DRIVING ABOUT 30-35 MILES PER HOUR AND IT JUST STALLED. IT NEVER STARTED AGAIN. CHEVY DEALERSHIP REPORTS THAT IT IS THE FUEL PUMP. *JB
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH 41,000 MILES SUDDENLY FAILS TO START. ENGINE TURNS OVER, STRONG BATTERY, FUEL IN TANK. BEHAVIOR CONSISTENT WITH FUEL DELIVERY FAILURE. *JB
LAST WEDNESDAY MY CAR A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LOST POWER AND I HAD TOWED MY CAR AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT NEEDS A NEW FUEL PUMP, THAT COST $915, IT HAS ONLY 33,000. *JB
CAR WAS WORKING. STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION TO FILL, CAR DIDN'T RESTART. FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A MAJOR ROAD. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN THE VEHICLE DIED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND HAD IT REPLACED. *JB
THE CAR FAILED TO START WE TOOK IT TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP THEY CHECKED FUEL PRESSURE THERE WAS NONE, FOUND FUEL PUMP INOPERABLE THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND FUEL FILTER IT WAS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER WITH 39,000 MILES ON 3-22-05 CALLED CHEVY AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER THIS PART BECAUSE IT WAS OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. *JB
MY DAUGHTER WAS BACKING THE CAR INTO THE STREET AND THE CAR STALLED. SHE MANAGED TO STOP THE CAR TWO FEET FROM AN ONCOMING CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD FUEL AND IT WAS REPLACED AT A LOCAL GARAGE. *TR
THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON MY 2003 CAVALIER. I TOOK IT TO WALKER CHEVROLET IN FRANKLIN, TN AND THEY PERFORMED A SMOKE AND VISUAL TEST. ALL TESTS INDICATED A LEAKING GASOLINE TANK. THE GAS TANK WAS REPLACED AT A LOCAL GARAGE AND THE MECHANIC NOTED A CRACK WAS FORMED AT THE SEAM AREA OF THE GASOLINE TANK. *TR
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM MY SONS FOOTBALL PRACTICE. I WAS IN SECOND GEAR GOING APPROX. 20 MPH. THE CAR SLOWLY STARTED TO DECELERATE, UNTIL IT STOPPED COMPLETELY AT THE CURB. I COULD NOT GET IT STARTED. AFTER SPENDING $50 ON A TOW, AND $160 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM ANALYZED, I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY FUEL PUMP AND FILTER THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS QUOTED $1160 TO FIX IT. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF LOCATING A CHEAPER MECHANIC, BUT THE LOWEST QUOTE SO FAR HAS BEEN $700. MAKING MY GRAND TOTAL A MINIMUM OF $910. *JB
PROBLEM STARTED SAME WEEK I PURCHASE VEHICLE BRAND NEW. GMC WOULD NOT EXCHANGE VEHICLE, THEY JUST KEPT REPAIRING IT AS IT BROKE DOWN. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS VEHICLE, THEY DID NOT CARE. CLUTCH WAS RUBBING AGAINST MAIN LINE, FAILED TWICE. REAR LIGHTS BURNED OUT 3 TIMES, SPRINGS ON SEATS POPPED OUT 3 TIMES, GAS PUMP WENT OUT ONCE, HEATER/AC WENT OUT TWICE, LOCKS WOULD NOT OPEN, 3 TIMES, PAIN CHIPPED OFF BUMPER, ONCE. REAR SEAT CLIPS SNAPPED, ONCE. HEADLIGHTS, WATER LEAKED IN. TWICE I HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION IN JUNE/2007...AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB
CAR SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WOULD NOT START. AFTER A TOW TO THE CHEVY DEALER, FOUND TO HAVE A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS REPLACED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE OIL WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE DEALER INFORMATION IS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000. UPDATED 1/02/08 . *LJ UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER FUEL PUMP FAILURE. CUSTOMER STATES THAT SHE IS NOT THE ONLY CUSTOMER WITH THIS PROBLEM. SHE SAYS HER VEHICLE ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES ON IT AS DID OTHERS. WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL TO START UP THE VEHICLE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,400. UPDATED 11/06/07 *TR
2003 CHEVY CAVALIER W/56,000 MILES. CAR STALLED AND DIED. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A CLOGGED FUEL FILTER. REPLACED THAT. TOTAL COST OF TOW AND FILTER - $250. THE NEXT WEEK, TOOK A TRIP, DROVE 200 MILES AND CAR STALLED AND DIED AGAIN. HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO ANOTHER SHOP. THEY SAID THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY. REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND OXYGEN SENSOR. TOTAL COST OF THAT TOW AND REPLACEMENT - $1600. *TR
2003 CAVALIER FUEL PUMP, FIRST FAILURE WAS JUNE/JULY 2007 (70,000), DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE CAR STALLED AT 60MPH THEN WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD CAR TOWED, MECHANIC COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM BUT THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. CAR RAN FINE FOR MONTHS WITH NO INDICATION THERE WAS A PROBLEM. SECOND FAILURE SEPT 2007 (110,000), DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IN HIGH TRAFFIC HIGH SPEED, CAR STALLED OUT AND MANAGED TO GET TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT GETTING HIT. WOULD NOT START AGAIN. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED AND HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. IT HAS TO BE DEFECTIVE AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. I JUST HOPE NO ONE HAS TO DIE ON AN INTERSTATE BECAUSE OF THIS BEFORE A RECALL IS MADE. COST OF REPAIR AFTER EXTENSIVE SEARCH AND NOT USING GM PARTS OR DEALER SERVICE WAS EST. $360 + TOW. OLD PART WILL BE SITTING HERE WAITING FOR A RECALL. *TR
MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LS SPORT SEDAN STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. THE SPEED LIMIT IS APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, BUT I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 40 STARTING TO MOVE FROM A STANDING STOP AT A STOP LIGHT. THE CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SERVICE, IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THE CAR HAS 40,404 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. *TR
THE FRONT DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER WOULD NOT BLOW AIR. THE VENTILATION CONTROL CABLE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THERE WAS A "KINK" IN THE CABLE THAT CAUSED THE AIR TO NOT BE DIRECTED TO THE DEFROSTER. THE SERVICE TECH RECOMMENDED THAT I NOT USE THE RECIRCULATE FUNCTION ON MY VENTILATION SYSTEM AS IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THE CONTROL IS IN THAT POSITION, THE CABLE WILL START TO "KINK." THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS I SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE EVERY FUNCTION ON THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. *TR
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 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier → · Every Cavalier year → · How the figures are calculated →