NHTSA complaint: 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER — SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
DURING FIRST SNOW IN DEC 02, THE ABS IN MY 2MO OLD CAR ACTIVATED FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE NORMAL PEDAL VIBS OCCURED, BUT THERE WAS A PATTERNED PINGING OF A SPRING AT THE PEDALS LOCATION. ALL BRAKING POWER WAS LOST DURING THIS, AND I HAD TO RUN A RED LIGHT BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP, EVEN AFTER PRESSING THE BRAKE AGAIN, WITH THE SAME EFFECT (THIS ALSO OCCURED WHILE PULLING INTO MY GARAGE ON A DRY SURFACE, SO I HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO KEEP FROM RUNNING INTO THE BACK WALL). I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY CHECKED IT TWICE ON THE ROAD, AND ONCE WITH THE SENSOR CHECKS (NO CODES WERE FOUND, THEY SAID). OF COURSE I HAD THEM DOCUMENT THIS. ON JAN 21 '03, I WAS FORCED TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED TOO FAST. ALTHOUGH THE PEDAL FELT PRESSURIZED AS IT SHOULD BE, THERE WAS AGAIN NO BRAKING POWER, ALTHOUGH THE ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE. NO DECELLERATION WAS FELT UNTIL I SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME (AT APPROX. 30MPH). NOONE WAS INJURED ALTHOUGH THERE IS $4000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR (AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ALTHOUGH THE FRONT CENSOR WAS IMPACTED HARD). THERE IS DEFINATELY SOMETHING WRONG, BUT THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation