Chevrolet Cavalier

halsca

Struts are easy to remove HOWEVER taking them down requires some special tools. You'll need either a FAST impact wrench or a strut socket to remove the center bolt. That's AFTER you've delt with the coil spring. Vicegrips are a NO NO as you'll scratch the shaft.

You can rent spring compressors but make sure to get a good one. You can also take the struts to most tire shops and have them deal with the spring, normally costs no more than 15 dollars per strut.

Labor to have the job done usually runs 50 dollars per strut down where I live.

jens2005

My husband has a 2001 Chev. Cavalier. It is automatic. A couple of weeks ago his gear shift knob broke. We went to an auto parts store and bought a universal manual shifter knob. We put it on and it worked great at first. Then when he put the car in park, the key wouldn't come out of the ignition. We loosened the gear shifter and the key came right out. The key will continue to come out if you leave it loose, but then the little black "universal" button cap you have to put under the button shifts around and once it shifts to a certain point then the button won't work anymore. It is very aggravating. Any ideas or suggestions? I think we are going to try to go to a junkyard and get a stock shifter to put back on, but it would be nice if we could get this one to work.

sarahanne

Hi. Same thing happened to me just recently in my 2005 cavalier. The first time I took it in, it WAS a loose gas cap, but a couple of days went by and then the light came on again. I ended up having the EVAP vent solenoid replaced (whatever the heck that is....some kind of fuel valve). The cost was $82.00 (canadian), that included diagnosis, parts and labour. Good Luck!

cam3l30n

my GF has a 99 Z24, auto with OD and had the same problem for over a year. Tried to find a good price to have it fixed but in vain... The problem with her car was a Pressure solenoid in the Tranny. The solenoid itself was about 80$ but the labour cost me an arm and a leg.

Another potential problem would be the wiring going from the computer to the solenoid. If it's damaged in any way, it could affect the resistance of the solenoid.

Paid the price, had the solenoid replaced and it's running perfectly now... 860$ later...

Hope it helps!

alf253

Yeah,is your car still on warranty ??? Because that is emissions and that is an 80000(US)mile warranty. Your should have never paid for the part and labor. If you have the 3 year 36000(US) warranty. Even still I would have called Gm because that should never happen in a 2005. My car is a 2004 and I will still call Gm and tell them. Gm Has alot of problems as of late. If you need Gm customer assistance numbers. I even have the one for canada I suggest you call. Do you have your car worked on at an Gm place or not??

Karen_S

...looks like head gasket issues has been a subject of interest. Therefore, a new discussion has been created and a few posts about this moved there. Please continue in Chevrolet Cavalier: Head Gasket Issues.

Thanks!

cliff68

Hello, I have a 97 Chev. Cavelier automatic 2.2 two door. I need to replace the fuel tank. Is this a weekend job for me or is there alot involved. I have never changed a tank before but I'm willing to give it a try. Is this a good idea?

halsca

Not a major deal with the right tools perhaps a 2 hour job. Make sure to get either a Hayes or Chilton repair manual if you're not sure of all the details. By the way you'll need a helper job can be done solo but with a helper its much easier.

ckitching

$82??? I just had the exact same part replaced on my 2000 Cavalier, and paid $162 at the dealer ($142 before tax). And I just bought the car from the dealer 13 days ago.

That'll teach me.

sarahanne

Yes I always take my car to the dealership to get it fixed. I think you're right. I'm going to be calling GM. This is ridiculous. I've only been paying for the car for one year.

Thanks!

xragex

I have a 2000 cavalier. I am trying to drain my radiator to put new collant in it but dont know where the drain plug is. Can you help me???

gonogo

Let see, looking in from the front drivers it should be front right lower corner,I think it is white. Don't have it anymore, had a stroke of good luck my wife totaled it. I got her a loaded 04 Malibu with 68 miled on it, she loves it.

gonogo

Replacing coolant, don't forget the block drain,should be hex plug between the starter and exhaust, just above the oil pan.

