2002 Chevrolet Cavalier

WHEN DRIVING, CAN SMELL COOLANT AND SEE GREASY FILM ON WINDSHIELD. WHICH MAKES ALL OCCUPANTS THIRSTY. (THIS WAS EVEN BEFORE IT HIT MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILES) OVERFLOW COMPARTMENT FOR COOLANT STARTED OVERFLOWING AND LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE KEEPS MOVING AROUND, AND STAYS ABOVE NORMAL MOST OF THE TIME. WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR JUST DIED OUT ON ME, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND MOVED OFF THE BUSY HIGHWAY. WITH ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SHOP BUT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE HEAT SENSOR WAS OUT AS WELL AS THE THERMOSTAT. THE GAUGE CONTINUED TO MOVE UP AND DOWN. I HAD A FUEL PUMP REPLACED BUT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. THIS WAS ALL IN THE COURSE OF THREE MONTHS. *JB

CONSUMER PURCHASED A VEHICLE FOR DAUGHTER, AND VEHICLE EXHIBITED SEVERAL MAJOR PROBLEMS. VEHICLE OVERHEATED, AND HAD A NEW THERMOSTAT AND FUEL FILTER REPLACED. WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE IT ACTED AS IF DID NOT WANT TO START. VEHICLE WAS JUST NOT FIRING CORRECTLY BECAUSE IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO START. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE BECAME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO START AND THE COOLANT AND TEMPERATURE GAUGES WERE ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE COOLANT WAS CHECKED IT WAS AT A NORMAL LEVEL BUT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING OTHER THAN COOLANT WAS IN THE TANK. THE OIL WAS CHECKED AND LOOKED LIKE BROWN MERKY LIQUID. *NM

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO SEARS MECHANIC SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT MOTOR MOUNT BROKE AND CRACKED IN HALF, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DROP DOWN HALF SHAFT. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND MANUFACTURER INSISTED THAT CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYED ON. WHEN DRIVING LIGHTS TURNED OFF THEN FLICKERED. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND AUTOMATIC LOCKS OPERATED POORLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK ON FOR OCCASIONS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. ANOTHER PROBLEM CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING IS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE IN USE. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR LOCKS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DURING ONE SERVICE VISIT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED AND THE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM WAS PROGRAMMED. EVEN AFTER SEVERAL SERVICE VISITS VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS, DOOR LOCKS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS.*MR

ENGINE AND VEHICLE SPEED SOMETIMES, BUT INTERMITTENTLY, DO NOT RESPOND TO DRIVER CONTROL - VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, HAD TO RIDE BRAKES TO CONTROL SPEED. THIS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES WITH INCREASING SEVERITY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME - ON THE SIXTH TIME THE VEHICLE REACHED 60MPH WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING TOUCHED. REVIEW OF ODI COMPLIANTS SHOWS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF SIMILAR RELATED COMPLAINTS ON THIS MODEL WITH AGE. HAD PURCHASED CAR TO GIVE TO MY NEWLY LICENSED DAUGHTER, WHO, DUE TO LACK OF EXPERIENCE, WAS INITIALLY UNSURE IF THE PROBLEM WAS WITH HER OR THE CAR. THE LAST TIME SCARED HER, AND THE DEALER'S REP SAID "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN". DEALER DID A GOOD JOB IN PERSISTING WITH THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS FINALLY (AFTER TWO DAYS) TRACED TO THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL CABLE DUST COVER COMING LOOSE AND WEDGING ITSELF BETWEEN THE CABLE AN ACTUATOR IN A DIFFICULT TO DETECT LOCATION.*AK