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.
The contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier. While driving approximatley 35 mph, an unusual noise emitted from the steering wheel and the entire instrument panel illuminated. In addition, the vehicle began to jerk. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The trouble code detected a failure within the steering column. The mechanic reset the steering column sensor; however, the failure persisted. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 08E063000 (steering). The vehicle was not repaired for a second time. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
My key came out of the ignition while the car was still running and in the on position, and also another time the car key turned off by itself and I lost power to the vehicle and my brakes locked and almost caused me to get into a crash.
Whenever the steering wheel is turned a "clunk" can be heard and felt. This happened back in about 2003 and still continues to this day. On second complaint, odometer numbers no longer show up properly. Only when pressure is applied to the odometer area do the numbers light up.
2001 Chevrolet Cavalier makes a click noise in front end when turning hard right. The vehicle stalled. The next day, the consumer had the vehicle towed and the dealer replaced the fuel pump. The steering gear was replaced. The valve cover gasket, control arm bushings and struts were replaced.
At about 34,000 miles the steering case started making a clicking noise, I took it to the dealer and they told me it was nothing, they lubed something. After that the noise went away but just a couple of months later I started feeling a clanking noise in the steering, it turns out when I took it in for my annual inspection the mechanic states in about a year or two the steering will no longer work. Turns out a friend of mine had the same problem with steering, while coming out of their driveway, they couldn't turn the wheel, they eventually had too change the steering case in the car. What happens if a person is on the highway and no longer can steer the car, the results would be catastrophic.
The steering makes lots of noises. Major steering components have been replaced, yet the problems still exists. My 4th attempt to have the problem repaired, resulted in the service technician advising me to continue driving the car until the steering gets worse. He claimed the noises are not loud enough, nor frequent enough to be repaired. I say it is very frightening to hear such noises when steering the car, especially at higher speeds (45+). I no longer drive the vehicle, it is parked and will remain so until I am assured that it is safe to drive.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Mt. Vernon, CT, USA