NHTSA Complaint #713890 — 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH MY CAVALIER WAS ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. I WAS IDLING IN A DRIVE-THRU WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE CONCOLE FLASHED AND THE CAR WENT DEAD. THE CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. I PUSHED IT TO THE SIDE AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TRIED AGAIN. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND SEVERAL HOURS LATER, THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AND AT THAT TIME, THE CAR STARTED. I CALLED TAYLOR JEEP (WHERE I HAVE A SERVICE CONTRACT) AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN BAD GAS OR THE CAR OVERHEATING AND TO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT SINCE THE CAR IS RUNNING. FOUR DAYS LATER, I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE LIGHTS ON THE CONSOLE FLASHED AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING ANIT-LOCK BRAKES AND POWERSTEERING. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. I THEN CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TAYLOR JEEP. AFTER CHECKING OUT THE CAR, THE SERVICES DEPARTMENT COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE CAR STARTED FINE. I EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG IF THE CAR SHUT DOWN, AND TO PLEASE CONTINUE LOOKING. TAYLOR JEEP ENDED UP REPLACING THE STARTER?! ON MARCH 23, 1999, I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, AND AGAIN, THE LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE CONSOLE AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO TAYLOR JEEP. THIS TIME THEY REPAIRED THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THEN ON MARCH 31, 1999 WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURED. I AGAIN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TAYLOR JEEP. THIS TIME THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING TO FIX. I PICKED UP THE CAR AFTER 5 DAYS. AFTER THE LAST INCIDENT, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR UNTIL OCTOBER 20, 1999. WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY, GOING ABOUT 40MPH, THE LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE CONSOLE AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN. IT RESTARTED AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES. I DROVE IT TO TAYLOR JEEP AND THIS TIME THEY SENT IT TO TAYLOR CHEVROLET. AFTER TESTING, THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR.