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6.7

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
10,040 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.

2003 Chevrolet Cavalier engine problems

engine problem

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2003 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner Comments

problem #10

Jul 042011

Cavalier

  • 30,000 miles

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

I am the owner of a 2003 Chevy Cavalier and I have 2 complaints that should have been recalls as there are many with the same 2 problems, first every gauge in my car quit working no RPM, no gas guage and no speedometer. Second ever since I bought my car for no reason at all it would just stall at redlights when I would take off, dealer said no problem, I have nearly wrecked many times because of this, the latest was today I have read many forums that say they found out it was the faulty plastic fuel pump, why no recall this is going to get someone killed.

- Sherman, TX, USA

problem #9

Sep 132007

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 55,000 miles
Car stalls intermittently, usually when coming to a stop. This is either with the clutch engaged or with the transmission in neutral. The idle dips to about 500rpm, fluctuates, and either goes back up to 900rpm or stalls the car. Restarts are hard. The car has approximately 61,000 miles. It has happened frequently for the past six months. Some days it's fine, and others it stalls every time you come to a stop light.

- Crystal Lake, IL, USA

problem #8

Jul 212004

(reported on)

Cavalier

  • 700 miles
Various problems with 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier. The vehicle tail light shorted out three times then the circuit shorted out. The gas gauge would fluctuate. Cold starts. The vehicle would hesitate at stop light or stall out completely. The driver' S side speaker blew. The cd player would eject the cd while it was playing. The RPM gauge bounced. The fuel pump was replaced. The alternator made noise.

- Unknown, DC, USA

problem #7

Jun 062003

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,000 miles

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

2003 Chevrolet Cavalier. Stalls constantly when air conditioning is on and car is idling (ie at a traffic light, in traffic or stop sign) engine failure over 20 times in the last year car was taken in for service four times with no result.

- Hoboken, NJ, USA

problem #6

Nov 252003

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 5,000 miles
When coasting to a stop and depressing clutch, car idle speed will drop below the normal idle speed of 800 RPM. Sometimes, the idle speed will bounce around between 400 RPM and 800 RPM. Other times, the engine will stall. Problem is intermittent, but will usually occur multiple times before fixing itself. The stalling engine is a concern because of the lost of power steering making turns. Dealer unable to duplicate problem.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #5

Nov 032003

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 200 miles
Car stalls. This has been reported to the dealer. Car has been to the dealer on 2 occasions for this issue. Always get response, "cannot duplicate the issue." Just purchased 2003 Cavalier in July of this year. Vehicle only has 7000 miles on it. This began in August. Have been reporting these incidents to the dealer ever since.

- Biloxi, MS, USA

problem #4

Nov 052003

(reported on)

Cavalier

  • Manual transmission
  • 2,000 miles

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

Vehicle stalled while driving 65 mph on the highway. The cause of the problem had not been determined.

- Scottsdale, AZ, USA

problem #3

Aug 202003

Cavalier

  • 1,500 miles
While driving at any speed and whenever the consumer depressed the brake pedal vehicle lost power. Also, intermittently cruise control engaged on its own. Vehicle would have to be turned off to disengage it. Vehicle was taken to dealer several times, and the dealer could not find the causes of the problems.

- Harrison, MI, USA

problem #2

Sep 082003

Cavalier

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I was informed by a customer service rep at Chevrolet on 9/5/03 that my vehicle was covered for head gasket repair under a "special policy" recall. At the urging of this customer service rep from Chevrolet, bruce mitchell, I took my vehicle to the dealer for repair. I was notified by their service dept. That this "special policy" expired 7/03 and that it would cost over $1,400 to fix all of the damages including the head gasket. I told the dealership not to fix the problems. I called Chevrolet and spoke with the same customer service representative as I had earlier. He apologized and informed me that he was incorrect in telling me that the head gasket would be covered at no cost. I purchased this vechicle from a private sale in 2/03. I was never informed by anyone that any recalls were available to me. My vehicle started having problems a couple of weeks ago, so I looked on Chevrolet's website to see if perhaps there were any recalls out for my car and there were 2 and this other "special policy". I asked the company how I was supposed to know that this policy had an expiration date if I never knew about it in the first place. They told me that they did all that they can do and that they cannot help me. I cannot afford to get my vehicle fixed so therefore it is undrivable to me. I think that this is ridiculous. I missed the expiration date by 2 months because of an expired policy that I never knew about, or would have known about if I didn't take it upon myself to conduct some research on the Chevrolet website and take the initiative to call their company. I'm frustrated and angry that a customer service representative got this information so wrong. Now I'm stuck.....I would not have taken this vehicle to the dealership for repair if I would have not been misinformed.

- Bellefonte, PA, USA

problem #1

Aug 252003

Cavalier

  • miles
When attempting to shut off vehicle continued to run.

- Wollaston, MA, USA

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