9.0
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$761.00
Average Mileage:
66,829 miles
Total Complaints:
23 complaints
Most common solutions:
- remove and replace fuel pump (20 reports)
- not sure (3 reports)
fuel delivery system problem
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.
Helpful Websites About 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier fuel pump failure
2009Oct 15
Cavalier
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
I was surprised to come on here and find this as a common problem for my car. I did some research and talked to a lot of friends and family before I went along and got it fixed, and it turns out that this is a common problem for all GM cars and that the reason why this is such an expensive job is because GM made the cavalier to be a pain in the butt to have the fuel pump changed. What should be an easy job turns into a ton of labor when the mechanic has to take everything out of your car to replace the fuel pump and then put everything back in again. So the $750 we have all gotten charged to have it replaced is mainly labor. I am a little worried about this because some people are saying that this will happen over and over and over again with these cars and the fuel pump that I am getting only has a 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty and I put a lot of miles on my car, being away at school.
If this does happen again to my car when the fuel pump is not under warranty anymore, I will consider buying a new car instead because in the long run I will probably get a better value. I still love my little Cavalier and for all the time I have had it this is the first major problem. Other than this, it has done me good while being up at school.
2009Sep 20
Cavalier
- Automatic transmission
- 77,560 miles
Ok, so yesterday im on my way to work, and i pull out onto my road and my car shudders a little, so i gave some gas and it accelerated, it did it again about a minute later, except when i gave it gas this time the RPM's went down instead of up. And my car proceeded to die as soon as i stopped on the side of the road. now, im not sure if its my fuel pump, but im almost sure it is. and from what I've been reading, this is a rather common and expensive pain in the ass. i've dealt with bad fuel pumps before and this is all the symptoms except one. usually the car will restart about 5 minutes after it dies and drive about 2 feet before dying again. my car wont. I've owned this car for a little over a year now and its only at 77,560 miles. i shouldn't be having this problem, and im highly considering just trading it in and letting someone else deal with it. and seeing how expensive the repairs are just aggravates me more because i don't have that kind of money. im hoping its something else...but my gut says otherwise.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jul 24
Cavalier
- Automatic transmission
- 112,000 miles
My chevy just stopped would not start again. If this is a recall, how could we find out. I am pricing different quotes, it will cost between 600 and 1000, that I do not have! This is typically annoying..........
2008Jun 11
Cavalier LS 2.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 36,000 miles
i let my brother drive my car to the store when he had his temps and nothing happened but once i started backing out of a parking stall it just shut off with no warning. i started it again and moved out of the parking lot and it kept slowing down as we got farther so i pulled off on to another road then it kept shutting off....i finally made it home when i told my parents. they took it in and they told up it was the fuel pump....luckily it was still under the warranty but it was a hassle to deal with.
2008Nov 20
Cavalier
- Automatic transmission
- 72,000 miles
This seems to be a very common problem with the 03 cavaliers. I bought this car brand new and it only has 72,000 miles on it!!!! Why on earth and I fixing this problem already???? Chevy really needs to stand behind their work and recall all of these defaulty fuel pumps. I will think twice before owning a Chevy again..
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jan 05
Cavalier
- Automatic transmission
- 7,456 miles
Same old, Same old fuel pump problems. Lots of noise this time. Kind of whistling under the car. This time was not under extended warranty as the warranty on a fuel pump is ONE YEAR. Surprise it has been a year and one half. Did we just get a lemon? And are we going to have to keep doing this year after year? Does anyone have any answers?
2009Jan 08
Cavalier LS 2.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
I had fuel pump failure also. I just shut off the car and it would not restart, no warning at all. This repair cost me 750.00 to fix.
2008Jul 12
Cavalier ES 2.2L
- Manual transmission
- 68,256 miles
I will never buy a Chevy again... It was raining on my way home from work the (graveyard shift) I was alone at 2am on a week day on the freeway that was completely secluded, dark and no cars were coming through. The car just shut off and would not start. I didnt get any warning signs as to indicate that something may have been wrong. NOTHING, no stalling, no jerking, no shut off and re-start... NOTHING. And the financial damage was severe. Chevy should re-call and pay me back my money. I am a single mom I bust my ass day in and day out and don't need this kind of sh*t in my life.
2008Nov 09
Cavalier 4 Cln
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
I was driving at night and my car started losing power and I was able to coast to the side and it would not start again.
My husband and a friend came and it still would not start.
A couple of days after I was able to get an appointment I wasted yet another call and had it towed to my garage mechanics garage.
I got a call saying it would cost about 750 to fix.
I gave my permission since I had no choice.
I am broke and my husband is on disability and i had to put it on my charge.
Now I hear this problem is very common with 2003 Chevy cavilers and could happen again and again.
Please recall it.
I did not bring the car to a Chevy dealer cause i have no faith in them but I brought it to a well known licensed garage.
Mrs T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2005May 13
Cavalier 2.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 65,000 miles
I use my car for work and put on about 50,000 km every year so just about every problem here that's listed for '03 Cavaliers, I've had! Since these problems seem to be so common, I'm reporting every one of mine here to add to the list. Maybe, GM will sit up and listen to so many of us? I doubt it but - needless to say, when I bought a new car this year, it's definitely NOT a GM. (It's a Nissan.) I'm still driving my Cavalier though, until it hits the next repair bill that's too high, then it's parked for good.
I'm not sure about the dates but my car was just off warranty when the fuel pump quit. All of a sudden with no warning, it just quit and had to be pushed over to the side of the road. I had it towed to the dealer and it cost me $950 to replace it. When so many are going, and when GM knows the reason, why do they not do something about it???
2005Sep 23
Cavalier 3.2L
- Manual transmission
- 65,000 miles
I bought my Chevy cavalier "brand new" on june 25th 2003.. it only had 14 miles on it.. in September of 2004 the fuel pump went out.. soo we had it fix.. then every year after we have had to change the fuel pump.. it has costed me 1800 dollars to put in a new fuel pump because thats all we can figure that is wrong.. we've fixed everything else as well.. i have put 6 fuel pumps in this car(thats only 5 years old).. i am soo tired of it.. not to mention i cant even get a new car cause the car is worth 3000 and i owe 7000.. Also.. when i bought it.. it was white.. a year ago I hit something in the road and the pain got chipped and its a Beautiful color blue.. shiny and everything... and as of right now.. we just put a new fuel pump and new plugs to the fuel pump in and still its not working when it doesnt want to.. the battery is fine, my oil is fine, everything is fine.. its a freaking fuel problem.. i am soo annoyed that i pretty much hate chevrolet's now.. thanx..
2008Sep 08
Cavalier 2.2L 1-4 Mpi Dohc
- Automatic transmission
- 58,607 miles
My 2003 Cavalier only has 58,607 miles on it and the fuel pump failed when I tried to start it last week. Really, a car with only 58,607 miles should not have fuel pump problems! And the cost of repair? It cost me $627! We have 4 kids in college and very little money. (Losing my job didn't help either) I couldn't believe what was happening. Then I checked online and found out that many other people with 2003 Cavaliers were having the same problem! And the problems were occurring at about 60,000 miles! I figured this was not a coincidence. I checked with this website and found out the reason. Chevrolet has a defect with the fuel pump. It is under investigation with the NHTSA. They haven't had enough complaints so i am asking all customers with a similar problem to write to the NHTSA and let them know this is unacceptable on their part!
2008Aug 04
Cavalier
- Automatic transmission
- 57,578 miles
I was on my way home from work when making a left hand turn onto and from an extremely busy road. The car just quit! I thank god had enough gliding power to glide to a part of the road that was safe. I waited 20 minutes for the cops to come. A nice man and his friends helped push my car out of the intersection. Then waited another 45 minutes in stifling heat for AAA to come. Fuel pump he said. Had to be towed 33 miles home. Definitely a royal pain in the ass. Got accosted by a gentlemen that scammed me out of 40 dollars while waiting for a tow truck. It wasn't in the greatest of areas. Here I am a woman with her hood up, waiting alone on the side of the road, I was shaking and definitely upset about this problem. My husband was more furious since he's the one fixing it for me. I'm out of work for awhile until it is done. Not only did it cost a fortune to fix it have it towed, but two days lost income from work.
I'm not Happy!!!!!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2008Jun 18
Cavalier 2.2L V4
- Automatic transmission
- 80,000 miles
Caviler Sucks Ass. I was just driving one night and bang it stopped pumping.
