1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

HEAD GASKET ON MY 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO STALL , AFTER PLACING NEARLY $800.00 WORTH OF NEW PARTS IN VEHICLE, CHANGING SEVERAL ALTERNATORS AND STARTERS, FROM THE INGNITION SWITH RECALL. I HAD TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THE CAR HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WHICH, APPARENTLY THERE IS A RECALL ON OTHER CAVALIERS, ALTHOUGH NOT WITH MY VIN NUMBER. I HAVE CALLED GM MOTORS AND THEY WANT ME TO HAVE THE CAR DIAGNOSISED AT THEIR DEALERSHIP, COSTING $100-$200. AND NOW HAVING TO SPEND $400-$600 ON ANOTHER DEFECT FROM THESE RECALLS, IS REALLY FRUSTRATING MY FAMILY, ESPICALLY MY HUSBAND. WE DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY TO KEEP PLACING IN THIS VECHILE, I'M A FULL TIME STUDENT WITH A 2 YEAR OLD SON AND WORK ONLY PART TIME. I NEED A RELIABLE CAR. I CAN'T SPEND MORE MONEY AT THE DEALERSHIP...

ENGINE FAILURE- STALLING AT HIGH/LOW SPEEDS. NO STEERING,BRAKES, VERY FRIGHTENING!! ALREADY SPENT ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY AT MECHANICS TO FIND PROBLEM. PROBABLY ANOTHER RECALL ON VEHICLE. ALMOST BECOMING MANY ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE DIED. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES AND THE CONSUMER WAS TO PULL OVER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55MPH, IT SHUT OFF. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. TWO DEALERS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

FUEL PUMP SEAL DISINTEGRATED. COST $1,081.00 (INCLUDING 3 DAY CAR RENTAL). EARLIER THIS YEAR THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND I WOUND UP PAYING AN ADDITIONAL $600 FOR OTHER DEFECTS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. THINK THAT THIS AND MANY ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS ON THIS CAR CONSTITUTE IT BEING A LEMON. MORE THAN 5 RECALLS IN 7 YEARS. *NLM

THE ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING ONTO THE HEAD GASKET AREA OF MY CAR. ANTIFREEZE HAS BEEN REFILLED EVERY WEEK DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. AFTER HAVING THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC, I BECAME AWARE THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO THE HEAD GASKETS BEING BLOWN. *JB

THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *NLM

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. *JB

ANOTHER CAVALIER WITH A FAILED HEAD GASKET THAT CHEVROLET REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. GOOD THING I PUT OFF BUYING THAT 2003. THE NEON IS LOOKING BETTER EVERY DAY. MR

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55-60 MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND CUT OFF. DEALER CONTACTED, AND INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON THE 2.4L ENGINE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE WAS IDLING VERY HIGH AND USING A LOT OF FUEL, DEALER REPLACED A FAULTY 02 CENSOR, ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE OIL PRESSURE WAS EXCESSIVE CAUSING VALVES TO STAY OPEN, THE OIL PAN AND OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED.*JB

06/99 BLOWN HEAD GASKET, TIMING CHAIN, MINOR VALVE DAMAGE, REPLACE WHOLE TOP PART OF ENGINE. 10/01 MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED DUE TO MINOR OIL LEAK, ADVISED TO KEEP EYE ON LEAK, WILL FIX IF GETS WORSE. 01/02 OIL LEAK WORSE , REPLACED HEAD GASKET AND STARTER. 02/02 IGNITION WIRES SMOKING, REPLACED IGNITION WIRES, FRIED STARTER AND CYLINOD. 03/02 (55243 MILES,) ENGINE PULLING IN AIR FROM BAD HEAD GASKET OR CRACKED ENGINE AND IS SPITTING OUT ANTIFREEZE FROM ENGINE. DEALERSHIP IS STILLING DETERMINING EXACT PROBLEM. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. NEED A MAJOR RECALL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEAD GASKET LEAKS OIL, ALSO LOW COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE WAS IDLING VERY HIGH AND USING A LOT OF FUEL, DEALER REPLACED A FAULTY 02 CENSOR, ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE OIL PRESSURE WAS EXCESSIVE CAUSING VALVES TO STAY OPEN, THE OIL PAN AND OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED.*JB

