Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
On days where it’s 80 degrees of more, the car often registers hotter than normal
Normally, Temp gauge needle never exceeds past ¼ of the dial.
Of the times that I’ve experienced problems, the gauge needle is at the ½ area. (It never registers anywhere near the hot half of gauge, but certainly beyond the normal ¼ position)
I will drive, and then will loose all acceleration at once. The car does not stall, unless I try to give it gas. If I try to give too much gas, it will stall.
If I turn the car off (even if for a couple seconds) , when I re-start, it will act normally, and I can drive. (albeit for a short distance)
If I don’t turn the car off, this “no-acceleration condition” does not improve, (even after ten-twenty minutes.)
THe engine does not seem overly hot, and I am able to remove the anti-freeze overflow tank, with no problem, or seemingly excessive heat)
Could there be some sensor or related item that when it senses too high a temperature, it restricts gas flow?
When the car is turned off, perhaps it “resets” whatever this might be? Which is why the car acts normally when turned off and then turned back on?
Perhaps the thermostat is not working properly, and does not adjust adequately on hotter days to cool the car properly
The Cavalier's cooling system requires a special brand of anti-freeze. As far as I know, it has this particular brand of anti-freeze, if it has been mixed with regular anti-freeze, might it not cool the car as it should on hotter days?
Could probably be a combination of these options.
I was hoping someone reading might be able to point me in the right direction on fixing this.
Thanks!
Sid
1. stalling at a stop unless you shift to park or neutral.
Solution: Most likely it is your lock up torque converter not releasing. This happened to me and I feared big $ but the easy fix was FREE!!! Simply disconnect the electrical connection to the tranny. It does not need this feature to work, and I have now put 40,000mi on mine this way. (still get 32-34mpg on the highway too)
2. Overheating!
Solution: Check your radiator for clogging. Mine was 100% clogged and could not be acid cleaned!!! I had to put in a new radiator. The good news is that the darn car still ran awesome even with a fully clogged radiator!!! The scarey over heating was only at a stop or in slow traffic.
3. Bucking, and general cantankerous running:
Solution: Probably plug wires. Mine was very sensitive to this. Would runs awful in wetter weather. New (expensive) plug wires.. runs like a champ.
Cavaliers were such great little cars. Chevy BLEW it when they opted to kill it for the Cobalt.
Hope this helps
1, The cooling system was repaired last year by replacing the radiator. Temp now stays normal
2. As for my transmission, the problem was the TCC (shift) solenoid ($44 dollar part) on the side of the transmission. It now shifts like a new transmission.
3. The plug wires and plugs are brand new. I took a closer look and found a fuel leak (small leak) coming from the num. 3 injector leaking into the cylinder from the lower injector gasket, and my fuel pressure regulator is faulty, & my fuel pump is starting to whine, so it's getting ready to go out soon.
Before this car started having these problems it ran like a champ for a car that has over 217,000 original miles on it. :shades:
Now i thought i just got a bad starter the first time i bought one, but now i am thinking something is wrong with something else that is causing my starter to fail.
If anyone can help me out on this it would be very helpful.
my car is a 2.2liter and a five speed manual transmission with about 97k miles on it. Thank you for any help
friend says i need a need reservoir and tubes. calls a buddy and finds out it only comes in a $500 kit that includes the slave cylinder (which i don't need). friend's buddy talks it down to $130. awesome. replaces reservoir and tubes, keeps it an extra day to be sure. runs great for 1 day then breaks down 1 block from the shop.
friend does more investigating and finds out i DO need to replace the slave cylinder. but guess what? cavaliers' slave cylinder is bolted inside the transmission which means this lucky guy has to pull my transmission. thank GOD he only charges $60/hr for labor.
oh yeah and thanks to the leaking fluid, my clutch is worn but can withstand about 1 more year.
my next buy will be a honda or toyota :mad:
Num. 3 injector was faulty & leaking. Replaced injector with new gaskets and now runs like new. No more sputtering and hesitation while in gear. Idle is nice and smooth in gear & plenty of acceleration down the road. Even idles & runs smooth with the AC running. Not bad for a car with over 217,400 miles on it! This car is full of surprises! :shades:
PS CAR IS A 2000 CAVALIER 2.2 WITH 95 THOUSAND MILES :confuse:
I am a mechanic and I am stumped.
I have changed:
plugs, wires, coils (both), ecm, computer, fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, throttle position sensor, 02 sensor, evap container (charcole canister), all four fuel injectors, and many more other parts.
any ideas?
Thanks.
Drove it to work it did fine. On the way home it sounded as it was misfiring and if i got up tp 35 it would stall. Came home to check plugs and yet again another set of bad wires got new ones again. Now if I try to start the car it runs for a second and stalls.it will not stay running,plus it sounds like it maybe backfiring,and even misfirig,but we have double and triple checked to make sure we are connecting wires in right order.Can anyone help me I am at the end of my ropes and running out of money.I need this car to work and can not get another car.Any help would be greatly appreciated. :confuse:
I have an '05 Cavalier and have EXACTLY the same problem you have with your '04. I had one wheel sensor replaced and the problem stopped for about a week and now is doing it again - the stalling when taking off and such. Did you ever get yours fixed?
