Comments: 1-15, 16-27
The trac off light has been a continuing problem.
Loose hub caps caused loud external noise.
Poor design of the windshield wipers cause the spray to be below the wipers.
Problems could not be solved by any of the dealer service shops I took the vehicle to. Now that the warranty is over it is expensive to keep the car going.
When I called Cheverolet they were unwilling to help or admit there were problems with the car.
When did you call them?
Was it before or after you were out of the 3/36 warranty?
Were they really unwilling to help?
Or could you just not provide them with 3 good solid business reasons so that they could assist you?
I am not surprised to hear of Chevrolet's failure to respond to you. I had the exact same experience with Chevrolet from 1989 to 1994.
I leased a brand new 1989 Camaro from August, 1989 through February, 1994. I had problems with every major component on the car. This included 2 transmission replacements, 4 breakdowns requiring towing, a new paint job, upholstery coming unglued, electrical problems, cooling system defects, and faulty suspension components. All this under warranty. The car spent well over 3 months in the dealer for warranty repairs. This is cumulative for all repairs. I ended up filing a small claims lawsuit against General Motors and Gunderson Chevrolet in El Monte, CA. I received a judgment of just over $1,000.00. The dealer installed non-factory A/C when the car was new. This caused numerous problems. The court ruled against GM and Gunderson because they failed to disclose this to me before I purchased the car.
I contacted the dealer and Chevrolet directly many, many times before I filed this lawsuit. The only concession I received was the extension of my factory warranty. however, this did not help me when I needed a car to drive while mine was in the shop. I was actually told by Steven Brumm, a customer relations manager for Chevrolet, that "there was no such thing as a 'Lemon'". I suggested Mr. Brumm trade cars with me. He declined.
Since 1994, I have purchased a Honda, a Ford, and a Mercury. Nothing but good luck with all 3. My teenage son is interested in buying a Cavalier. I "cringe" at the thought of having to deal with Chevrolet again. I was hoping things had changed in the last 9 years. I guess not...
I bought my wife a 1999 Cavalier LS a few years back, and, aside from replacing the factory battery, plugs, and wires at 68000 miles, have never had one problem with it. Blame the owner, not the car.
- Tighten the hubcaps.
- Buy new wipers. Nobody else seems to be having any problems with the "poorly designed windshield.
- What sort of problems were you having with the 'trac off' light? Can you be more specific? If you buy a $12k car then you are going to have minor electrical problems once in awhile.
From the way that you're complaining it almost seems as if you are having major problems with your car, but all I can see is a loose hubcap, a worn windshield wiper, and a light bulb problem. Am I missing something?
I agree that there are major design flaws with the 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier and that GM provides very poor service. My car has also been in the shop numerous times.
I purchased my car new from the dealership. After having my car for only 10,000 kilometers, they needed to replace my headlight because all of the wires had completely corroded. My wipers also spray the windshield washer fluid too low. I have had to replace the trim around my driver's side door. I had to replace my brake pads and rotors at 45,000 kilometers (which I found out was common because GM has decided to use rotors that you can't lathe).
At 62,000 kilometers I had to replace the fuel pump in my car. Luckily after complaining too many people they had decided to refund me my money.
I have also complained to the dealership about my transmission shifting very hard and also on a couple of occasions, slipping out of gear. After complaining for about 1 year, they did nothing. I would have loved to be able to check the fluid level in the transmission, but, GM thought it would be a good idea to design a transmission without a dip stick. Finally I had had enough and I decided to bring my car to a transmission specialist. They found the problem only after 10 minutes.
I am currently at 80,000 kilometers and now my horn does not work.
I am a first time car buyer and I can tell you this, I will not buy a GM product again.
You people need a reality check your crying that the horn dosnt work-well get a fuse big spender... and hubcaps come on I really fail to see how you could say a car is no good because after 3 years you have a loose hubcap... that stuff happens if your driving a chevy, ford or anything and instead of spending 20$ for a set of new hubcaps you have the nerve to come on here and say the car is no good. maybe you should ride a bike cause you obiously don't no anything about cars.
I hypothesize that the rude comments added to this post doubting the problems existed or claiming they are minor were actually made by Chevy service dept personnel or GM employees.
Certainly can't prove it, but the attitude of the comments sounds exactly the same as how you are treated by the service departments.
They chastise you for expecting any quality whatsoever from a GM of that price. Well heads up guys, you don't see the same level of complaints from the rice-rocket manufacturers. Get a clue.
I too own a 2000 Cavalier Ls sedan. I have had a continuing problematic situation with the car. Such as the trac light coming on and staying on and then the check engine light on. The fuel pump, water pump, speed sensing harness replaced.. GM was of zero help in resolving dealer related problems. Currently, after an ignition recall fix the vehicle would not start right. A bad recall part was discovered. After a new recall part was installed, same thing. The dealer then replaced the starter. The vehicle still does not start right. I am scheduled for a fourth attempt to make it right. The car has been nothing but a pain. I feel GM doesn't really care as the bottom line.
I own a 2004 cavalier currently and from day one I have had nothing, but problems with this car. I decided to trade in my 1994 cavalier for a more reliable car. However, I have had the new 04 cavalier in the shop more than the 94 ever was.
From day one with the 04 cavlier the hubcaps have been squeaking. There is a gm service bulletin about this issue. The car has been in the shop now five times already for this problem. It is currently in the shop now and I REFUSE to take the car back till the problem is fixed. The dealer is supplying me with a rental car in the mean time.
Other than the hubcap problem, The heater cable bent in the first 3 three months of owning the car. The rotors have prematurely warped and the car had only 7,000 miles on it. The trunk release intermediately works.
The windshield wiper sprayers don't spray far enough up on the window to clean the viewing area. My wife's 2000 cavalier has this same problem.
I love Chevy's and have owned nothing, but Chevy's in all the years I have been driving. But, due to the problems I have had with this 04 if the dealer can't fix the issues I will be filling a Lemon law complaint in hopes that I can get out Chevy's all together and go and get a Toyota instead.
Comments on 2000 Cavalier:
My engine and transmission run well however, the Cavalier has been in the shop 17 times for warranty repairs. Some of the items include: horn replaced twice, radio replaced twice, power window motors replaced four times, new hubcaps needed because old ones squeaked, recall on the ignition slider mechanism, door lock replaced, etc. About the hubcaps: they squeak, GM admits this, but has no cure. My dealer gave me a set from a 2001 Cavalier and the squeak is gone! Car is fun to drive and is great in the snow.....but....the minor defects will kill you and your pocketbook when the warranty runs out...
I, too, have a 200 Cavalier. We have had several issues with my car as well, but I must admit, most of them were cosmetic issues. In all fairness, to this date, I have had no MAJOR mechanical issues. We had the car for less than 30 days, and the red break light (the one that comes on when you set the emergency break) came on for no apparent reason and the car had to be towed to the dealership. This issue ended up being something with a break sensor, that was replaced. We have had the springs and seat frame (both driver and passenger seat) replaced 9 times. The springs kept popping out of the frame, sometimes before we could drive off of the lot. The last time we had them replaced, the shop insisted that we were causing the issue with the seat. So, I made him drive around the block in it and before we could get back to the shop, with the mechanic driving, the spring was already broken (haha)! They kept replacing them until the warranty expired and now they are broken again. We pulled the seat covering off of the frame to see what the problem was, and found that the dealership was not replacing the frame, but putting back together with ZIP TIES!! After several calls and emails and handwritten letters to GM, no response. The radio/cd player had to be replaced, since the cd player stopped working. We also had the same issue with the hubcap squeaking noise. After 8 different trips to the dealership about those, we were told that we would have to apply grease between the tire and the hubcap to stop the noise. So, until the car was out of warranty, I took the car to the dealership and had them do it, since this was their issue. When warranty ran out, we then purchased wheels and ditched the hubcaps (looks much better anyway). The trunk lid will not close without repeated attempts. So much, in fact, that after a couple of years with having to slam the lid, our trunk lid was dented. (we recently were rear-ended in an auto accident and we were able to get a new lid due to that, and it does not shut either... go figure) I do agree that the windshield washer fluid does not spray high enough, but I figure that is a very minor issue. I did have to get new brakes and rotors, but I have never had a car that I didn't have to replace those.
I too have had difficulty with a vehicle I purchased a brand new Toyota pickup from a Chevrolet dealership that was also licensed handled Toyota vehicles. I had nothing, but trouble with the dealership in repairing my vehicle and the following can be completely documented...
In the first 3 months that I had the Toyota truck I missed a total of 18 work days trying to get problems taken care of...
They replaced the windshield wiper motor 4 times...
Had to replace the electrical harness.. purchased a used
one from the junk yard...
Had to take out 2 dents the truck got in it while in the
shop and replace a cracked tail light from the dent
repair...
Had switched the original wipers with a set from a
year before's model (found that out when I tried to replace
the wipers when they wore out "purchased at a new
dealership so I knew they would be installed correctly"
When I got the truck it had an original battery - when
"they worked on it" I finally found out that the battery
was cracked - hence the problem with the wiper motors and
electrical harness (they solved the problem with the
battery leaking by turning it around so it leaked on
something else instead of on the wiper motor,
electrical harness and frame" I saw them do this, but
what are you going to do!!!
When I tried to get a new key for the truck they tried to
use the wrong blank, got it stuck in the ignition switch,
wanted to keep it over night so they could pull the
ignition switch to get the key out, with the key stuck
in the lock, but parked outside the building (are they
really that ----?
Since that time, I have taken it elsewhere to be repaired and found that having the repairs being done properly pretty much depend on the dealership you take it to and their integrity..
Know of at least 3 other people I warned not to buy vehicles from first lot and THEY had MAJOR Problems (3 fuel injectors on one vehicle pickup) (major transmission problem on another vehicle (Chevy van), etc.
Obviously, the problem is not limited to just the Cavaliers that Chevy puts out...
I'm beginning to believe that there is no way to tell whether a vehicle is any good because the shop that repairs it has to be honest and you can't tell if they're reliable or not, unless you are related to the owner, work in the shop or stand over them while they fix the problems so you can see the work being done!
Good luck!!
I have a 2002 cavalier I just got it 8 months ago and I got problems with this car all ready my first problem is when I turn I hear a clunk noise coming from the steering wheel and make a clunking noise when I turn, I think both drive shaft are going bad, I'm afraid to drive this car any more, I had an experience with drive shaft breaking on me I almost kill my self, so I called chevy and they told me that my car warranty was expire, an other words I was (sol)
if any body have this type of problems e-mail me at gerardo1galant@yahoo.com.
I have a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier that is problematic. Since the second week I have had the car it has made the clunking when turning either direction. I also have had it in the shop seven times. There is apparently a wiring problem that has forced me to replace every computer in the car. All of the lights continue to blink off and on, the car blows fuses left and right. The three mechanics I have taken the car to cannot find the problem. I have already replaced the wiring harness and still the problem cannot be fixed or found. The car has been a problem and I can no longer afford to pay the payments and pay for the "fixing" of the car so I pay the payments and the car sits not running. I am very sad that I have spent so much money and time on this car and have a car that does not run. I have always owned Chevrolet vehicles and never had a problem like this. It is so sad to be stuck with this car.
I have owned my 2000 Chevy Cavalier for 9 months. After owning a 1987 Buick Century Custom for 4 years prior, squeaking hubcaps do not bother me. The problem I have, and I hope someone can solve, is electrical. When I turn on my headlights, the dash acts as if I just turned the car on--indicator lights are on (lamp test), gauges drop to zero and then return to where they were before. When the car was in 4 degree weather, no lights came on including dome on entry and the car turned, but did not turn over to start. Tinkered with headlights and "poof," lights came on and the car rolled over and ran fine. Replaced the headlight/combination switch. Then the same thing happened twice within 15 minutes after leaving the garage, first when I hit the brakes at a red stoplight and then when I shifted into gear (automatic transmission). Replaced the ignition switch. Now the radio/CD stays on permanently (even when the car is off and the key is out and I have stepped out and locked up the vehicle). Also, when I put a CD in the player on leaving the garage for the second time, the dash lit up again. There is a kind of quiet pop when this happens. I have an e-mail into GM. We shall see... Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!