NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
678 reports110,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
FUEL PUMP ON 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER WENT OUT. ONLY HAVE 110,000 MILES ON CAR. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN I59 WHEN CAR STALLED OUT. CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN DRIVE WAY FOR 2 MONTHS BECAUSE WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO DISH OUT $600 RIGHT NOW. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID WE PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP WITH REPAIR. I KNOW IT IS …
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FUEL PUMP ON 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER WENT OUT. ONLY HAVE 110,000 MILES ON CAR. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN I59 WHEN CAR STALLED OUT. CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN DRIVE WAY FOR 2 MONTHS BECAUSE WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO DISH OUT $600 RIGHT NOW. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID WE PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP WITH REPAIR. I KNOW IT IS A LONG SHOT BUT WORTH A TRY. IF THEY DO NOT PAY FOR REPAIR IT WILL BE ANOTHER 2 MONTHS BEFORE WE CAN GET OUR CAR BACK BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE OUT OF EACH PAYCHECK. THERE GOES CHRISTMAS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10248314
66,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Fuel System, GasolineVisibility
WHILE STOP AT A RED LIGHT VEH.CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RE-STAR. TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. COST $1,050. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS,TWO MOTORS REPLACED ,ONE SWITCH AND STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. BESIDES THAT NO COMPLAIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10248249
65,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
FUEL PUMP STALLED ON 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10248248
65,000 miles · Nov 7, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AT 65,000 MILES LAST YEAR.....DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS SUCH AN ISSUE UNTIL I WAS RESEARCHING IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247927
45,964 miles · Nov 6, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
I HAVE AN '03 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH 45,000 MILES. ON 11/5/08 TRYING TO GET HOME FROM WORK THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE FUEL PUMP CAN NOT BE HEARD WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO THE ACCESSORY POSITION. THEIR HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THIS ISSUE BY DOT & GM, BUT NO RECALL. GM IS AWARE THAT GASOLINE PREMATURELY CORRODES THE S…
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I HAVE AN '03 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH 45,000 MILES. ON 11/5/08 TRYING TO GET HOME FROM WORK THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE FUEL PUMP CAN NOT BE HEARD WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO THE ACCESSORY POSITION. THEIR HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THIS ISSUE BY DOT & GM, BUT NO RECALL. GM IS AWARE THAT GASOLINE PREMATURELY CORRODES THE STARTER ON THESE MODELS, BUT HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS PART IS VERY HIGH, & THE SERVICE LIFE OF THIS PART SHOULD BE MUCH GREATER, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT POSES A GREAT HAZARD IF IT FAILS WHILE DRIVING. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247868
110,000 miles · Nov 5, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 CAVALIER ON SUNDAY 11-2-08, THE CAR SHUT OFF AND I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WITH CARS BEHIND. IT LUCKILY HAPPENED BEFORE AN INTERSECTION SO I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. ANYWAYS MY FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. NOW I CAN'T EVEN START MY CAR. I SAW THERE ARE OVER 550 COMPLAINTS, IS CHEVY JUST WA…
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WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 CAVALIER ON SUNDAY 11-2-08, THE CAR SHUT OFF AND I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WITH CARS BEHIND. IT LUCKILY HAPPENED BEFORE AN INTERSECTION SO I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. ANYWAYS MY FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. NOW I CAN'T EVEN START MY CAR. I SAW THERE ARE OVER 550 COMPLAINTS, IS CHEVY JUST WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO RECALL THIS FAULTY EQUIPMENT? HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO THEY NEED? WHILE DRIVING AT A FASTER SPEED AND YOUR CAR SHUTS OFF AND YOU LOSE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING, A PERSON WILL HAVE A PRETTY SEVERE ACCIDENT. CHEVY NEEDS TO RECALL AND REPLACE ALL 2003 CAVALIERS' FUEL PUMP, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO WASTE ON THIS FAULTY EQUIPMENT. I PRETTY MUCH AM NEVER BUYING A CHEVY AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247755
75,000 miles · Nov 3, 2008
Electrical System
CLUSTER STOPS WORKING. READ ABOUT THIS ON SEVERAL FORUMS. SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY DEALER FOR FREE IF THIS IS AN ONGOING COMPLAINT! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247604
62,000 miles · Nov 2, 2008
Exterior LightingFuel System, GasolineCrash
