NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
82 reportsClear category filter85,000 miles · Jun 24, 2003
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment
SINCE THE END OF AUGUST 2002, MY CAR HAS BEEN FALLING APART. IT ALL STARTED WHEN MY AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. I HAD FREON PUT BACK INTO IT, BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS, THE FREON WAS GONE. THE MECHANIC PUT A DYE INTO THE SYSTEM TO SEE IF THERE WAS A LEAK, BUT HE COULDN'T SEE ANY PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS OVERHEATED IN TRAFF…
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SINCE THE END OF AUGUST 2002, MY CAR HAS BEEN FALLING APART. IT ALL STARTED WHEN MY AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. I HAD FREON PUT BACK INTO IT, BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS, THE FREON WAS GONE. THE MECHANIC PUT A DYE INTO THE SYSTEM TO SEE IF THERE WAS A LEAK, BUT HE COULDN'T SEE ANY PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS OVERHEATED IN TRAFFIC. OIL IS LEAKING FROM MY HEAD GASKETS. NOW, IT IS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING PERIODICALLY. I WAS IN CAMDEN WHEN IT WOULDN'T START. NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. WHEN I START THE CAR, A CLICKING NOISE COMES FROM THE STARTER. OH YEAH, I HAD THE STARTER "FIXED" A YEAR AGO BECAUSE OF THE RECALL. THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM MY ALTERNATOR. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE ALTERNATOR OR THE STARTER THAT'S KEEPING THE CAR FROM STARTING. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY CAR AND THE COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS, THIS IS NOT A RELIABLE CAR. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10023723
81,134 miles · Jun 8, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
NUMBER ONE PISTON ROD BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BLOW AND A BASEBALL SIZE HOLE IN THE OIL PAN. ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT
NHTSA ODI #10021261
Mileage unknown · May 16, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE CONSUMER NOTICED OIL ON THE GROUND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MECHANIC WHO CHANGED THE GASKET BUT A LEAK WAS STILL PRESENT. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10019983
88,000 miles · Apr 28, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE ENGINE STALLED, THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10017658
73,306 miles · Mar 12, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
HEAD GASKET LEAKING FOR THE 3RD TIME. APPARENTLY WAS FIXED WHEN I RECEIVED THE RECALL AND BROUGHT INTO THE DEALER. GM NOT HELPFUL. DEALER NOT HELPFUL. DEALER DRAINED ALL OF MY FREON AS WELL AND BROKE MY HEATER SWITCH. GM TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A CONSUMER/BUSINESS PROBLEM AND TO CONTACT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. AFTER READING ALL …
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HEAD GASKET LEAKING FOR THE 3RD TIME. APPARENTLY WAS FIXED WHEN I RECEIVED THE RECALL AND BROUGHT INTO THE DEALER. GM NOT HELPFUL. DEALER NOT HELPFUL. DEALER DRAINED ALL OF MY FREON AS WELL AND BROKE MY HEATER SWITCH. GM TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A CONSUMER/BUSINESS PROBLEM AND TO CONTACT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. AFTER READING ALL OF THE OTHER HEAD GASKET RECALL PROBLEMS THAT APPEAR TO BE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, I SEE A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST GM IN THE MAKING.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10010363
130,000 miles · Feb 26, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE HEAD GASKET FAILED.*JB *TS
NHTSA ODI #10009404
70,000 miles · Feb 21, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
LEAKING COOLANT TOOK TO DEALER AFTER RECIEVING A LITTER FORM CHEVY, THEY REPLACED HEAD GASKET. ONE YEAR LATER COOLANT IS LEAKING AGAIN. DEALER WILL NOT FIX THIS TIME DUE TO MILLIAGE BEING OVER 100,000 MILES. WILL CHEVY FIX THIM PROBLEM OR NOT THEY DID NOT FIX IT THE FIRST TIME SHOULD THEY NOT BE MADE TO FIX THERE MISTAKE.
NHTSA ODI #10007952
54,771 miles · Feb 2, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
SERVICE DUE TO COOLANT LEAKAGE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY HEAD GASKET ON MY 1995 CHEVY CAVALIER WAS NOT COVERED BY DEALER DESPITE SERVICE BULLETIN #98054 AND #98054A AND THE FACT THAT MY VEHICLE HAD 54,771 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10005109
Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN HOT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
NHTSA ODI #10001249
Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER REPLACE TWICE. TS
NHTSA ODI #8022355
Official recalls
4Mar 6, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 27, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
Dec 17, 1996
THE FRONT AND/OR REAR HAZARD WARNING LAMPS (FOUR-WAY FLASHERS) DO NOT FLASH WHEN THE HAZARD SWITCH IS ACTIVATED. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THESE LAMPS WERE NOT FLASHING, OTHER VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE AWARE THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS STOPPED INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS OR VEHICLE OWNERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER FUNCTION OF THE HAZARD WARNING LAMPS. IF NECESSARY, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD LAMP SWITCH.
Jul 26, 1995
SOME WELDS WERE OMITTED FROM THE BODY LOCK PILLAR, OR "B" PILLAR. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF A VEHICLE CRASH SHOULD OCCUR, OCCUPANT PROTECTION LEVELS COULD BE REDUCED.
Remedy: ALL VEHICLES IN THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN HAVE BEEN REPURCHASED AND REPLACED WITH A COMPARABLE VEHICLE.
Feb 16, 1995
THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH WELDS MISSING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES CAUSING EXCESSIVE LOADS ON THE EXISTING WELDS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE FRONTBUSHING SLEEVE SUBASSEMBLY FROM THE CONTROL ARM INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES AND REPLACE ALL CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES FOUND WITH OMITTED WELDS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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