Let me know, thanks!
In Feb 08 , I hit a huge puddle and car would stall. I had wire and plugs replaced. In May after rain, it stalled again when I slowed down to stop or make a turn. 2 days later, I brought to mechanic and it worked fine.
In August it rained and same thing , I left it at mechanic for 5 days and when he got to look at it there was nothing wrong. He said codes were fine and did a pressure test as I had water pump replaced in June. He said next time it happens come back. .
Friday it rained really hard but I did not drive the car. Saturday same thing happened but this time I could feel it not running right. I pulled over and it stalled. When it stalls, it just shuts off. The only time a light ever came on was Saturday and it came on just once, TRAC lite but only once.
Brought it to mechanic today, Monday. He put scanner and got a miscommunication signal. If he cannot figure it out by pulling and looking at wires. He said go to another guy in the next town who is good with electrical problems. It does not have the TCC torque converter to pull off. .
Anyone have something like this. I have searched the web and found nothing like this. It does not happen all the time after it rains as it rained a lot in the summer. I would bet by Wednesday 5 days later the car will be fine until it happens again.
Throttle Position Sensor Strategies: Many TPS sensors require an initial voltage adjustment when installed. This adjustment is critical for accurate operation. On some engines, a separate idle switch and/or wide open throttle (WOT) switch may also be used. Driveability symptoms due to a bad TPS can be similar to those caused by a bad MAP sensor: The engine will run without this input, but it will run poorly.
Just to check it out. After getting access to the ignition switch, I disconnected the switch from the key switch and just used a screw driver in the electrical switch and tried to start the car. Had same problem, thus eliminating the the key part of the system.
Changed the electrical part of the ignition switch, and that was my problem.
Hope that helps.
mckeeslia@aol.com
Mechanic said might be computer which he is said is unusual on GM He said the computer drivers might be bad for IAC unit. Since I got the IAC motor, I drove it 70 miles and died one when I was rolling (2-5 mph). Then drove it 20 miles and died at a red light and then taking a turn. The 20 mile drive home it did not die. It is running better but still dies.
Mechanic does not know what it is. I will call tomorrow. He was going to check it GM changed calibrations on it.
I doubt a computer driver would be bad only when it is stopping or going at a low.
spreed.
I have a 1990 chevy Caviler. Ive had numerous things done to it cause it was given to me an i really had no funds to gets another car, so i keep putting little sums of cash, which i have an to get another car i'd need a lump sum an, not able too.
Soooo here the problem, I got car in 2007, i put in new brakes, solenoid, torque converter, gaskets, a flush, new transmission, new fuel pump, speed sensor. Im at wits end.
The car must be driven up to 5 to 10 miles before car starts acting up. Then i feel a release of some sort in my gas foot peddle leg, an about 3 to 10miles later car starts sputtering an then it chugs out, then i must wait a gd 10 to 20 minutes before starting back up.
Please any one knowing anything please help!!!
:mad: :mad: :mad:
Mckeeslia@aol.com
They fixed IAC motor and open in harness.
It has shut off a couple times when stopping since the fix. I put in fuel injector cleaner with a full tank of gas on Monday.
It ran fine then the car started hestitating and stopped pulling into my driveway. Tuesday it ran fine all day for 50 miles.
Wednesday after 20 miles, car started hestitating and stopped a few times and it always has started up. When I go out, I bet it will work.
Any ideas?
mckeeslia@aol.com
When I drove it at lunch 2 hours after it hesitated the first time, the car started to hestitate and then it died like 5 times in 5 minutes. I drove it back to work and called the garage. Of course 30 minutes later, I drive home by the garage and do circles around the garage for 30 minutes and it does not stall. If it stalled, I was going to have them scan it as it usually will stall a few times after the first time.
The garage is giving me a loaner for 2 days and the mechanic is going to take it home and see if it happens. He will have a scanner hooked up to it when he drives it to his house.
In the Sunfire forum, someone said the dealer would give you a scanner and when it happens then you hit a button to get the error code. I asked the garage and they said no but they are not a dealer. You might want to ask the dealer for a scanner to use or try asking another dealer.
Does anyone think I should buy a scanner at autozone 40-60 bucks to see if I can get an error code when it happens ?
The garage who I never went to before found an open in IAC harness and then replaced the IAC motor. When he replaced the IAC motor, it died 1 mile down the street and he spent 45 minutes looking at it last Friday at 5:00 pm but everything seemed normal as we could not recreate the stall on his scanner. He said he likes challenges.
Yesterday before I dropped my car off, I drove around for 20 minutes and it stalled in front of his door. He immediately came out as he knew the stalling was sporadic. I was there for 1 hour and he gave me a loaner to use for the day.
Long story short, he found 2 ground wires that had corroded and he replaced them. He even put the old IAC motor back but it had unstable readings so he put the new one back. He said the 2 open grounds probably caused the IAC motor to burn out.
It is running differentlry than in the last month as there seems to be more power.
The cost for 3 hours of his time and a loaner car was $0. There are some good guys out. As I said before, my regular mechanic referred me to him.
Find a good mechanic.and forget the dealer. His guys are GM certified .