THE CAR HAS BEEN IN TWO ACCIDENTS. THE BOTH WERE COMPLETELY REPAIRED, THE REAR LIGHTS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS DUE TO POOR CONNECTIONS AND THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247447
70,000 miles · Oct 28, 2008
EquipmentFuel System, Gasoline
CAR WOULDN'T START AFTER PUTTING GAS IN IT. CAR WAS TOWED TO CHEVY DEALER, FUEL PUMP REPLACED, AND AFTER THREE DAYS CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247096
61,000 miles · Oct 28, 2008
Fuel System, Other
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND THEN JUST DIED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED FOR $100 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP ON MAY 21ST AND NOW LESS THEN 6 MONTHS LATER, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN! I HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT AND ONCE …
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WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND THEN JUST DIED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED FOR $100 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP ON MAY 21ST AND NOW LESS THEN 6 MONTHS LATER, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN! I HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT AND ONCE AGAIN, THE FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM. WHEN I GOT ON YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT THE POSSIBLE RECALL HAD BEEN CLOSED, I WANTED TO SCREAM! HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP BEFORE CHEVY DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? I'M A SINGLE MOM AND CAN'T AFFORD TO DUE THIS EVERY 6 MONTHS! AFTER MY EXPERIENCE WITH MY CHEVY CAVALIER, I WILL NEVER BUY CHEVY AGAIN! I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ISSUE CAN JUST BE CLOSED WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SEARCH THE INTERNET! THE FUEL PUMPS IN 2003 CHEVY CAVALIERS GO OUT REPEATEDLY! IT ALSO APPEARS THAT THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR AFTER 50,000 MILE MARK. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I JUST WANT TO FIX THE CAR SO I CAN GET RID OF IT. I FIND IT COMPLETELY INSANE THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS MATTER. I FIND IT COMPLETELY INSANE THAT CHEVY IS REQUIRED TO FIX THEIR PROBLEM! NO MATTER HOW WELL I TAKE CARE OF MY CAR, THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE FUEL PUMP!! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10246920
NHTSA investigations
4EA07015 · Engine Stalling - Fuel Pump Failure
Opened Nov 1, 2007 · Closed Oct 28, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
ODI'S ANALYSIS OF THE STALLING INCIDENTS THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES FOUND THAT THEY CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED AND GENERALLY RESULT IN A NO RESTART CONDITION.THESE ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE POTENTIAL SEVERITY OF STALLING INCIDENTS.HOWEVER, THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY LOW RATES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION WHEN COMPARED WITH PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING SIMILAR CATEGORIES OF ENGINE STALL CONSEQUENCES.EVEN FOR THE EARLY MY 2003 PRODUCTION, WHERE HIGHER FAILURE RATES WERE NOTED, THE RATES OF PUMP FAILURES RESULTING IN ENGINE STALL ARE LOWER THAN RATES RECORDED IN PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS OF POPULATIONS THAT WERE NOT RECALLED.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLOSING RESUME.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
ODI'S ANALYSIS OF THE STALLING INCIDENTS THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES FOUND THAT THEY CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED AND GENERALLY RESULT IN A NO RESTART CONDITION.THESE ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE POTENTIAL SEVERITY OF STALLING INCIDENTS.HOWEVER, THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY LOW RATES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION WHEN COMPARED WITH PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING SIMILAR CATEGORIES OF ENGINE STALL CONSEQUENCES.EVEN FOR THE EARLY MY 2003 PRODUCTION, WHERE HIGHER FAILURE RATES WERE NOTED, THE RATES OF PUMP FAILURES RESULTING IN ENGINE STALL ARE LOWER THAN RATES RECORDED IN PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS OF POPULATIONS THAT WERE NOT RECALLED.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLOSING RESUME.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
ODI'S ANALYSIS OF THE STALLING INCIDENTS THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES FOUND THAT THEY CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED AND GENERALLY RESULT IN A NO RESTART CONDITION.THESE ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE POTENTIAL SEVERITY OF STALLING INCIDENTS.HOWEVER, THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY LOW RATES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION WHEN COMPARED WITH PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING SIMILAR CATEGORIES OF ENGINE STALL CONSEQUENCES.EVEN FOR THE EARLY MY 2003 PRODUCTION, WHERE HIGHER FAILURE RATES WERE NOTED, THE RATES OF PUMP FAILURES RESULTING IN ENGINE STALL ARE LOWER THAN RATES RECORDED IN PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS OF POPULATIONS THAT WERE NOT RECALLED.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLOSING RESUME.
Fuel System, Gasoline
ODI'S ANALYSIS OF THE STALLING INCIDENTS THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES FOUND THAT THEY CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED AND GENERALLY RESULT IN A NO RESTART CONDITION.THESE ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE POTENTIAL SEVERITY OF STALLING INCIDENTS.HOWEVER, THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY LOW RATES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION WHEN COMPARED WITH PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING SIMILAR CATEGORIES OF ENGINE STALL CONSEQUENCES.EVEN FOR THE EARLY MY 2003 PRODUCTION, WHERE HIGHER FAILURE RATES WERE NOTED, THE RATES OF PUMP FAILURES RESULTING IN ENGINE STALL ARE LOWER THAN RATES RECORDED IN PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS OF POPULATIONS THAT WERE NOT RECALLED.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLOSING RESUME.
PE07033 · Fuel Pump Failure
Opened Jun 28, 2007 · Closed Nov 1, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.GENERAL MOTORS (GM) HAS IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE WITH ACCELERATED MOTOR BRUSH WEAR IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 CHEVROLET VEHICLES THAT CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO STOP OPERATING.GENERAL MOTORS INDICATED THAT PEROXIDE OR SULFUR, WHICH ARE BOTH PRESENT IN VARYING AMOUNTS IN GASOLINE, CAN REACT WITH THE COPPER COMMUTATOR OF THE PUMP MOTOR AND CORRODE/ROUGHEN THE SURFACE.A ROUGH COMMUTATOR SURFACE INCREASES THE RATE OF BRUSH WEAR.THE INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CAUSED BY DEGRADATION OF THE BRUSH-COMMUTATOR INTERFACE INHIBITS CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE MOTOR WINDINGS.ACCORDING TO GM, THE CONDITION WILL USUALLY RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CURRENT REQUIRED DURING START-UP.WHEN THE ALLEGED DEFECT DOES CAUSE A STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE TYPICALLY CANNOT BE RESTARTED.GM'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANT CLAIMS SHOWED THAT NO START/HARD START WAS THE MOST COMMON CONDITION AND THE FREQUENCY OF CLAIMS ASSOCIATED WITH STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENTS WAS TOO LOW TO WARRANT FIELD ACTION. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-015) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA AND THE ANALYSES PROVIDED BY GM.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.GENERAL MOTORS (GM) HAS IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE WITH ACCELERATED MOTOR BRUSH WEAR IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 CHEVROLET VEHICLES THAT CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO STOP OPERATING.GENERAL MOTORS INDICATED THAT PEROXIDE OR SULFUR, WHICH ARE BOTH PRESENT IN VARYING AMOUNTS IN GASOLINE, CAN REACT WITH THE COPPER COMMUTATOR OF THE PUMP MOTOR AND CORRODE/ROUGHEN THE SURFACE.A ROUGH COMMUTATOR SURFACE INCREASES THE RATE OF BRUSH WEAR.THE INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CAUSED BY DEGRADATION OF THE BRUSH-COMMUTATOR INTERFACE INHIBITS CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE MOTOR WINDINGS.ACCORDING TO GM, THE CONDITION WILL USUALLY RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CURRENT REQUIRED DURING START-UP.WHEN THE ALLEGED DEFECT DOES CAUSE A STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE TYPICALLY CANNOT BE RESTARTED.GM'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANT CLAIMS SHOWED THAT NO START/HARD START WAS THE MOST COMMON CONDITION AND THE FREQUENCY OF CLAIMS ASSOCIATED WITH STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENTS WAS TOO LOW TO WARRANT FIELD ACTION. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-015) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA AND THE ANALYSES PROVIDED BY GM.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.GENERAL MOTORS (GM) HAS IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE WITH ACCELERATED MOTOR BRUSH WEAR IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 CHEVROLET VEHICLES THAT CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO STOP OPERATING.GENERAL MOTORS INDICATED THAT PEROXIDE OR SULFUR, WHICH ARE BOTH PRESENT IN VARYING AMOUNTS IN GASOLINE, CAN REACT WITH THE COPPER COMMUTATOR OF THE PUMP MOTOR AND CORRODE/ROUGHEN THE SURFACE.A ROUGH COMMUTATOR SURFACE INCREASES THE RATE OF BRUSH WEAR.THE INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CAUSED BY DEGRADATION OF THE BRUSH-COMMUTATOR INTERFACE INHIBITS CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE MOTOR WINDINGS.ACCORDING TO GM, THE CONDITION WILL USUALLY RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CURRENT REQUIRED DURING START-UP.WHEN THE ALLEGED DEFECT DOES CAUSE A STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE TYPICALLY CANNOT BE RESTARTED.GM'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANT CLAIMS SHOWED THAT NO START/HARD START WAS THE MOST COMMON CONDITION AND THE FREQUENCY OF CLAIMS ASSOCIATED WITH STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENTS WAS TOO LOW TO WARRANT FIELD ACTION. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-015) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA AND THE ANALYSES PROVIDED BY GM.