2008Jun 18
Cavalier 2.2L V4
- Automatic transmission
- 49,020 miles
I am a retired person who is very susceptible to heat exhaustion, and my '03 Cavalier refused to start when wanted to go home from a swimming activity. It was 110 degrees here in Las Vegas, I had no choice but to walk home, fortunately I had a wet swimsuit on under my clothes and that kept me cool enough for the short walk. Just thankful it didn't happen too much farther from home. My car needed a fuel pump, so the next day a Mobile Car Repair guy came and towed it to my house and fixed it there. It took all of the next day.
Mileage is 49,020, and bill was $569.00. I have never had a fuel pump problem with any other car.
2008Nov 19
Cavalier 2.2L I4
- Automatic transmission
- 80,000 miles
Car suddenly died on me in traffic while driving. Would not start back up again. Luckily I was able to pull of the road in time. Towed the vehicle to a shop and the mechanic told me it was the fuel pump. $750 dollars and a headache later it was running again.
2007Dec 01
Cavalier 2.2L I-4 Ecotec
- Automatic transmission
- 85,883 miles
The car began to have issues like it was stalling (which is weird, since I have an automatic) at varying speeds. I first noticed it at highway speeds with cruise control engaged. The car noticeably slowed, then accelerated, then resumed normal operation. After a couple of weeks, the car refused to start. The battery was fine (Optima Red Top) so the next suspect was the fuel pump. Reliable Chevrolet (Dallas Dealership) did the work and now it has a lifetime warranty on the part and work. In the next week, it failed again and the fault was attributed to a faulty ignition sensor, which was replaced free of charge due to missing it during the diagnostic. Took about 2 weeks and I was not offered a rental car option for use during service. I should note I use fuel system cleaner every oil change "just in case" - perhaps that's why my case is over the average occurrence mileage.
2008Apr 21
Cavalier 2.2L
- Manual transmission
- 67,000 miles
Chevrolet need to recall the cavalier for this problem. and it cost to much to have the damn thing fixed
2008Mar 27
Cavalier
- Automatic transmission
- 74,000 miles
Seems to be a very common problem on the 2003 Chevy Cavalier. Apparently Chevy is looking at this problem as a possible recall.
It was inconvenient for me because my wife was out of town and I had no other vehicle to use. I had to tow the car to a mechanic I trusted and it took a full day and about $700 to get it fixed.
My car has 74,000 miles on it, and it just seems that this is way too few miles for a problem of this sort. If you experience this problem with your Cavalier, make sure the shop replaces the part with original OEM equipment. Aftermarket stuff will likely break again in a couple years.
I really hope that GM announces a recall.
2008Mar 25
Cavalier LS 2.2L V4
- Automatic transmission
- 83,000 miles
Chevrolet, this is not the first or the 100th complaint about your fuel pumps on the cavalier!!
2007Jun 28
(reported on)Cavalier LX
- Automatic transmission
- 52,000 miles
Fuel injector fuse keeps blowing. No one including dealership has an answer dealership just temp fixed problem until warranty was up is this wiring problem, fuel injector, starter. why should a car need 3 fuel pumps within 52000 miles
2007Dec 20
Cavalier Coupe 2.2L 4 cyl
- Manual transmission
- 60,000 miles
While driving in rush hour traffic my car began to feel very sluggish and unresponsive to gas pedal inputs, then immediately died in the middle of the highway. I had the car towed to a shop and checked out and turns out it was the fuel pump. I had it pulled and removed and 775 dollars later its back to normal. Ive heard alot of people have had the same problem and really think something should be done by the manufacturer.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Nov 10
Cavalier 2.2L
I was on my way to work on a busy road going 40 mph when my car started to chug then died. I was still coasting along and had to try to get out of traffic and not cause any accidents, people behind me had to slow down really quickly, I was in the left hand lane and had to coast into the turn lane then get off of road. If I had caused an accident I wonder whose fault it would have been, I am very mad now as I write this.
I was on my way to work so needless to say I was late. The next morning I had it towed to the dealership to get it fixed, it was the fuel pump and cost me a couple dollars shy of $900!! I was a bit peeved, but was more pissed when I read online and saw it was a common problem with cavaliers, oh and that the recall investigation was closed, REALLY!!!!
silveronyx1b
Grand Forks, ND, USA
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