2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

THIS CAR WILL NOT START. AND WHEN IT DOES START IT BACK FIRES. I HAVE REPLACED THE STARTER, THE FLEX PLATE THE SENSORS, AND THE MUFFLER, AND NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK AND NO MECHANIC CAN TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH. I EVEN WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A CAR CODE READER AND IT SAYS EMISSIONS BUT STILL NO LUCK. *TR

GAS GAUGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT WORK, IT REGISTARS HIGHER THAN THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE CAR. I SPENT OVER $450 DOLLARS AT THE GARAGE TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT WHY THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING AND WOULDN'T RESTART. THE GARAGE COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I DISCOVERED MYSELF AFTER THE 3RD TIME, THAT PUTTING GAS IN IT FIXES IT, AND REALIZED THE GAS GAUGE WAS NOT REGISTERING EMPTY, WHEN THE CAT WAS EMPTY, AND I WAS SIMPLY RUNNING OUT OF GAS. *TT

Mileage: 100,000

PURCHASED USED 2000 CAVALIER IN 2006. FIRST PROBLEM (WHICH HAS CONTINUED FOR 5 YEARS) IS THAT THE SERVICE LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS CRANKED UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE FIRST TURNED ON. IF YOU TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON. IT WILL NOT GO OFF UNLESS YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT (WITH HEADLIGHTS ON). SECOND PROBLEM IS THAT FUEL HAND DOES NOT REFLECT ACCURATE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE IN TANK. IT GOES UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING (WITH THE CHECK GAUGES LIGHT ON). OR SOMETIMES IT IS STUCK ON E OR STUCK ON F REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH FUEL IS ACTUALLY PRESENT. THIRD PROBLEM IS THAT CAR INTERMITTENTLY OVERHEATS AND IS ALWAYS LOSING COOLANT. I HAVE REPLACED THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, & RADIATOR. THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS CANNOT FIND A LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM (DESPITE PRESSURE TESTING, COMPRESSION TESTING, & BLOCK TESTING). WE ARE BAFFLED WHY IT CANNOT RETAIN CONSTANT COOLANT LEVELS. THIS IS A VERY FRUSTRATING SITUATION AS I AM LEFT WITHOUT RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

MY CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT START. WOULD RUN FINE, START SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THEN NOT START. LEFT ME AND MY YOUNG DAUGHTER STRANDED, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOOD IF IT WERE IN A BAD PART OF TOWN OR HAD I NOT HAD FAMILY CLOSE TO COME GET ME. NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO START AT ALL, DON'T HEAR THE FUEL PUMP PRIME. A MECHANIC TOLD ME TO HIT GAS TANK WITH MALLET WHILE TRYING TO START IT. IT STARTED BY DOING THAT, AND I WAS TOLD THE FUEL PUMP IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS GOING TO COST OVER $700...MONEY I DON'T HAVE. THIS I AM FINDING TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR....CHECK OUT THIS DISCUSSION FORUM FOR MANY MORE COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AT........ HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-CAVALIER/TVINIC5TFU5SFSI5H ............. THIS CAR REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR THE FUEL PUMP, IT IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. *TR

Mileage: 101,000

WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR CUTS OUT AND DIES AND THEN DOESN'T RESTART. THIS IS DUE TO A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS DESIGN RELATED. THE PUMP FAILED AT 90,000 MI. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

FUEL PUMP ON CHEVROLET CAVALIER Z24 WENT OUT AT 76,000 MILES. IT LOST POWER AND DIED ALL OF A SUDDEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY, NO CARS WERE AROUND AS IT WAS ALMOST MIDNIGHT. COST TO REPAIR WAS OVER $600, NOT INCLUDING THE TOWING. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAD FUEL PUMPS MALFUNCTION ON THEIR CAVALIERS, AND ON SOME CARS NEWER AND MOST WITH LOWER MILES THAN ON THIS CAR. SAME STORY, JUST LOSES POWER AND DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THIS WAS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS A DEFECT WITH THE CAVALIER, YET THEY WON'T ISSUE A RECALL. I HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM ANYONE THAT OWNED A CAVALIER THAT DIDN'T HAVE SOME SORT OF PROBLEM WITH IT. ALSO, HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SHIFTER CABLE AND POWER WINDOW MOTOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. EXTREMELY UNHAPPY WITH THE CHEVROLET. *AK

