1997 Chevrolet Cavalier

IN JUL7 OF 1999, THE ETS OFF LIGHT AND THEENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE MECHANIC SAID THE COMPUTER SHOWED DUE TO EMISSION REGULATIONS, THE EGR VALVE NEEDED REPLACED. REPLACED THE VALVE, A MONTH LATER THE TWO LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THE EGR VALVE WAS DEFECTIVE. HAD IT REPLACED AGAIN. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, THE TWO LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. THE MECHANIC TOLD US THE SYSTEM WAS VERY SENSITIVE, BUT THE EGR WAS FINE AND JUST RESET THE LIGHTLS. LAST WEEK THE TWO LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN, THE EGR WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR STARTED JERKING FIERCELY AND THE TWO LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THIS SYSTEM AND WE ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING THE PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A COMPUTER DEFECT, A VALVE DEFECT OR WHAT. BUT IT'S NOT SAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE THAT CONSTANTLY SHUTS OFF THE TRACTION SYSTEM DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND CAUSES THE CAR TO JEK WHILE DRIVING. *AK

HORN: HAS NEVER WORKED FROM THE TIME THE CAR WAS RECEIVED. HAVE HAD THE DEALER FIX IT 3 TIMES BUT IT STILL DOESN'T WORK. HEATER FAN: FAILED DURING THE WINTER OF 1997. PAST WARRANTY PERIOD?? HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT FIXED YET. ENGINE PROBLEM: STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AFTER THE CAR HAS WARMED UP, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. WILL HESITATE AND JERK WHILE DRIVING IT. HAVE REPLACED: SPARK PLUG WIRES, PLUGS, FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP AND HAVE HAD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CHECKED. PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED. UNABLE TO DRIVE IT MORE THAN 2 MILES. IGNITION: KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN IGNITION/ REPLACED BY DEALER X 3.

IN DECEMBER 1999, I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL AND THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I ASSUMED THE THERMOSTAT WAS FAILING AND HAD A LOCAL SERVICE STATION REPLACE IT AND FLUSH THE RADIATOR. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. UPON INSPECTION, I HAD LOST SOME COOLANT AND EXPERIENCED THE SMELL OF HOT COOLANT WHICH I ATTRIBUTED TO THE RECENT RADIATOR FLUSH. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SERVICE STATION AND THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS PRESSURE TESTED TO CHECK FOR LEAKS AND PASSED. AFTER BEING IDLE FOR OVER 1 WEEK, ON JANUARY 3, 2000, I CHECKED THE ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL AND IT WAS LOW. I FILLED THE ENGINE COOLANT RESERVIOR TO FULL AND AFTER SHORT TRIPS THE LEVEL HAD HELD AT FULL. ON JANUARY 4, 2000, WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, I EXPERIENCED A ROUGH IDLE AND IN ADDITION TO THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALSO LIT UP ON THE DASH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET, EXPECTING TO HAVE THEM FINALLY RESOLVE MY PROBLEM AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY SUSPECTED MY ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND ESTIMATED THE JOB AT OVER $3400.00. I NOTEICED SERVICE BULLETIN #'S 67-62-04, 970501776109 & 970501738309 POSTED ON YOUR WEBSITE REFERS TO SIMILAR DEFECTS AS THOSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED. IF THE ENGINE HAS A DEFECT, WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE? I HAVE FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED MAINTAINANCE SCHEDULE AND FEEL FRUSTRATED THAT GM AND HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET KNEW OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS BUT FAILED TO TAKE THE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO AVOID PERMINANT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SERVICE STATION WHERE I HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND THEIR CONCLUSION IS THE HEAD GASGET HAS FAILED OR THE HEAD HAS CRACKED, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE ISN'T ANY COOLANT IN THE OIL PAN. I RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE OF $950.00 FOR THE REPAIRS. I'M NOT A HAPPY CAVALIER OWNER. I THANK YOU. *AK

THE ENGINE STALLS AT ODD TIMES MAKING THE VEHICLE, WHICH HAS POWER ASSISTED BRAKES AND STEERING, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE DASH RATTLES CONSTANTLY. THE DASH WAS REPLACED IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE STALLING PROBLEM BUT IT ALSO RATTLES CONSTANTLY. MY WIFE AND I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY DISPLAYED BLATANT DISREGARD FOR OUR PROBLEM BY SAYING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ABIDE BY THEIR 3 YEAR/ 36000 MILE WARRANTY( WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE NOT DOING, SINCE THE VEHICLE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED). THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS!