1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED HE BOUGHT A CAR ON 6-29-05 FROM KLICK LEWIS INC. ON HIS WAY HOME WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, SUDDENLY THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS COMING APART. HE CALLED THE DEALER WHERE HE BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY TOLD HIM THE VEHICLE NEEDED FRONT ROTORS. ON FRIDAY 7-15-05; BEFORE HE HAD TAKEN IT IN TO HAVE THE ROTORS PUT ON, HE NOTICED THE CAR WAS FULL OF SMOKE. HE CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. AND THEY CAME OUT AND DIFFUSED THE FIRE AND TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THE CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. HE THEN CALLED THE SALESPERSON THAT SOLD HIM THE CAR AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE SOMEONE GET BACK TO HIM. HE HAS MADE 5 TELEPHONE CALLS TO THEM AND NO ONE HAS RETURNED HIS CALLS. *JB

Mileage: 69,995

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY ENGAGE AND RELEASE WHICH CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE STOPS WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SLAMMED ON, WHICH ENGAGES THE ABS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CHECKED THE BRAKE ROTORS , PADS, ALL COMPONENTS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND TIRES. THEY WE FINE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS STILL UNKNOWN. *NM *BF *NM

Mileage: 100,000

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, MOTOR STOPS RUNNING AND I LOST ALL POWER BOTH STEERING AND ELECTRICAL. GOT IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WAITED 2 MINUTES AND STARTED IT BACK UP IT WAS FINE. ONLY DID THIS 2 TIMES WITHIN A WEEK PERIOD. ENGINE IDLE ROUGH SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 1998. TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. CAME BACK SEVERAL TIMES THEY ESSENTIALLY SAID THAY COULD DO NOTHING THATS JUST HOW THEY RUN. MOTOR SURGES AND LAGS AFTER START UP. REGARDLESS OF TEMPERATURE. PUSH PEDAL MOTOR BOGS DOWN AND THEN IT WILL TAKE OFF. REPLACED ALMOST EVERY SENSOR UNDER THE HOOD PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. BATTERY TOOK A DUMP AT ALMOST 4 YEARS. ENGINE SPUN #3 AND #4 BEARINGS ON A COLD START UP. THEY ADVISED ME THAT I NEEDED A WATER PUMP AT THE SAME TIME.PASS POWER WINDOW WAS ALWAYS SLOW. REPLACED APPROX MID 2002 REAR SUSPENSION CLUNKS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS LUMBER IN THE TRUNK. WHEEL STUDS SNAP EASILY AS I HAVE REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 10. REAR BRAKES DRAG AND GRAB EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT. FRONT BRAKES WEAR EXCESSIVELY. RUBBER MUFFLER HANGER WEARS OUT. REPLACED 2 TIMES.

Mileage: 63,871

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME FOUR-SPEED OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION WILL AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT DOWN TO A LOWER GEAR, AND "ETS OFF" AND "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHTS COME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. VEHICLE REMAINS IN LOW GEARS UNTIL LIGHTS GO OFF OR UNTIL VEHICLE COOLS DOWN. ALSO , THAT WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS VEHICLE JERKS AND VIBRATES AS IF THE ABS IS KICKING IN AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

TWO TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON OUR 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED US TO REAREND OTHER VEHICLES. BOTH TIMES AFTER SLAMMING DOWN ON THE BRAKES, THE CAR WOULD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN WOULD JUT FORWARD 2-3 TIMES AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. AFTER THE FIRST ACCIDENT, WE TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, AND HE TOLD US HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. WE THOUGHT THAT POSSIBLY IT WAS JUST A ONE TIME OCCURRENCE AND MAYBE THERE WOULD NOT BE CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, BUT THEN IN THE LATEST ACCIDENT, OUR CAR BEHAVED IN THE SAME MANNER. THIS TIME WE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED IN EITHER ACCIDENT, PROBABLY BECAUSE BOTH TIMES THE ACCIDENTS OCCURED AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER OWNERS OF 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. THANK YOU. *AK

BRAKE PADS/ ROTORS AND SHOES ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET/STRUTS/STARTER/TRANSMISSION/ DOME LIGHT/ PAINT/,MUFFLER/SEATS AND ABS BRAKES HAVE ALL GONE BADLY AT LEAST ONCE, AND SOME HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND ARE BAD AGAIN. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT REFUSED TO CHECK OR REPLACE. NO LONGER DOING BUSINESS WITH THEM DUE TO THE SERVICE. I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE SERVICES. *AK