woobegone

In defense of the humble Cavalier, I have to say that I've been very satisfied with mine, a 2000 Z24 convertible. Bought it May 03 w/ 28k miles (former rental car in Hawaii). I now have 70k on it, commute 50 miles r/t daily and get 30 mpg consistently w/ no modifications. Only repair of consequence was replacement of gas tank seal (CEL was on). I just had front brakes done at 62k and fuel inj. cleaned at 59k. Other than regular LOF, no other maintenance or repairs, and it runs very well and has great acceleration. I'm just sorry (and puzzled) that Chevy stopped making the convertible with the 2000 year. I'll have to find something else to replace it someday, but not anytime soon!

daehkcarc

I recently replaced the alternator in my 97 cavalier. That worked fine but when I start the car now the belt shifts half way off the pulleys and the tensioner pulley is loose. Is it possible I am doing something wrong when putting the belt back on? or is it possible that the tensioner is broken?

gonogo

Sounds like a bad tensioner, take the belt off and check it out, the pulley bearing should be tight and roll smooth.

halsca

This plastic cap how many times can you keep reusing it? My dealer recomends only 2 times however I've used it 8 times already with no leaks. Have proper socket so rounding off the wrench flats aren't an issue. I also make sure not to over tighten it.

Are these things subject to sudden stress cracks which could cause a major oil leak? Ever hear of one failing? I can get the oil filter by itself for about 8 bucks, the whole assembly at the dealers costs 15 bucks.

newcav

Am thinking of buying a 98 cavalier with 2.2 L engine for my daughter. The car seems to be in good shape, 89,000 miles, but has an intermittent "tick" in the engine.

The "tick" doesn't increase or decrease with engine speed. It sounds slightly metallic and seems to be coming from the drivers side of engine. Happens once every 10 - 20 seconds. Listened to a friends cavalier running last night and it seemed to have a similar sound, but not as loud.

This makes me a little worried, but I think another chevy I owned had a similar sound and I had no problems with it?

Any ideas?

Any advice appreciated.

candie

i have a 1995 chevy cavalier that someone got both outside side windows broken this weekend. i am on limited income (very much so, disabled) and i need to have them fixed. i need to know can i just BUY mirrors or do i have to buy the whole frame and all? this is the side mirrors, 1995 chevy cavalier LS...4 doors (driver side mirror and passenger side mirror). Where would i find this also? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated...thank you so much. Candie

gonogo

I believe you can buy just the mirror glass, call your local Chevy dealer parts department. Tell them year and model and that you want just the outside mirror glass for both sides.

candie

Gonogo, thanks so much...any chance i can do it cheaper thru someplace like autozone? (just lost my job...or wouldn't be asking..:( ) Again, thanks!!!

gonogo

Well if you are going to have someone replace the mirror glass call around to glass replace shops and get an estimate. I think the glass shops would be the cheapest, they order and work with glass every day.

porsche_914

I have a 2000 Z24 convert., purchased used in 2002 with 10K mile, now has 67K miles. Have always noticed brightening/dimming of lights with concurrent speed changes in blower motor fan speed since we have owned the car, but it did not seem to affect anything other than to be slightly annoying. Yesterday my daughter was driving the car and noticed that the speedometer went to 0 [she was doing about 35 at the time], all the warning lights started flashing on the dashboard and the engine cut off. I had it towed home. It now starts and runs fine, the alternator puts ~14V across the battery. I am unable to recreate the 'surge/sag' observation with the car sitting in the driveway so I can't see if the alternator is cutting out. Battery is ~1 year old. Anybody have any ideas regarding where I should look next? Does anyone think ECM is involved? ---Thanks!

porsche_914

Problem solved - but just in case somebody else runs into the same symptoms....I removed the alternator [pain] and had it tested. It is a 105 amp alternator but during test it would sometimes produce ~50 amps and sometimes produce nothing at all [explains the surge/sag I observed]. Guy running the test said it was unusual, they normally just fail all the way - that's why I wouldn't get a warning lamp to illuminate on the dash since it didn't fail hard. $99 and tax later and the rebuilt alternator is installed - now if I can just get the vbelt back on......

