← NHTSA complaints

2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER — SUSPENSION:REAR

crash · 524269 · 2005-03-03

Vehicle

Make
CHEVROLET
Model
CAVALIER
Year
2002
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
SUSPENSION:REAR
Miles at failure
52,400
Speed
55 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

ON NOV 12, 2004, MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A HIGHWAY AND OUR 02 CHEVY CAVALIER LS SPORT COUPE WENT OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING A BAD CRASH INSIDE OF A TUNNEL. THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION, THE CAR HAS TRACTION CONTROL AND THE WEATHER WAS FINE. AFTER JUST GETTING OUR CAR BACK FROM BEING IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS TO THE FRONT END FOR THREE MONTHS (DUE TO EXCESSIVE DAMAGE), WE TOOK THE CAR TO GET INSPECTED AND IT FAILED BECAUSE HEY FOUND THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARING IS DAMAGED AND WILL COST ALMOST $500 TO BE REPLACED/REPAIRED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OR WARNING PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THAT THIS BEARING HAD BEEN GOING BAD. WE HAD A WHEEL BEARING REPLACED ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO BUT IT WAS THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING. WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TWO BEARINGS COULD HAVE WENT BAD SO QUICKLY, AS THE CAR WAS ONLY ABOUT A YEAR OLD WHEN THE FIRST ONE WENT. THIS SECOND ONE WENT A YEAR LATER, MAKING THE CAR ABOUT 2 1/2 YRS OLD. WE BELIEVE NOW THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT...IF "SPALLING" OR "BRINELLING" OCCURRED, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HE SAID IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HYDROPLANING-HE FELT THE REAR OF THE CAR KIND OF SLIDE OR WIGGLE TO THE SIDE AND THAT'S WHEN CONTROL WAS LOST. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM LOOKED AT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE REPAIRING IN ORDER TO SEE IF THIS WAS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHY THEY WENT BAD IN THE FIRST PLACE AND SEE IF THE OTHER TWO ARE GOING TO N

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10112446
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown