NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
678 reports62,011 miles · Jun 27, 2008
Exterior Lighting
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V524000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL) IN 2006. TWO YEARS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SHE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LAMP AND TURN SIGNAL WERE INOPERATIVE. SHE REPEATEDLY REPLACED…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V524000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL) IN 2006. TWO YEARS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SHE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LAMP AND TURN SIGNAL WERE INOPERATIVE. SHE REPEATEDLY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT BULB, BUT IT CONTINUED TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE HER VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL, SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 62,011.
NHTSA ODI #10232540
82,991 miles · Jun 27, 2008
Fuel System, Other
1) 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER 80,000 MILES WOULD NOT START 2) CAR DID NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED INTO AN AUTO SHOP 3) A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS ORDERED ADN REPLACED, NOW CAR IS RUNNING
NHTSA ODI #10232534
62,011 miles · Jun 27, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN STOPPED RUNNING. THE CONTACT COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,011.
NHTSA ODI #10232524
75,068 miles · Jun 26, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
FUEL PUMP FAILED ON ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF PROBLEM OR WEAR. HAD THE FUEL PUMP FAILED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN OPERATION, THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH OR TRAFFIC OBSTRUCTION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10232441
104,000 miles · Jun 26, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH ROUGHLY 104,000 MILES ON IT, AND COULD NOT GET IT STARTED ONE DAY. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WE GOT THE VEHICLE STARTED. TWO DAYS LATER SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY AND THE FUEL PUMP GAVE UP, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. THIS CAUSED TRAFFIC PROBL…
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MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH ROUGHLY 104,000 MILES ON IT, AND COULD NOT GET IT STARTED ONE DAY. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WE GOT THE VEHICLE STARTED. TWO DAYS LATER SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY AND THE FUEL PUMP GAVE UP, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. THIS CAUSED TRAFFIC PROBLEMS FOR MANY MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD, AS WELL AS PUT HER IN HARM'S WAY. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WE ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING A FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. MY RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT MANY 2003 CHEVY CAVALIER OWNERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR FUEL PUMPS, MANY AT MUCH LOWER MILEAGE THAN 104K. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10232435
84,000 miles · Jun 23, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL I STOPPED AT A FOUR WAY STOP. WHEN IT WAS MY TURN I TRIED TO TAKE OFF AND TO MY SURPRISE, MY CAR BOGGED DOWN AND BY THE TIME I MADE IT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION I WAS UP TO ONLY 15 MPH. GLAD I DID NOT GET HIT. IT DROVE FINE FOR 2 MILES AND WHEN I GOT HOME AND SHUT IT OFF, IT WOULD NO LONGER RUN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10232070
96,000 miles · Jun 23, 2008
Electrical System
SPEEDOMETER STICKS, WILL NOT RETURN TO ZERO. AS YOU INCREASE SPEED IT GOES UP FROM THERE, AFTER A WHILE IT READS OVER 100 MPH EVEN IF YOU ARE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN. IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT. IF YOU TURN THE IGNITION ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES IT MAY RESET. THEN IT WILL BE OK FOR A FEW DAYS THEN DO IT AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10232069
55,223 miles · Jun 23, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,200. UPDATED 07/09/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,200. UPDATED 07/09/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 07/08/08. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10232059
1,000 miles · Jun 22, 2008
Seat Belts
WHEN I DRIVE MY CAVALIER WITH A PASSENGER NEXT TO ME AND THEY WEAR THEIR SEATBELT THE SEAT BELT TIGHTENS UP AS YOU DRIVE SO MUCH SO THAT YOU HAVE TO DISCONNECT IT OR IT WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. THE DEALER SAID THAT WE COULD BUY AN EXTENSION FOR THE BELT BUT THAT IS NOT REQUIRED AS THERE IS ROOM LEFT IN THE BELT WHEN IT IS NO…
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WHEN I DRIVE MY CAVALIER WITH A PASSENGER NEXT TO ME AND THEY WEAR THEIR SEATBELT THE SEAT BELT TIGHTENS UP AS YOU DRIVE SO MUCH SO THAT YOU HAVE TO DISCONNECT IT OR IT WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. THE DEALER SAID THAT WE COULD BUY AN EXTENSION FOR THE BELT BUT THAT IS NOT REQUIRED AS THERE IS ROOM LEFT IN THE BELT WHEN IT IS NOT LOCKED UP !THE SERVICE GIRL IMPLIED THAT WE WERE TO FAT AS I LATTER REALIZED THAT WAS THE BASIS OF HER EXTENSION COMMENT. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE . THIS HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10231970
50,000 miles · Jun 22, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline
CAVALIER 2003 FUEL PUMP FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY HIGHWAY. VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE BEHIND, IT SAW THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON AND IT CHANGED LANE, BUT THE NEXT VEHICLE ON HIGH SPEED ONLY SAW THE STALLED CAVALIER AFTER THE CAR AHEAD OF IT HAD CHANGED LANE. STALLED CAVALIER WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED, LUCKILY THE THIRD CAR'S BR…
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CAVALIER 2003 FUEL PUMP FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY HIGHWAY. VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE BEHIND, IT SAW THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON AND IT CHANGED LANE, BUT THE NEXT VEHICLE ON HIGH SPEED ONLY SAW THE STALLED CAVALIER AFTER THE CAR AHEAD OF IT HAD CHANGED LANE. STALLED CAVALIER WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED, LUCKILY THE THIRD CAR'S BRAKE WAS GOOD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10231934
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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