Mileage: 76,828

CONSUMER 2000 CAVALIER STALL WHEN TURNING OR STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT. *TS AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE FOR THE IGNITION THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE OVERHAULED. TWO SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED. *NM

THERE HAVE BEEN TWO ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE THAT I FEEL SHOULD BE RECALLS DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY CAR HAS ALSO HAPPEND TO OTHER CAVALIER OWNERS. RECENTLY THE FUEL TANK GAUGE WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING, WHICH CASED ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND HAVE TO CALL A FAMILY MEMBER TO PICK ME UP. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE PLASTIC BEHIND THE WINDSHEILD ON THE DASHBOARD CRACKED IN TWO DIFFERENT PLACES. I WORK WITH A GIRL THAT HAS THE SAME VEHICLE I DO AND BOTH OF THESE ISSUES ALSO HAPPEND TO HER CAR. I JUST THINK THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. ITS KINDA WEIRD THAT THE SAME MALFUNCTIONS HAPPEN TO TWO CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. ANOTHER ISSUE IS I HAD NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THE FAILED IGNITION SWITCH. I HAD TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT ONLINE WHEN LOOKING FOR A NEW PART FOR MY CAR. THATS KIND OF SCARY! THANKS YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE YOU TAKE GREAT CONSIDERATION IN MY ISSUES.

Mileage: 58,000

I WAS ON MY WAY HME FROM WORK ON A VERY BUSY ROAD ALL OF SUDDEN CAR JUST LOST POWER CAR WOULD NOT RESTART TOOK TO SHOP WAS TOLD THE FUEL PUMP WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO $$700 REPAIR FOR SOMETHING THAT I FEEL SHOULD NOT NEEDED TO BE DONE ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE I ONLY HAD 51000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE I BOUGHT A NEW CAR FOR THIS REASON TO AVOID MAJOR REPAIRS AS OF THIS DATE THE CAR HAS FAILED AGAIN WITH THE SAME CONDITIONS AS PREVIOUS JUST STALLED AND WONT RESTART AND THE WARRENTY HAS RUN OUT ON THAT( 12,000 OR 12 MTH) SO THAT WILKL BE ANOTHER COST TO REPLACE THIS PUMP IN LESS THAN A YEARS TIME. THIS IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS ON A 2000 VEHICLE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND GM STATES NOT ARE PROBLEM THINGS HAPPEN , YES THINGS HAPPEN BUT NOT CONTINUOUS ON NEW VEHICLES AND THE SAME PROBLEM I THINK GM REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS FOR SOME TYPE OF DEFECT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY COSTLY

Mileage: 51,300

WHEN THE FUEL IN THE TANK REACHED A QUARTER EMPTY, VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE FUEL TANK CAP WAS SCREWED ON TO TIGHT. THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS INFORMATION IS UNTRUE BECAUSE THE CAP CAN ONLY BE TIGHTEN TO A CERTAIN POINT. *LA

Mileage: 25,030

I HAD 3 FUEL PUMPS WITH IN 1 YEAR AND CONTINUE TO HAVE EMISSIONS PROBLEMS, ODOMETER AND STRANGE NOISES FROM UNDER HOOD, SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LATER THE PROBLEMS CONTINUE. *JB

Mileage: 30,000

CAR WOULD NOT START. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE FUEL PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. FOUND OUT IT WAS THE STRAINER IN THE FUEL PUMP. THIS PART WAS REVISED BY MANUFACTURER. MY PARENTS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2000 CAVALIER. *LA

WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED LIMIT OVER BUSY BRIDGE 1/12/04 AT 7A.M. AND SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS CAR STOPPED AND FAILED TO TAKE ANY GAS CAUSING 4 ONCOMING VEHICLES TO SWERVE AND ALMOST HIT ME IN THE REAR. THE CAR THEN STARTS AND RUNS FINE FOR A COUPLE DAYS THEN THE CAR STOPS AGAIN ON 1/14/04 AGAIN ON BUSY HIGHWAY CAUSING ALMOST A 3 CAR COLLISION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I BELIEVE THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED ON TWO OCCASIONS AND MANY OTHERS COULD HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IT IS LIFE THREATENING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THE FUEL PUMPS ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR. *CB

Mileage: 34

FUEL PUMP STOPPED WORKING AND VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. INDEPENDENT DEALER IN THE LAST PAST TWO YEARS HAD REPLACED FOUR FUEL PUMPS.*AK

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE STEERING IS BEGINNING TO HAVE A DISTINCTIVE POPPING SOUND AND LOOSENING DEVELOP. I KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM AND I AM TAKING IT TO A PROFESSIONAL TO AVOID SERIOUS PROBLEMS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT GM COULD NOT DEVELOP A BETTER STEERING COLUMN THAN THIS. IT WOULD SEEM A RECALL SHOULD BE PLACED ON GM FOR INSPECTIONS TO THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM (PART). I KNOW THAT THIS MAY SEEM TRIVIAL BUT I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE A FUEL PUMP ($700 PLUS) OUT OF POCKET AT ABOUT 2000 MILES OVER MY WARRANTY. JUST SEEMS LIKE GM HAS YET TO UNDERSTAND QUALITY IN THE SMALL AUTOMOBILE. OR AT LEAST GIVING A LITTLE ON AN OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART. EXAMPLE: I OWNED A 87 3 SERIES BMW THAT I PUT 425,000 PLUS MILES ON AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A STEERING COLUMN. I DID REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AFTER AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE TANK HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 310,000 MILES. A FUEL PUMP AT 39,000 MILE AND A STEERING COLUMN AT 46,000 MILES. *AK

Mileage: 39,000

STALLING, HESITATING, LOSS OF POWER, DECREASING OF HORSE POWER.*AK

Mileage: 50

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. THE OLD FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED WITH A REDESIGNED FUEL PUMP. *JB *CB *JB

Mileage: 9,775

WHEN I PURCHASED MY USED 2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER IN APRIL 2003 ABOUT 1 MONTH I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. AFTER PUTTING GAS IN MY CAR I WOULD DRIVE A LITTLE AND THEN THE GAS GAUGE WOULD GO DOWN TO APPEAR THAT THE CAR WAS ALMOST EMPTY BUT IT WASN'T. WHILE DRIVING ONE DAY THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF IT HAD GAS IN IT I HAD JUST PUT GAS IN IT BUT THE GAUGE DROPPED TO APPEAR TO BE ALMOST EMPTY. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP I WAS TOLD MY FUEL INJECTION WENT OUT. NOT EVEN A MONTH AFTER THAT MY CAR STALLED AT A RED LIGHT AND MY TEMPERATURE GAGE WENT IN THE HOT ZONE MY CAR WOULDN'T START I HAD TO GET IT TOWED AGAIN TO THE SHOP BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. NOW HERE IT IS JUNE 2003 MY CAR IS SITTING IN THE DRIVE WAY RIGHT NOW AS I AM TYPING THIS INFORMATION. MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME AT 1:00 A.M. THIS MORNING FROM WORK WHEN THE CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN AND STARTED SMOKING. HE SAID SMOKE WAS ALSO COMING OUT OF THE BATTERY AND HE ALSO HEARD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR TODAY IS SATURDAY AND MY CAR HAS TO SIT IN THE DRIVEWAY UNTIL MONDAY MORNING THAT WHEN THE DEALER OPENS. I FEEL THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. I DON'T THINK IT IS FAIR FOR DEALERS TO BE ABLE TO SALE CARS THAT ARE IN THIS KIND OF CONDITION AND THE CAR IS SUPPOSE TO BE CERTIFIED. I AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE CAR AND I AM HAVING ALL THESE PROBLEMS. IT IS DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING AND THE CAR DECIDES TO CUT OFF ESPECIALLY AT 1:00 A.M. I HAVE TO BE AT WORK AT 3:45 A.M. AND MY SON GETS OFF WORK AT 1:00 A.M. THIS IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS FOR THE BOTH OF US. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING HOME MY CAR STALLED THEN JUST CUT OFF. THE ENGINE WOULD CRANK BUT IT WOULD NOT STAY RUNNING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. 8JB