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET BLEW WHILE DRIVING. DEALER SAID THIS WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL, BUT WATER PUMP FAILED BECAUSE OF GASKET, BUT WOULDN'T COVER THE PUMP. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. ALSO, ENGINE IS OVERHEATING AND THE COOLANT IS LEAKING FLUID. CONSUMER NOTED THERE WAS A TSB LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED FOR 2 YEARS. NLM

CONSUMER HAD HEAD GASKET REPAIR ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING FULL REIMBURSEMENT, CHEVROLET WILL NOT REIMBURSE HER FULLY DUE TO THE REPAIR WORK NOT BEING DONE AT A DEALER. *SLC

CONSUMER HAD HEAD GASKET REPAIR ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING FULL REIMBURSEMENT, CHEVROLET WILL NOT REIMBURSE HER FULLY DUE TO THE REPAIR WORK NOT BEING DONE AT A DEALER. *SLC

I HAVE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT THIS CAR AND THEY ALL SAY IT IS COMMON FOR THIS CAR TO BLOW HEAD GASKETS. I PAID $7000FOR THIS CAR IT SHOULDN'T HAVE COST ANOTHER $801TO KEAP IT ON THE ROAD AT 56.5K MILES. IF IT IS THIS COMMON THERE SHOULD BE A REMBERSMENT (RECALL )ON IT.. I ALSO HAVE A TI. *AK

BOTH TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED. *MJS

VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED. *MJS

HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL. IT WAS AROUND THE ENGINE WHERE A TECHNICIAN BELIEVED THERE WAS A HEAD BLOWN HEAD GASKET.*AK

VEHICLE HAD FUNCTIONED PROPERLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES AFTER BEING PICKED UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN UNRELATED PROBLEM. THE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON, WENT OFF, THEN CAME ON AGAIN AND STAYED ON 2 MILES BEFORE I REACHED MY HOME. I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. I COULD NOT SEE ANY PROBLEM WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD, BUT FLUID HAD BEGUN TO PUDDLE UNDER MY VEHICLE THAT WAS GREEN IN COLOR. THE PUDDLE INCREASED IN SIZE QUICKLY. IT SEEMED TO BE THE WATER PUMP. AFTER FINDING THAT THE DEALERSHIP AND EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT HELP WITH THE COST OF A WATER PUMP, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT FIXES WATER PUMPS. THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP CALLED AND SAID THE TRUE PROBLEM IS A CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT...

I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THIS SITE, CONSUMER REPORTS, CONSUMER CORNER, ETC. AND HAVE FOUND A NUMBER OF 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIERS HAVE HAD CYLINDER HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY LASTED THROUGH 100,000 MILES. IF I HAD KNOWN THAT THIS WAS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM, I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT FROM OCCURRING. GM/CHEVROLET HAS ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO GIVE ME A DISCOUNT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REFUSED DUE TO THE MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE BEING APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES OVER THE REQUIRED 100,000 MILES. SIX (6) DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CHEVROLET STATING THAT MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCES THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS UP TO SEVEN (7) YEARS AND 100,000 MILES. I THINK THIS IS VERY CONVENIENT. THE LETTER IS DATED MAY, 2000. TWO WEEKS EARLIER I WAS STILL WITHIN THE 100,000 MILE LIMIT. I HAVE GIVEN THE DEALERSHIP PERMISSION TO FIX MY...