REAR BRAKE SYSTEM SHAKES AND LURCHES...WHEELS LOCK UP AND RELEASE...CAR SKIDS FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME CAUSING CAR TO ATTEMPT TO RUN OFF ROADWAY...THIS HAPPENS MOST OFTEN IN WET CONDITIONS. CAR WAS RETURNED TO DEALER WHO "CLEANED REAR BRAKE DRUMS" AND TOLD US THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. LAST NIGHT THE CAR WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS WHEN DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS AT SPEEDS IN 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE WHEN BRAKING SYSTEM LOCKED UP TWICE CAUSING CAR TO SKID. FATHER CAN CAUSE BRAKES TO LOCK UP IN DRY CONDITIONS DUPLICATING BRAKE LOCK UP IN WET CONDITIONS. *AK

HAD TO REPLACE DRUMS IN APRIL OF 1998 AND I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM I.E. NEEDING TO REPLACE THE DRUMS AGAIN.

BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING GRADUALLY ON WET PAVEMENT ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO LOCK UP AND SKID WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE REASON,AND WON'T LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.

VEHICLE BOUGHT W/BAD WATER PUMP WHICH WAS LEAKING BADLY. BRAKES IN REAR WERE MAKING METAL TO METAL NOISE & WERE SLUSHY. WHEN VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ANY GREAT DISTANCE & THEN STOPPPED, IT WOULD OVERHEAT & THEN STALL OUT. HARD TO RESTART. ODOMETER NUMBERS NOT EVEN & OUT OF SYNC. WATER HOSE IS LEAKING. *AK

THE CAR IS FALLING APART, INTERIOR IS FALLING APART, EXAMPLE SEAT BELTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS NOT IN TACT, THE PASSENGER CHAIR ON THE RIGHT SIDE FRAME IS BROKEN, AIR CONDITIONER HAS GONE OUT AND WE NEEDED TO INSTALL A NEW AIRCONDITIONER, THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY, I GUESS EVERY NINE MONTHS THE CAR NEEDS A NEW BRAKE CHANGE, THE CHRYSLER CREDIT CORP HAS NEVER GIVEN US A RECEIPT ON HOW MUCH MORE TO PAY AND WHEN WE CALL THEM UP, THEY WOULD NOT TELL US HOW MUCH MORE TO GO FOR THE PAYMENTS, THEY ALSO KNOW THAT SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THEN THEY WOULD CHANGE CONSTANTLY WHERE THE PAYMENT SHOULD GO. I JUST WISHED THEY WOULD STOP THAT. IT IS LIKE A HOUSE LOAN, WE HAVE CHANGED MORTAGAGER FOUR TIMES AND THIS IS GETTING VERY STRESSFUL. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS MATTER.

MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED IN ALL EFFORT TO RESOLVE SITUATION AND WAS OF NO ASSISTANCE WHATSOEVER. I AM A 22 YEAR OLD COLLEGE STUDENT WHO HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE BOUGHT INCLUDING BRAKE FAILURE AND HORN FAILURE. IN MY ESTIMATION, THIS VECHICLE IS A LEMON

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH APPLIED BRAKES TO STOBUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL A FEW FEET AWAY. *AK

WHEN APPYLING THE ABS BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT THEY INTERMITTENTLY PULSATE. ALSO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE TO OCCURS CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ABS BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THE CAR IS IN IDLE. TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT WILL GO OFF. PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED,. DEALER STATES THE HARNESS WIRES ARE DEFECTIVE, HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK

REPLACED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH A REMANUFACTURED ONE.ALSO THE HOOD RELEASE/ABS BRAKES AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TAIL LIGHT BEING INOPERATIVE WHILE IN USE. REPLACED THE WIRES OF THE TAIL LIGHT, PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. ALSO, PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 BRAKES 4 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER EXPERIENCES PROBLEM WITH THE HORN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

FRONT BRAKES FAILED AT 17000 MILES AND NEEDED REPLACING.

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION.

BRAKES FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS. WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE WON'T STOP ON TIME. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT MANY CHEVROLET CAVALIERS HAD BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ABS BRAKES. *AK

ABS BRAKES FAILED. ALSO WARPED ROTORS, CAUSING BRAKES TO PULSATE.