CAR WOULD NOT START. SERVICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACED. SUGGESTED GAS LEVEL NOT TO GO BELOW 1/4 TANK IN FUTURE. *JB

NOV.7,2002 CAR WON'T START. DEC.11,2002 WON'T START. TOOK CAR TO POTAMKIN CHEVORLET DEC.19,2002. I WAS TOLD THERE'S WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE BATTERY. JAN.13,2003 CAR WON'T START. CAR WAS TOWED TO LIBERTY CHEVORLET. WAS TOLD CAR NEEDED BATTERY AND STARTER. ALSO TOLD IF PROPER TEST WAS DONE, POTAMKIN SHOULD HAVE PICKED UP THE PROBLEM. CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CAR. CAR STOPS WHILE DRIVING. LIBERTY UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM. ALSO SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR,NEW, MY INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF WHEN I BRAKE HARD OR GO OVER BUMPS IN ROAD. EITHER DEALER UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHY.

Mileage: 32,000

FUEL PUMP HAS STOPPED WORKING AND THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME INOPERABLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE.*AK.*MJ

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL SHARPLY THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND AT ALL TIMES. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING SHAFT.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING, SQUEALING NOISE FROM PASSENGERS SIDE OF ENGINE ESPECIALLY ON COLD STARTS, AND ENGINE IS SLOW TO CRANK UP-INTERMITTENT, BATTERY WAS REPLACED, ALSO VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, DEALER FOUND FUEL PUMP WAS INOPERATIVE AND REPLACED FUEL PUMP. *YD

VEHICLE IS NOT ABLE TO START ANYTIME OF THE DAY. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK WHEN THE VEHICLE STALL FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. WHEN IT STALL AGAIN, THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED STALLING. *YH

WHILE DRIVING ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AT 65 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE CUTT OFF, CAUSING LOOS OF ALL POWER. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS LOST A GREAT AMOUNT OF FUEL, PROBLEM MAY BE LINKED, CAUSING OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLE TO GET SICK. (AK CONSUMER STATES NO ONE KNOWS AS OF YET, THE FIRST TIME DEALER REPLACED BATTERY, THE SECOND TIME THEY DID NOTHING, THE THIRD TIME THEY REPLACED FILTER IN GAS LINE OR TANK.*JB

THE GAS CYLINDER IS BEING CORRODED BY THE SULFUR IN THE GASOLINE, THE GAS GAUGE WILL READ THAT THERE IS GAS AND THEN THE VEHICLE WILL JUST STOP WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *SLC

DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE IF THERE IS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. DEALER SAID THAT HE SHOULDNT FILL UP THE TANK. DEALER IS REPLACING THE FUEL TANK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING A RENTAL VEHICLE FUEL TANK, MADE OF PLASTIC, WAS PUNCTURED, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. GARAGE WAS FILLED WITH GAS FUMES.*AK FUEL TANK WAS PUNCTURED BY ROAD DEBRIS AND REPLACED. *YH

CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO LOOSE FUEL CAP. YH