2001 Chevrolet Cavalier from North America - Comments

If your Cavalier is stalling or hesitating when you step on the gas, you're not alone. I have a 2004 Cavalier and I just replaced my fuel pump and the problem is solved. $238.14 from kregen auto parts. The fuel pump is in the gas tank (made of plastic). It took me 2 and a half hours to complete all by myself. I used a 13mm socket pipe wrench and two flat head screwdrivers. Chevy has the fuel pump on recall on a few of the Cavaliers. Also I would have my trac off light and ABS light come on, and that is due to a bad ABS sensor. You have four on on each side, and they're about $240.00 EACH.

Now go fix it.

I have a 2003 Cavalier and I have the same problems with my transmission, trac light and check engine light.

It all started after I put my cold air intake on. I think it has something to do with the computer or some connection from the intake to the motor. The reason I believe this is because it was a used intake, and when I was installing my neons the other day, I had disconnected the battery because I did not want to get shocked, and when I was finished installing the neons, I had connected the battery cables back up, started her up and it shifted like a brand new Cadillac.

BUT, after about 15-20 minutes of driving, sure enough the lights came back on and it started to shift hard again. It's almost like disconnecting the battery reset the system and it took a while to realize something was wrong. Please someone help with this issue...

I also have a 2001 Chevy Cavalier. After leaving an oil change, I noticed my trac off light was on, my speedometer was not working, and my car felt stuck in a low gear. The oil change shop assured me it had nothing to do with their service and that I should see a mechanic. So I went to the dealer and they found that the speed sensor cable, which is located near the oil filter, had been disconnected. They fixed it quickly and I only owed the diagnostic fee. I then returned to the oil change shop, explained the situation, and was reimbursed since it was their mistake.

There seems to be a continuing problem with these Cavaliers. I bought mine brand new from the dealer, it is a 2001 Chevy Cavalier.

I had to replace the fuel, sensors, wiring harness, brakes, to name a few things, all within the first 2 years.

I have had to do the above several times, and have no idea what the dealer did to my car when I took it to them due to the recall.

This morning when I got it, as I see you all keep talking about, the Trac Off Light came on when I started the car. I thought it was going to jump across the road and I hadn't put it in gear, it was just sitting there. I came online to look up the problem, and see that these cars seem to be junk. I wonder why these vehicles weren't recalled.

I have spent a fortune and can't afford another car right now. Is there somewhere we can compain, there is a lemon law for used vehicles. Shouldn't new vehicles have the same recourse besides that useless warranty that comes with it, that for some reason doesn't ever qualify on the particular problem the car is having at that time.

I have a 2001 Chevy Cavalier with about 90K miles on it. Recently the TRAC OFF light has been coming on intermittently, which leads to jumping when shifting from park to drive, the transmission getting stuck in gear, and often stalling in slowing traffic.

The Check Engine light came on as well, so I went to AutoZone, they allow you to use their scanner to read the engine error codes for free, and read the following error:

P0122: TPS/Pedal Position Sensor A Circuit Low Input.

Luckily, if it is the throttle position sensor (TPS) it's only about $30 and an easy fix. I'll write back if the replacing the part fixes the problem.

Well not that this will be a surprise to anyone but, I have a 2001 Chevy Cavalier and guess what? My trac off light has been coming on for about a month and more recently lately. Well today as some of you have experienced my trac off light came on with an added check engine light to accompany it. I was able to restart the car and clear the trac off light as always but the engine light stayed until I left it off for a couple of hours (it cleared on restart).

Well on the advice of some who have written in, I went and bought a TPS. Tomorrow I will chance it and let you all know how well it works.

OK, after reading everyone else's comments, I am happy to know I am not ALONE! I have been having the trac off problem for about 3 years! It happens all times of the day or night, at any speed, and just whenever it feels like it, BUT, I notice it never happens in the winter, just in spring, summer and fall... more frequently in summer. I can be going down the highway at 75 and it will come on. It feels like it shifts into a lower gear, and the only thing that works is to shift into neutral, turn off and restart the car. Then it works fine, until it happens again, whenever. Sometimes it will happen 4-5 times in a short trip, and when you restart it several times, then the engine light will come on and stay on. It usually takes about 3 "normal" starts before the engine light goes off again. I have been seriously considering buying a new car, but if I can do an inexpensive fix on it, I would like to keep my car for at least another year. Did anyone ever find out if that track sensor thing worked???

We've had our 2001 Cavalier (base) for just over 6 months now and, fingers crossed, it hasn't been any trouble. There's not much life left in the clutch, but I knew that when we bought it, and since we got it the windshield washer bottle has a steady fast leak that means half an hour later your washer fluid has disappeared.

Other than that it has done and continues to do what we ask of it. Build quality is certainly suspect, lots of wind noise thanks to the window trim being loose and getting blown at speed. It was a $3000 vehicle, 136000kms when we got it, now up to 148000kms. It's important to keep perspective; it isn't a Bentley.

The good thing is that I'm not alone. The bad thing is that, after reading all of these comments, no one has seemed to come up with an answer.

The Trac Off/check engine thing has been happening with my 2001 for about the past 3-4 years. And again, it's only during the summer and mostly just during the day. I took it to the shop 2 summers ago and they scanned it and said they could not diagnose anything without the light being on.

This TPS sounds promising. If anyone has had any success with that, it'd be great to know.

Nothing terrible has happened in the past few years, but it just gets annoying turning on and off my car at every stop light during the summer.