FEB 2000 I REPLACED A FAULTY WATER PUMP CONTINUED TO HAVE SLOW COOLANT LEAK...MAY 2000 HEAD GASKET WAS FOUND TO BE BAD.NO RECALL AND EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS .....NOT PURCHASED BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS WHAT I RECOMMEND. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH WHILE COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. SHE WAS HEARING POPPING NOISES. CONSUMER RAN OVER A BUMP, AND MOTOR FELL OUT OF VEHICLE'S HOOD AREA. *AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP FOR A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REPAIRS, AND WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STRUCK A DEER ON THE ROAD. THEN CHECKED UNDER HOOD, WHERE ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

HEAD GASKET DIAGNOSED TO BE LEAKING COOLANT INTO ENGINE AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT ACCORDING TO PALANKER CHEVROLET IN WEST BABYLON N.Y. VEHICLE KNOWN TO HAVE GASKET PROBLEMS ON THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE IN 1995 CAVALIERS AND 1996 CAVALIERS ACCORDING TO OTHER CHEVROLET DEALERS( IE, DOBLER CHEVROLET, HEMSTEAD N.Y) AND BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL OR GOOD WILL ASSISTANCE. I AM VERY DISALUSSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE DEALER I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO TO BE REPAIRED SAYS THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS MILAGE AND YEAR AND THAT CHEVROLET WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS OR OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE.. I HAVE SPOKEN TO CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY HELP OR ENLIGHTENMENT REGARDING MY PROBLEM, INSTEAD IU HAVE BEEN SHOVED ASIDE AND IGNORED. I HAVE HAD MANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITHIN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF OWNERSHIP THAT HAVE NO EXPLAINABLE ANSWER AS TO WAY THEY OCCURRED BUIT...

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

IN 53000 MILES: SPONTANEOUS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, COMPUTER FAILURE, VALVE TRAIN FAILURE.

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN ENGINE CYLINDER GASKET IS LEAKING AT 17,000 MILES. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK

S WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD VEHICLE DIED OUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO ALMOST BECOME INVOLVED IN AN AUTO COLLISION. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. SOUGHT ASSISTANCE FROM 3 DIFFERENT SERVICE CENTERS. WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT UNTIL PART WAS COMPLETELY FAILED. FIRST CONTACT WAS WHEN CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS AND VALVES COVERS GASKET FAILURE WITHIN 40,000 MILES OF WEAR; CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS CONDITION IS DUE TO MFR. DEFECTS. AND CONSUMER WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO PROVIDE ADDTIONAL INFORMATION OR HELP IN THIS MATTER.

HEAD GASKET BLOWN.

COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AND COOLANT WAS ADDED. FOUR DAYS LATER, WHEN OIL CHANGE CAR WAS CHECKED FOR LEAK. DEALER SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OWNER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER.

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN OIL LEAK AND FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND A CRACKED HEAD. *AK

FUEL PUMP WENT OUT/OIL PRESSURE VALVE BLEW UP AND OIL IS ALL OVER/COMPUTER SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, AND RACK AND PINION STEERING WENT OUT. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEMS NOT YET REMEDIED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, ONE INCIDENT DESTROYED WATER PUMP.

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT , CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK

INTERMITTENT CLICKING ENGINE NOISE DUE TO DEFECTIVE PISTONS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED IN SOME VEHICLE SWITH 2.2L ENGINES. *AK

ENGINE OIL LEAK.

THE CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH IS AN OIL LEAK AROUND THE GASKET. DEALERSHIP REPLACED OIL PAN AND GASKET. STILL HAS THE PROBLEM. THE OIL LEAK IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR ENGINE DUE TO IMPROPER SERVICE. *AK

GASKETS FAILED.

OIL LEAK.

PURCHASED CAR IN MARCH 96, THE STRUT WAS REPLACED ABOUT FOUR TIMES . *AK CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT, DEALER ADVISDED HER THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, BECAUSE TIRE BLOW OUT WAS DUE TO SOME TYPE OF OBJECT THAT PUNCTURED TIRE, ALSO AIR CONDITION WENT OUT TWICE, STARTER WAS REPLACED, TORQUE CONVERTOR REPLACED, AND A RECALL ON PISTON PIN, CONSUMER FEELS THAT MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE SOME TYPE OF RESPONSBIILTY SINCE THIS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE.*JB