drasstic

I have had this problem with my power window for along time now. The window goes down fine with no problems, but when you go to put the window up the window moves up maybe 1/4 of an inch then stops. You must then wait about 3 mins to try again and usually it will go up another 1/4 of an inch. If you dont wait the 3-5 mins the window will do nothing when you press the button. So I decided to take the door apart. I unplugged the power cord to the window motor, and then removed the white piece that it was attached to. When I removed this the motor brushes' fell out and so did the springs. I managed to find them lol. I noticed that there was lots of gresee all over the brushes and the motor armature. I cleaned the gresee and inspected the brushes but they dont seemed to be very worn. Now The biggest problem I have now I finding a way to get the brushes to stay on the springs and get them pushes back enough to get them back in place (seems impossible). But before I try that I want to make sure that this is may be the cause of the failing power window. Any information would be appreicaited ! thanx! wayner.

Karen_S

You might want to check out this discussion and post your questions there.

Chevrolet Cavalier: Window Motors

ramanexodus

I have a 95 Chevy Cavalier and it is damned reliable. I just bought it several months ago. The only detracting feature is that the rubber trim surrounding the exterior rear windows has hundreds of cm. sized dots of either mold or mildew. I've tried armorall various times, alcohol, peroxide, Mothers brand crap for restoring bumpers and rubber. Nothing seems to work. I even tried weed killer on it. Is there anything I can do. (Will bleach damage the rubber) Thanks.

porsche_914

I have had good results with mildew remover [smells like there is some bleach in it], purchased in either the boat supply section or RV section of local walmart. Sorry don't remember exact name of the stuff, but if you don't see it ask one of the folks there. You spray the stuff on, wait a minute or 2, then scrub with a scrub brush [mine has plastic bristles]. After it dries, follow up with whatever type of protectant you prefer...good luck.

moronicfool

I have a 2000 cavalier with about 95,000 miles on it. The other day i was leaving school and the car would start up, sputter and die. I've checked the obvious things, such as gas and oil. I have also ruled out problems with the alternator, starter, and water pump. I think it has something to do with the ignition system. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

jmoore81

My 98 does that when I use the wrong brand oil filter. I took it into the dealer and they said to only use AC delco and Frams. Other brands done have some kind of valve in them.

kcybulskie

hay - i also have a 98 there is a recall on the ingnition system- for what years other than 98 i dont know something to look into, but aperently(excuse spelling) the wires break down and can cause a fire if you try to hold ignition for to long. i also had a problem where it would spit and sputter( seemed to happen worse when very humid or raining) and what it was was that the comuter needed to be cleared it had reseaved a hole bunch of "false" info and was self adjusting. i had the codes erased and it has ran fine ever since. hope this may help.

rl55

I have a 97 cavalier. The horn kept blowing when no one was in car. I had to disconnect the horn from the wire connected to it. Now I can hear a clicking from the area on the steering wheel where I press to honk horn. Is this a relay problem or a horn pad problem.. Does anyone have an idea how to fix this. I do need a horn, but can't connect it cause it will keep beeping.

alternator

The Trico web site says that 17" Winter Blades are available, but I have never found them anywhere I have looked.

However, to my surprise, I discovered that the 16" Trico Winter Blades are almost exactly the same length as the Cavalier OEM 17" summer blades!

944s

hi i have a 1999 pontiac sunfire coupe,,, i am going to post my comment here because nobody ever replies the sunfire forums,,,, my question is, has anybody ever had trouble with the sunroof on their sunfire/cavalier,,, mine works when it wants to,,, but gets stuck and doesnt close all the way??? doed anybody know how to fix this???? let me know please,,, this is killing me,, it rains all the time here and my car stinks like moisture.... thx!!!!

kytten

My (2.2 4Cyl) 2000 Cavalier is a lemon! (See pic below)



Now listen to the rest of the story now that we got past the obvious.

When I bought this car, it came with a 1,000 mile warranty. Well, just like typical, when my warranty was up, the problems started.

What is the biggest, and basically the only problem? Overheating!

It was horrible, it would overheat to the point that it would redline on the temp gauge. Coolant containers all over in the car, 10 foot puddles out in front of the car and one BIG headache! Every time I went somewhere I had to make sure I had plenty of coolant. So I finally decided to just spend one paycheck and take it to a mechanic. The hose had a gash in it.. they replaced the hoses. Oh phew! It's fixed! No.. no its not, its OVERHEATING AGAIN! What the!?? Changed the temp sensor.... I think we're ok for a couple days. Nope.

