1992 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Electrical System Problems

I OWN A 1992 CHEV CAVALIER Z-24 AND HAVE BEEN READING HORROR STORIES ABOOT THE EXACT WOES I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING SINCE BUYING IT USED IN 1998 WITH ONLY 15K MI ON IT; IT ONLY HAS 30000 ON IT NOW. THE FIRST TO GO WAS THE HEATER CORE AND BELT TENSIONER AND THEN THE COOLANT LEAKS THAT HAS REQUIRED SEVERAL DAYS OF SHOP TIME. I HAVE HAD THE INTAKE REMOVED TWICE, THE HEADS ONCE - THEY ACCUSED ME OF OVERHEATING AND WARPING THEM - THE WATER PUMP REPLACED, 2 WINDOW MOTORS INSTALLED AND THE ALTENATOR REPLACED. I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE BRAKES - THE ABS SYSTEM ON THIS BUCKET OF JUNK SEEM TO WORK FINE MOST OF THE TIME BUT LOVE TO CHATTER INTERNAL TO THE ELECTRONIC/HYDRAULIC SYSTEM AS IF IT CAN'T MAKE UP ITS MIND. I HAVE DISABLED THE SYSTEM IN DIAGNOSING IT MYSELF AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKES WORK BETTER WITHOUT THE SYSTEM CONTROLLING YOUR BRAKING. THE SYSTEM IS INTACT AS I DON'T WANT TO FOOL AROUND TOO MUCH BUT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SWITCH ON THE DASH - ABS ON - ABS OFF. I AM IN POOR HEALTH AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE JALOPY TO OURISMAN CHEVROLET AGAIN - I BOUGHT IT AT OURISMAN'S ROCKVILLE STORE - TO SHOW THEM THE COOLANT IN THE OIL THAT I FOUND RECENTLY. I HAVE USED SYNTHETIC OIL IN IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT BUT I CAN'T VOUCH FOR THE SERVICE DEPT AT OURISMAN. THEY PROBABLY USE GOODWRENCH 5-30 AS IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY. IF THERE ARE THIS MANY REPORTS OF THIS PIECE OF JUNK, WOULDN'T CHEVY BE MORE CONCERNED ABOOT IT? I AM LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN A 4 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY AS I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD IT; I WOULD HAVE JUST LEFT THE CAR WITH OURISMAN AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT. AK

Mileage: 15,500

VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN ATTACHED GARAGE FOR THREE HOURS WHEN NOISE WAS HEARD IN GARAGE. WHEN LOOKED IN GARAGE WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND FIRE WAS COMING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. PUT OUT FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUSHED OUT OF GARAGE. LARGE HOLE IN DASH ON PASSENGER SIDE WHERE FIRE CAME OUT, STRONG ORDOR OF BURNT PLASTIC AND ELECTRICAL FIRE SMELL.*AK

VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN ATTACHED GARAGE FOR THREE HOURS WHEN NOISE WAS HEARD IN GARAGE. WHEN LOOKED IN GARAGE WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND FIRE WAS COMING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. PUT OUT FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUSHED OUT OF GARAGE. LARGE HOLE IN DASH ON PASSENGER SIDE WHERE FIRE CAME OUT, STRONG ORDOR OF BURNT PLASTIC AND ELECTRICAL FIRE SMELL.*AK

THIS IS A PROBLEM IN THE FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM,CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SURGE THEN MISS.I HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP 6 WEEKS EARLIER,IT RAN FINE TILL TODAY,THIS TIME IT RESULTED IN A FIRE .THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

THE FUSE MARKED "ACC" HAS BEEN CHANGED OUT 3 TIMES AND IT KEEPS BLOWING. ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE A/C QUIT WORKING AS WELL AS THE POWER LOCKS. (SAME SIZE FUSE USED EACH TIME) WHEN I GO TO PUT THE FUSE IN IT SPARKS, I ALSO AM ABLE TO HEAR THE CHIME FOR THE KEY (IF IN THE IGNITION), *AK

RADIATOR HOSE LEAK MADE CAR RUN HOT; REPLACED CATYLIC CONVERTER SO WOULD NOT RUN HOT; FUSE SHORTAGE ALMOST CAUGHT CAR ON FIRE; THE BODY SOUNDS SQUEEKY AND RUSTY WHEN GOES OVER BUMPS

WINDSHIELD GETS FOGGY RESIDUE MAKES POOR VISION; SEAT LATCHES DON'T LATCH FIRST ADJUSTMENT; THEY LATCH WHILE DRIVING;

NO SUMMARY

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND FIRE MELTED NUMEROUS PARTS, INCLUDING DASH, ETC. CAUSE OF FIRE UNKNOWN. *AK

ELECTRICAL: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A BEEPING SOUND AND THEN IT STOPPED. ENTERING NEXT TOWN AND IT STARTED MAKING THE SOUND AGAIN, PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TOOK KEYS OUT, VEHICLE MADE AN EVEN LOUDER NOISE, SMOKE CAME FROM DASH, GOT OUT ,FIRE ENGINE HAPPENED TO BE PASSING BY, CAME AT TIME VEHICLE SEEMED LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO START ON IT'S OWN. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE GOING/HORN BEEPING AND LIGHTS FLASHING ON AND OFF. VEHICLE WAS COVERED WITH SMOKE. FIREMAN SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL. *AK

STARTER/HORN/COMPUTER/TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

STARTER/HORN/COMPUTER/TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

STARTER/HORN/COMPUTER/TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE COMPUTER, WHEN DRIVING OVER 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE BRAKING ABILITY. *AK

MOMENTS AFTER PARKING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM DASH AND FRONT DOORS, DUE TO SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYS. FUSE AND RECEPTICLE. *AK

ENGINE WON'T START DUE TO FAILED ALTERNATOR/TENSIONER.

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED GAUGE LIGHTS CAME ON, WHEN LOOKED UP SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYS. WIRING HARNESS FIRE, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

THREE TIME CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THE WHEN DRIVING CAR CUT OFF ENGINE LOST POWER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT FOR THE FOUR TIME CAR CUT OFF . TT

WHEN ACCELERATING IT DIES OUT AND BLOWS THE FUSE TO THE ELECTRONIC FUSE SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

REPLACED ALTERNATOR.

REPLACED BATTERY.

REPLACED STARTER.

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARK FOR A PERIOD OF 9 HRS AND CAUGHT FIRE, UNDER THE DASH FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. TT

WHILE DRIVING LOW TO HIGH SPEEDS ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, JUST PRIOR TO SHUTTING DOWN VEHICLE STARTS HESITATING. TT

IGNITION SYSTEM REPLACED.