Fuel System, Gasoline
AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.GENERAL MOTORS (GM) HAS IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE WITH ACCELERATED MOTOR BRUSH WEAR IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 CHEVROLET VEHICLES THAT CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO STOP OPERATING.GENERAL MOTORS INDICATED THAT PEROXIDE OR SULFUR, WHICH ARE BOTH PRESENT IN VARYING AMOUNTS IN GASOLINE, CAN REACT WITH THE COPPER COMMUTATOR OF THE PUMP MOTOR AND CORRODE/ROUGHEN THE SURFACE.A ROUGH COMMUTATOR SURFACE INCREASES THE RATE OF BRUSH WEAR.THE INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CAUSED BY DEGRADATION OF THE BRUSH-COMMUTATOR INTERFACE INHIBITS CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE MOTOR WINDINGS.ACCORDING TO GM, THE CONDITION WILL USUALLY RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CURRENT REQUIRED DURING START-UP.WHEN THE ALLEGED DEFECT DOES CAUSE A STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE TYPICALLY CANNOT BE RESTARTED.GM'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANT CLAIMS SHOWED THAT NO START/HARD START WAS THE MOST COMMON CONDITION AND THE FREQUENCY OF CLAIMS ASSOCIATED WITH STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENTS WAS TOO LOW TO WARRANT FIELD ACTION. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-015) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA AND THE ANALYSES PROVIDED BY GM.
EA04028 · Turn Signal Malfunction
Opened Sep 14, 2004 · Closed Nov 22, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal
ON MAY 14, 2004 THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE04-043) BASED ON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE BRAKE/TAIL TURN SIGNAL LAMPS WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY WHEN EITHER THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, OR WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED.ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2004 ODI UPGRADED PE 04-043 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-028).GM STATES THAT SOME BRAKE/TAIL/TURN SIGNAL LAMP BULBS CAN PREMATURELY BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP WITHIN THE BULB SOCKETS.THE CAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD UP WAS DETERMINED TO BE A LACK OF THERMAL GREASE PLACED IN BETWEEN THE BULB AND THE SOCKET. BY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 27, 2004 GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 04V524) COVERING ALL MY 2003 VEHICLES.GM DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR LAMP BULB SOCKET ASSEMBLIES AND APPLY THERMAL GREASE TO THEM OR REPLACE THEM WITH NEW ASSEMBLIES WITH THERMAL GREASE ALREADY ATTACHED.MODEL YEAR 2004 AND NEWER VEHICLES HAVE THE THERMAL GREASE INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY. THE ACTION TAKEN BY GM IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
PE04043 · Turn Signal Malfunction
Opened May 14, 2004 · Closed Sep 14, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal
COMPLAINANTS ALLEGE THAT THE REAR TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO ILLUMINATE AND DO NOT PROVIDE A SIGNAL TO DRIVERS IN FOLLOWING VEHICLES.ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE REPORT OF A CRASH WHERE THE COMPLAINANT BRAKED AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE IMPACTED THE COMPLAINANT'S VEHICLE IN THE DRIVER-SIDE DOOR.IN MAY 2002, GM'S SUPPLIER MADE CHANGES TO THE BULB SOCKET THAT INCLUDED STOPPING THE USE OF THERMAL-MASTIC GREASE IN THE BULB SOCKET.GM REPORTS THAT THE GREASE REDUCES ARCING AT THE CONTACTS AND DISSIPATES HEAT THUS PREVENTING MELTING OF THE SOCKET MATERIAL OR BURNING OF THE CONTACTS.MOST OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE APPLIED TO THE BULB SOCKET.IN JUNE 2003, GM DIRECTED THE SUPPLIER TO RESUME THE USE OF GREASE IN THE SOCKET.GM ISSUED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) 04-08-42-004A ON JULY 15, 2004 ADVISING TECHNICIANS TO MAKE SURE THAT ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF GREASE WERE ADDED TO THE BULB SOCKETS ON ALL SERVICE PARTS.ODI WILL UPGRADE THIS INVESTIGATION TO EA 04-028 TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE ISSUE.
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