Later on, Moved out of my Ex's house, and he wouldn't give me the car, even though it was a in bad shape.. he kept driving it, and let it overheat to the point where it wouldn't start. Cracked the block. Engine = Seized.

Year later, got the car back after it sat, seized and unused outside.
Totally revamping went on. New Engine. New Heater Core. New fluids. New brakes. Finally, it was ok. I drove all the way to Burlington County, no problems! For a month it was perfect!
That is until this past friday...

I went to pick up my son this friday, and 5 minutes after leaving my Ex's house, I had to pull over. It's overheating AGAIN. Put some coolant in, made it home.
Saturday morning, was planning on goin to Pensy, until 10 minutes on the parkway, the coolant boiled in the tank, and came gushing out the overflow hose. I had to get towed. I was pissed. INFURIATED!!!

So, later that day, I thought I'd take it out for a spin to see if it would happen again. Oh boy and it did, quicker than I thought. Not even a block, and It was running extremely hot, and gushing antifreeze quite rapidly out of the overflow hose. That leads me to today.

Today I drove it to Adams house, which is not too far away (in the same neighborhood). We went in his car to pick up two bottles of antifreeze, new spark plugs, new thermostat & gasket, and a new temp sensor. Adam installed everything. I took it for a spin around the block..OVER HEAT! OVER HEAT! OVER HEAT! WHY!? Radiator? Waterpump? WHAT IS IT?!

The waterpump was fine when the engine was put in. Spun really nice. The radiator is the only thing that hasnt been changed. Im so mad, so confused, and SO BROKE. This is ridiculous, when I looked at all the empty antifreeze containers, they equalled up to $50 worth! This has to stop!!

ccsengine

I am having problems with this car, the fan is Ok, the temperature sensor is OK because is new, the fuse is ok and the realy it seems to be OK, but the fan doesn´t start when the car is hot, in couple of time was activated normal even with the aC BUT NOW IT´S OFF AND I DONT KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. :mad: :sick:

kytten

I had the same problem.. The fan would never come on! It wouldnt ever come on when I needed it to, specially when idling..I couldnt figure it out! You know what I did? (Mine is the post above yours) I had tried everything and it was still overheating! So I figured the worst - Head gaskets / Warped heads / cracked block.

I wound up flushing my whole system with a garden hose, radiator and every single hose, then I followed the directions on K&W Permanent Metallic Block Seal. (Course I flushed every single trace of antifreeze out) and I mixed the block seal with hot tap water like it said, then put it through the car, after puttin all the hoses back on. Then it said to let it idle for 20-30 minutes and here im thinkin "My car cant even idle for 10 minutes without it gettin up to 260 degrees, how am I gonna do 30 minutes? But I did it..(I did 25 minutes) and 10 minutes in, for the first time in my entire cars life, the FAN CAME ON!! and then after that I undid the hoses again to let it all flush out, then you let it sit for 24 hours to let the stuff adhese. 24 hours later, I put all the hoses back, I decided to switch my Cavy of DEX-COOL. (It contains ginger that eats away at the gaskets and seals) I put it on green antifreeze, and its been running perfect! I hope this helps.. I know I was so mad when I couldnt figure it out, but I did this and its no longer overheating, and the fan is now coming on when its supposed to. Good luck

hardware91

I have a 2002 Cavalier. I purchased it used. I am missing half of the lights on the radio/cd player, and lights on the gear shift (P,R,D,ETC). cAN SOMEONE HELP EXPLAIN HOW TO REPLACE. Thanks

kcybulskie

Yes, i dicided to change the radio in my car(98 cav), let me tell you, you have to take the intire dash apart, if you need a detailed discription i can but it will be a long one, you should be able to purchase the replacement bulbs at any auto motive parts store(I.E canadian tire). But i just purchased the Haynes repair manual for my car, it gives you a complete teardown of your car. Be prepared and leave yourself atlest a day to replace them.