ABS BRAKES FAILED. ALSO WARPED ROTORS, CAUSING BRAKES TO PULSATE.

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS/ENGINE/MUFFLER/CONVERTER/SEAT/HORN/POWER STEERING HOSE AND WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED.

ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOCK, UP CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL A COLLISION ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS.

BRAKES MADE NOISE AND THERE WAS SEVERE BRAKE FADING, LIKE A PULSING WHEN STOPPING.

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE ABS CATCHES AND VEHICLE WON'T STOP. DEALER SAYS ITS SUPPOSE TO. *AK

VEHICLE SPUN 360 DEGREES, CRASHING INTO GUARDRAIL, WHEN BRAKES LOCKED UP WHEN APPLIED IN AN EMERGENCY.

ABS FAILED BECAUSE OF A ELECTRICAL SHORT AND CAUSED A CRASH.

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TOP THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE CALIPER ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TOP THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE CALIPER ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

ABS BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED 4 TIMES IN 7 MONTHS

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE REAR END JUMPS. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK GM TOLD CONSUMER THAT THIS IS NORMAL. *SLC

WHEN DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT AND THE VEHICLE WILL START TO VIBRATE, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE. *AK

BRAKES NOT BOLTED PROPERLY.

AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT, BRAKES STUCK AND THE ACCELERATOR STUCK TO THE FLOOR- DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AUTOMOBILE. HE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP AUTOMOBILE BY SHUTING THE IGNITION OFF. HE ALSO STATES AT THAT TIME HE COULD NOT SHIFT GEARS SO HE COULD NOT DISENGAGE THE AUTOMOBILE. *AK

FRONT ABS BRAKES FAILED/NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 17000 MILES. *AK

APPLIED BRAKES AT ABOUT 2 OR 3 MPH AND DID NOT STOP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE ABOUT 50 TO 55MPH, APPLIED BRAKES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

STARTED TO STOP, ABS BRAKES GAVE OUT; KICKED IN FEW MINUTES LATER. STEERING WHEEL W/ STRONG PULLING, HARD TURNING OR CORRECTING; HARD TURNING R/L. RPMS REVVED BUT DID NOT ACCELERATE, GEARS SHIFTED HARD FROM 2ND TO 3RD. *AK

THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES SQUEAK, ALSO CAUSE VEHICLE TO LURCH, SHAKE, AND JUMP UPON SUDDEN STOPS.

NOISY ABS BRAKES, ALSO REPLACED NOISY POWER STEERING VALVE. *AK

BRAKES FAILED.

DRIVING VEHICLE, WENT TO STOP VEHICLE, BRAKES (ABS) FAILED TO WORK, VEHICLE UNABLE TO STOP, PULLED EMERGENCY BRAKE, VEHICLE SPUN AROUND, MECHANIC SAID MASTER CYCLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE, SEALS BROKEN. *AK

ANTILOCK BRAKE LOCKED UP.

COMPUTER FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL; ALSO ABS BRAKES GRIND/REPLACED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *AK

REAR BRAKE DRUMS LEAKING FLUID, CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE/ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)

VEHICLE'S FRONT ABS BRAKING SYSTEM CALIPERS LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT RELEASE AFTER ONLY DRIVING 47 MILES, BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT.SMOKE WAS COMING FROM BRAKES. *AK

BRAKES FAILED.

ABS SYSTEM FAILURE, TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ABS SYSTEM, ABS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. *AK

ABS SYSTEM FAILURE, TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ABS SYSTEM, ABS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. *AK

WHEN APPLY THE BRAKE CAR GOES TO LEFT SIDE GOT IN ACCIDENT AND THE FRONT SEAT BELT DIDN'T RESTAINT . TT

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKS AND UNLOCKS BY ITSELF. TT

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT APPLYING ACCELERATOR; APPLIED BRAKE, NO EFFECT; VEHICLE SPUN AROUND IN 360 DEGREE CIRCLE; SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE ONLY THING THEY FOUND WAS THAT THE GAS COVER WAS LOOSE AND STATED THAT MAYBE THAT IS WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHY THE VEHICLE ACTED ERACTICALLY.*JB

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT APPLYING ACCELERATOR; APPLIED BRAKE, NO EFFECT; VEHICLE SPUN AROUND IN 360 DEGREE CIRCLE; SHIFTED INTO REVERSE.