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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
75,575 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Chevrolet Cavalier fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2003 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner Comments (Page 2 of 10)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #173

Mar 072011

Cavalier

  • 85,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Was driving vehicle and with no warning it stalled out. It is currently at the garage with an estimate of 700-900 to replace the fuel pump. I do not have this money so I am now a single parent without a vehicle for a problem that should have been recalled previously. I thank god my child was not in the vehicle.

- Kingston, 00, USA

problem #172

Feb 152011

Cavalier

  • 78,000 miles
Driving down the highway at 70 mph. The car began to shudder and lose acceleration. I got off at the nearest exit and as I passed through the exit intersection, the engine died. I coasted into a gas station, where the engine would turn over and then die right away. After 15 minutes it no longer turned over....the tow truck man tried it. Turns out the fuel pump is shot and apparently this is a common problem for 03 Cavaliers. The car only has 78,000 miles on it.

- Scottsdale , AZ, USA

problem #171

Jan 202011

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
Fuel pump failure resulting in the engine dying and not being able to restart. The car was running fine with about a half tank of gas when the engine died in traffic. I was able to safely stop the car but not in all circumstances would that be possible. The car as around 60,000 miles on it and a complete fuel pump failure while in operation is unacceptable on a vehicle under ten years old with under 100,000 miles on it. I understand that this is a common problem.

- Mn, MN, USA

problem #170

Apr 012009

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Trans axle went out April 09 with a horrible mess of oil, steering rack replaced 6 months later, driver side window/ motor problem, fuel pump went 75,000 a bit shy of a year later. Now my defrost isn't working; possibly the switch 85,000. Had brakes done twice so far with leaks; this includes hydraulics, rotors, pads, shoes etc. My steering has seized while driving. This car has been a very expensive inconvenience.

- Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, 00, USA

problem #169

Dec 112010

Cavalier

  • 88,478 miles
Driving at 60 mph just died on the interstate, pulled over started back up also at 60,000 miles fuel pump went out nothing but problems with this 2003 Cavalier they are a lemon, why isn't something done"???" before someone gets killed if they haven't already!!

- House Springs, MO, USA

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problem #168

Nov 112010

Cavalier

  • 69,214 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact stated that while driving 72 mph, the vehicle stalled and the oil and seat belt lights illuminated. The contact pushed the vehicle to the side of the road and had it towed to an authorized dealer; the dealer stated that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. The current and failure mileages were 69,214.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #167

Sep 292010

Cavalier

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving my car on main roads, it tends to stall out of no where. I have had the fuel pump replaced around 70,000 miles. At 115,000 miles it seems as though I need to replace it again. It stalls while driving, in traffic, but then starts right back up. It is not safe. I have it a shop yet again to see what's wrong.

- Carlisle , PA, USA

problem #166

Sep 222010

Cavalier

  • miles
I have a 2003 Chevy Cavalier and the fuel pump continues to go out. It is extremely frustrating. It has gone out once before and cost me 800 dollars to replace. I wish I knew about how frequent this happens with this car before purchasing it.

- Lynchburg, VA, USA

problem #165

Sep 112010

Cavalier

  • 70,000 miles
Fuel pump broke at 70,000 miles.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

problem #164

Aug 282010

Cavalier

  • 92,930 miles
While driving on a busy interstate, the engine cut out and I had to coast to side of interstate.

- Plymouth, MN, USA

problem #163

Aug 172010

Cavalier

  • 179,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving on highway. 2003 Chevy Cavalier just started losing power and then died on highway. Had to wait 1 hr. For aaa to come to tow in 111 degree heat. Turns out to be a faulty fuel pump.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #162

Jul 242010

Cavalier

  • 59,246 miles
The car was stopped at a stop sign and stalled when pulling out into traffic. It seems the fuel pump failed. The fuel pump was replaced and car seems to be running.

- Hadley, NY, USA

problem #161

Jan 012008

Cavalier

  • 60,000 miles
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier- at 64,000 miles fuel pump died while parked at a store upon restart $700 replacement. At approximately 60,000 miles front clunking noise started, dealer could never find a problem, now at 76,000 miles, having front upper strut mounts replaced. Found alot of complaints online about same issues. I determined cause of front clunk on my own. Also, was in collision that involved front driver side, down driver side front fender, airbags did not deploy, don't know if they should have. Noone was hurt, was slow speed crash. Still cannot believe no recall on fuel pump or front suspension. Apparently GM doesn't want to foot the $700 bill for the fuel pump defect.

- Adams, MA, USA

problem #160

Mar 102010

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
Fuel pump broke.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #159

May 102010

Cavalier 4-cyl

  • 117,000 miles
Fuel pump and check engine light.

- Osceola, IA, USA

problem #158

Feb 222010

Cavalier

  • 72,441 miles
Fuel pump failure - car stalls just inside a parking lot of a large shopping area. Driver has to have help moving the 2003 Cavalier into a parking spot until a tow truck comes to move the car to the garage for repairs. The fuel pump has failed at 72,441 miles without any warning; just a stall and then completely dead. It's said the fuel pump should last the life of the vehicle. This vehicle is pristine and always serviced at or before 3000 mile intervals. There is no reason this should have happened. The repair cost over $700. It's good this did not happen in traffic or there could have been a possible fatality.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #157

Mar 152010

Cavalier

  • 111,000 miles
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier, died while driving lost power steering and almost drove into ditch because I couldn't easily turn steering wheel! I think it is a problem with the fuel pump because the car would not start after incident. Starter will turn the engine over but will not start...

- Amherstdale, WV, USA

problem #156

May 112010

Cavalier

  • 112,000 miles
Fuel pump went out on 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier. Left my wife stranded in the middle of the road! she almost wrecked because there was no power steering after the motor quit.

- Moneta, VA, USA

problem #155

Apr 102010

Cavalier

  • 77,000 miles
My 2003 Chevy Cavalier, at 77,000 miles, quit without any warning. I was lucky to be on a low traffic street. After having it towed home and getting on line, I found numerous complains about the same year and make. Everyone complained that their fuel pump went out. After purchasing the fuel pump module and doing the work myself (due to lack of funds) the car ran fine. When will the recall begin, after someone dies?

- Pomona, CA, USA

problem #154

Apr 132010

Cavalier

  • 103,000 miles
I was heading out of my house in the evening and got about 2 or 3 miles from my home when I went to make a left turn through an intersection. Middle of the intersection my vehicle started to sputter and would not accelerate when I applied pressure to gas pedal. I was only able to coast just enough to clear the intersection and my vehicle ended up shutting down in the middle of the road. This problem occurred with out warning, no signs, no lights my vehicle just gave out on me in the middle of an intersection had it occurred just 5 seconds before I cleared the intersection I may have been seriously injured or worst it could have been a fatal accident. I do know that there are plenty of 2003 Chevy Cavalier owners who have experienced this same problem and it needs to be addressed. Carcomplaints.com and other consumer review sites give detailed scenarios of this dangerous fuel pump failure and its abrupt occurrence. This problem has occurred at mileage as low as 7,000 and works its way up. I would like to be spoken with personally by someone on the board and for reasons why this problem doesn't seem to be an important safety issue. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Collingdale, PA, USA

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