goodluck

sf121kmi

I have a 93 Cavalier that I let sit for about 7 months. I went to start it, didn't start. I wasn't surprised and took the battery down to AutoZone to replace it. Everything was fine, it sat for less than a week and I went to start it and nothing! It was as dead as the first time but after the battery was replaced. There's no clicking or any other noises when trying to turn over .. just nothing. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

jpf

The no start may be a blessing in disguise. With the car sitting that length of time, there may be no oil in the cylinders. A piston could seize in the cylinder. Check with a mechanic. You may have to pull the spark plugs and squirt some oil in each cylinder. Otherwise, the no start may be caused by a bad ground connection. Good luck.

cornstalker

I need to replace the stupid cable that runs from the backside of the vent control knob up to the vent switch. Does anyone know the part number for this? I have tried my local Chevrolet dealership, and the usual autozone/etc, and all four places looked at me like I was idiot.

The cable has become crooked, kinked, etc, and I need to get it replaced, as the car has no defroster, and I live in the middle of the country.

Bad combination right now.

slusmiles

I have an 04 Chevy Cavalier with 72,000 miles on it. I hadn't thought about replacing the suspension until about a month ago when my car started sqeaking. Whenever I go over rough surfaces my car squeaks. Sometimes it seems to be coming from the front and other times the back. I haven't been able to isolate it. I've had an Olds where the suspension went bad and the car did "float". I haven't experienced this yet with the Cavalier. I am able to push the back end up and down pretty easily, but the front end really doesn't move when I push. Also, it's been fairly chilly here lately and I have noticed it more in the colder weather.

Does anything think the sqeaking is bad suspension? If so, does this model year use all struts or a combination or shocks and struts.

Thanks! :confuse:

gonogo

Most likely just bushings, sway bar bushing are famous for that. They shrink and start making noise, if it was mine I would spray the bushings with silicone.

bassoutlaw

I need to replace the radiator on my 04 Cavalier Sedan. I am not very mechanically inclined and am hoping someone can help. Some of the websites I have visited list different models and brands of radiators and I am a little confused about which one I need to purchase. They list an OEM radiator @ $234, they list one for a 2.2L 16 valve @ $197. I pretty sure mine is not 16 valve. They also list a radiator with 2 rows @ $190. The last one listed is a Silla radiator that says it fits a Cavalier "2.2L, 4 Cylinder — VIN F" for $128. What does VIN F mean??. If someone has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

gonogo

With your limited knowledge I would go to or call my nearest Advance Auto parts, tell them what you have for a car and they tell you what you need. I deal with them and they sell good quality parts at a fair price. If nothing else they will tell you what model engine you have, I believe you have a 16 valve EcoTech.

halsca

The VIN F is important as to what sort of engine you have. If I think the the seventh figure is the letter F you need a different style radiator than if it's just another number. Better check that at your local Chevy dealer.

If you can get a double row radiator which will fit I'd go for it even if it cost more. You'll get better cooling remember the Ecotech motor can't take much overheating.

cjkarcher

I have a 1995 z24 cavalier with a 2.3l AT. The car does not run. Some friends and I have all came to the conclusion that it is the ECU. I would like to get as many opinions on the matter as I can b4 i buy a $100 part. The car turns over but does not get any spark and I do not hear the fuel pump kick on. The engine light also does not come on while you turn it over. Also if it is the computer do I just buy the computer for this model car and pop it in or do I have to buy the computer and then get it flashed?

gonogo

The computer is located behind the passenger side front wheel well splash shield. A known issue with corrosion on connector pins. The computer has to match the vehicle, same year, same model, same engine and same transmission.

cjkarcher

I have the computer out of the car. Its a remanufactured computer. They guy I bout if from said the computer was flashed at point in time. His brother in law said i had to have it reprogramed. I am a computer tech myself and as far as i know when u flash any kind of computer you're flashing new code into it. I think the computer has just been wet and and the water damaged it. Any sugestion as to what i can use to clean off the pins that plug into the computer? Also could it be the security alarm and if so what do i check? Also how can i tell its a 2.3? I was told its a 2.3 but the valve cover says 2.4.
Thank you