1997 Chevrolet Cavalier engine and engine cooling problems

“THE FIRST INCIDENT THAT OCCUR WAS IN 2009. IT WAS THAT THE SWITCH OF THE KEY ENGINE DID NOT WANT TO START. SOMEONE CAME TO FIX IT BUT COULD NOT FIND A WAY TO REPAIR IT. HE HAD TO ADD A BUTTON UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND I WOULD BE TUNING THE KEY TO THE ENGINE TO START I WOULD HAVE TO PUSH THAT BUTTON TO START THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACING LIGHT BULBS CONSTANCY FROM THE REAR BACK OF THE SINGLE LIGHT. THE THEFT LOCK SYSTEM WOULD BE TURNING IT SELF ON WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING. THANKFULLY THERE WAS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT I WOULD BE STRUGGLING TO START MY CAR .I HAD TO WAIT SOME COUPLE OF MINUTES TO START THE CAR. THE RECENT INCIDENT THAT OCCUR WAS WHEN MY NEIGHBOR HEARD LIKE SOME FIREWORKS IN OUR SIDE OF OUR HOUSE. HE TOOK A LOOK AND HE SEEN THAT OUR CAR WAS SOME SPARKLING LIGHTS OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THAT WAS AROUND MIDNIGHT WHAT HE SEEN AND HE TOLD US THAT MORNING. AS I WALK TOWARDS THE CAR I COULD SMELL SMOKE AS IF SOMETHING BURN. I WANTED TO START MY CAR BUT WOULDN'T START. SOME ONE CAME TO FIXED IT AND HAD TO REPLACE SOME CABLE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE THAT WAS THAT CAUSE THE SPARKING OF THE FIRE.”

“I JUST GOT A USED CHEVY CAVALIER A 97 MODEL AND IT OVER HEATS CONSTANTLY AND THERE IS A POP AN SPARKS WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS WON'T TURN OFF AND NOW THERE IS WOBBLING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AND WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT THE BACK . I ONLY HAD IT FOR MAYBE TWO DAYS NOW AND THE FAN TO THE MOTOR WON'T COME ON NOW AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE CAR LOT WHERE I BOUGHT IT FROM THEY HAVE REPLACES THE THERMOSTAT( AIRCONDITIONER THING ) BUT IT' STILL OVER HEATS .. AND THEN I LOOK IN MY BOOK , AND IT GIVES A WEB SITE AND THERE IS ALL THESE RECALLS AND THE GUY TELLS ME WHEN I CALL THAT THE THINGS GOING ON WITH MY CAR ARE NOT IN THE RECALL LIST ACCEPT FOR THE SOMETHING TO DO WITH SPEED BUT IF THAT IS THE CASE WHY IS THE LIGHTS NOT CUTTING OFF AND THE CAR DOING ALL THESE THINGS .. I HAD A PERSON LOOK AT IT WHO WORKS ON CARS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SPARK IS ON THE FUEL INJECTION SIDE OF THE MOTOR AND I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T GO UP IN FLAMES .. IS THERE ANY HELP IN FIXING THIS CAR SINCE THESE ARE DEFECTS ? *TR”

“DT: CONTACT STATES THE TIMING CHAIN ON HER VEHICLE BROKE ON A BUSY ROAD. THE TIMING CHAIN HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT WITHIN 6 MONTHS THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AGAIN. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, NOW THE VEHICLE WILL ONLY GO APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH.*AK”

“WATER PUMP LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. ONE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. A SECOND WATER PUMP FAILED JUST AFTER THE 36,000 WARRANTY WAS UP AND COST ME EXTRA TO REPLACE BECAUSE OF THE POOR DESIGN OF THE ENGINE WHICH REQUIRES THAT IT BE REMOVED TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP. THE THIRD HAS JUST FAILED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 75,000 MILES ON IT.”

“THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN CAR RISES TO VERY HOT. THERE IS NO STEAM OR ANYTHING COMING FROM CAR, BUT YOU MUST STILL STOP ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAIT FOR THE GAUGE TO READ COOL BEFORE YOU CAN CONTINUE ON. THIS ALSO HAPPENS IF YOU ARE ON A LINE FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM I OWN A CAR THAT I DRIVE ONLY AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. *JB”

“HEAD GASKET REPLACED @27000 MILES, FUEL PUMP @ 30000 AND AGAIN AT 96000 MILES. BRAKES REPLACED 2X A YEAR FOR 5 YEARS. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DOESN'T SEAL PROPERLY. FAN ONLY WORKS ON SPEED 3 OR 4. *NM”