Print this page

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,250 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2004 Chevrolet Aveo engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2004 Chevrolet Aveo Owner Comments

problem #5

Dec 132016

Aveo

  • 85,250 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While backing up my vehicle I shifted the transmission from drive to reverse. The engine immediately accelerated to approximately 500 RPM. I immediately put my foot on the break, shifted to neutral, and turn the ignition to off. I was able to immediately restart to vehicle with no problem. This has happened before two or three times. Onetime while the vehicle was in drive and I had to press hard on the break and shut off ignition to avoid an accident. I seems like it mostly happens when it is cold outside ( in the 30"S F). I think this is an unsafe situation and an accident waiting to happen.

- Sammanish, WA, USA

problem #4

Jul 052011

Aveo

  • 67,000 miles
This is the same vehicle as NHTSA incident 10393028 (snapped plastic thermostat housing unit). Driving on a multiple lane freeway at ~65mph and the timing belt snapped (high pitched whistle like the car window was slightly open). Immediately lost all speed control and began rapidly decelerating. Thankfully, was in right hand lane and was able to coast off the next available exit. Likely would have been killed had I been in any other lane in morning traffic and lost control of vehicle. Once stopped, car could not be turned back on and would not move until turned into acc mode where it finally allowed me to shift into neutral. Had to be towed, eventually to the dealership. Engine damage was catastrophic and required extensive and expensive repairs (3 weeks and approximately $2,700). Snapped timing belt also bent pistons and valves and required the water pump to be replaced. This is clearly a known issue that should be dealt with by Chevrolet, rather than hiding behind the 60,000 mile replacement, which is laughably low for a timing belt. Further - my timing belt was supposed to have been replaced at 50,000 miles and thus not only did a Chevrolet dealership lie to me, they put my life at risk by knowing this was an issue that would inevitably occur long before the next scheduled belt replacement. This car has been meticulously maintained with oil changes every 3,000 miles and only 5,000-10,000 miles driven/year. There was no reason for the timing belt to snap other than being a faulty part that should have been recalled.

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #3

Mar 172013

Aveo 4-cyl

  • 84,000 miles
As I began to accelerate onto the highway, I felt that my car was not picking up, I could only get to around 40-45mph on a highway that is 65mph. I nearly got rear-ended by cars flying up on me and I quickly pulled off to the shoulder just in time as the power steering also went out and the car appeared to have stopped running. I could not get the car to start again. The diagnostics came back that the timing belt had gone and it could be fixed for anywhere between $800 to needing a brand new motor. This floored me as I always had the oil and fluids replaced and the car only had 84K miles on it. I began to research the Aveo and bam, there it was, over and over again on-line. Owners all complaining of the same problem with their Aveo. The timing belt on the Aveo, especially the 04-07 models go and will require anywhere from a major fix to a brand new engine. This is a big problem on a little car. I went on craigslist to look for a new engine, but instead found 10 Aveos in one hour... that were being sold for parts because their timing belt went! please take a look at this problem, I believe there is a major problem with the Aveo deserving of a recall, and owners should be made aware of this serious problem and the persistent need to have their timing belt replaced or face a total engine replacement. I could have easily been rear-ended or worse because of the loss of power and power steering. Thank you.

- Huntingdon, PA, USA

problem #2

Feb 082012

Aveo

  • miles
I was on the highway on my way to pick up my son. I felt the accelerator "clunk" and noticed when I entered the exit ramp that I was not slowing down. I applied the brake and as suspect the engine whined due to both brake and accelerator being pushed at the same time. I place it in neutral and came to a stop. I applied the parking brake and tried to dislodge the acceleration pedal. It didn't seem to move but when I put the car back into drive the problem had been remedied. I'm so happy that my son was not in the car and that I was on the highway and not in the city!

- Wichita , KS, USA

problem #1

Dec 172007

Aveo 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 0 miles
As soon as I started backing out of my apt. Parking place, the accelerator jammed sending my 2004 Chevy Aveo backwards into an apt. Across the street. The deputy estimated the speed at 40mph. My car was totaled. The damages to apt. Building required the tenants to move to another apt. That day. There was nothing I could do to stop it. I received minor injuries.

- West Monroe, LA, USA

Not what you are looking for?