NHTSA complaint: 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, MY 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SUDDENLY STALLED IN TRAFFIC. IN ORDER TO PREVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, I ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WITHOUT POWER STEERING (DUE TO THE VEHICLE STALLING), CONTROL WAS LIMITED AND I ULTIMATELY RAN INTO A SNOW BANK. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD FAR ENOUGH TO PREVENT A MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING OTHER VEHICLES. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, AND I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE ON THE ROADSIDE AND GET A RIDE HOME. AT HOME, I PERFORMED AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE, MOST OF WHICH ARE THE RESULT OF PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. USING INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED AND RUNNING INTERMITTENTLY IN ORDER TO GET IT HOME. ALTOGETHER, THE VEHICLE STALLED THREE TIMES DURING THE PROCESS, AND NOW WILL NOT START AT ALL. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO ALL FEEL THE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED AND I WILL BE TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE TOMORROW. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation