NHTSA Complaint #731017 — 1995 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

IN FEB 2000 THE FRONT AXLE OF MY CAR BROKE WHILE IT WAS BING BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. PRIOR TO THAT IT HAD MADE A LARGE CLUNKING NOISE ON A FEW OCCASIONS. AFTER I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HAD SEVERAL VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS MADE IT CONTINUED TO MAKE THE CLUNKING NOISE, AND THE FRONT END WAS SHAKING . I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO BE LOOKED AT AND WAS TOL IT WAS THE TIMING BELT, AND THAT THE WHEELS AND BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE REPLACED THE WHEELS AND BEARINGS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT THE TIMING BELT AS WE DID NOT AGREE THAT IT WOULD CAUSE SUCH A LOUD CLINK AND SHAKING OF THE CAR. AFTER REPLACING THE WHEEL AND BEARING THE CAR CONTINUED TO SHAKE AND PULL ON THE FRONT END A ND CLUNK. WE FINALLY BROUGHT IT TO A NEW MECHANIC WHO FOUND THAT THE ENGINE MOUNTS WERE SEVERLY WORN, AND THEY FELT THAT THE ENGINE MOVING AROUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS CAUSING THE CLUNKING SOUND. THEY ALSO FELT THE BROKEN MOUNTS ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO STRIKE THE AXLE LEADING TO IT BREAKING IN FEB. THE MOUNTS WERE REPLACED. THE NEW MECHANIC SAID THAT THEY HAD REPLACED THIS PART ON QUITE A FEW 95 CAVALIERS. THIS WAS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. *AK