Problems · by component

2001 Chevrolet Cavalier power train problems

34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier cite power train, 14% of all 248 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
34
14% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS DIFFICULT TO MOVE AND THE LEVER BECAME STUCK. OCCASIONALLY, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. ALSO, THE HOOD WAS HOT, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THERE WERE ALSO MULTIPLE UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2019Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11187497
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND FELT SOMETHING DROP FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT MOVE; THEREFORE, IT HAD TO BE TOWED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,675 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,525.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2008Power trainODI 10225349
“I WAS DRIVING AT 40 MILE PH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR HESITATED ACTED LIKE IT COULDN'T GET INTO GEAR -THE TRACK OFF LIGHT WAS ON-I WAS DRIVING ON FLAT SURFACE NO WET CONDITIONS THIS HAPPENED MORE THEN TEN TIMES. HAD CAR LOOKED AT BY MECHANIC COULD NOT EXPLAIN IT RESETS AFTER TURNING OFF CAR AND STARTING IT UP AGAIN IT WAS CHECKED ON COMPUTER FOUND NO PROBLEM BUT ON LAST TIME THE CAR DIED AS I WAS DRIVING INTO THE REPAIR SHOP IT WAS AGAIN CHECK AND THE REPAIR MAN SHOWED ME THAT HE SHOULDN'T GET ANY INFO BECAUSE IT WASN'T SENDING INFO TO HIS COMPUTER. THIS SCARES ME I DRIVE MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN THIS CAR .IT IS STILL DRIVABLE BUT FOR SHORT DISTANCES. I I HAVE CONTACTED MANUFACTURER THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO INFO ON THIS HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK TO DEALER TO PUT ON THEIR COMPUTER TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG MY REPAIR PERSON THINKS THE PCM NEEDS REPLACED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2008Power trainODI 10216489
“NUMEROUS THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH MY 2001 MONTE CARLO. 5 OR 6 TIMES THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPAIRED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WHERE IT CONTINUALLY POPS OUT. I AM REALLY CONCERNED WHEN IT MIGHT EXPLODE W/O A CRASH OR IF THERE IS A DRIVER SIDE CRASH IF IT WILL COME OUT TO PROTECT ME. STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION POPS. AT 55,117 MILES WE HAD THE OIL CHANGED (WHICH HAS BEEN DONE EVERY 3000 MILES) OR LESS AND ON THE MULTI POINT INSPECTION SHEET, IT LISTED SEVERAL THINGS THAT "MIGHT NEED ATTENTION" SOON. THEY ARE STEERING LINKAGE AND STEERING COMPONENTS, CV AXLE BOOTS OR DRIVE SHAFT AND U JOINTS. THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE WORN OUT ON A CAR WITH NO MORE MILES THAN THIS. MY REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER DOESN'T WORK. NOTICED THIS AFTER ONE OF THE AIRBAG REPAIRS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF BUT STILL THE NOISES PERSIST AND NOW TO BE TOLD THAT THESE PARTS MIGHT NEED REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT? WE PAID A LOT OF GOOD MONEY FOR THIS VEHICLE (THIS IS A LIMITED EDITION HIGH SPORT VEHICLE) AND FEEL GM SHOULD BUY IT BACK AND REIMBURSE EVERY DIME OF IT DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF IT OR PROPERLY REPAIRED OR PARTS REPLACED AT GM EXPENSE WHILE PROVIDING AN EQUAL VALUE VEHICLE WHILE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2007Steering, Suspension, Power train, Visibility, Air bagsODI 10204358
“THIS CAR HAS BEEN A LEMON SINCE I BOUGHT IT. IT HAD 14 MILES ON IT AT PURCHASE. BEFORE IT HAD 5,000 MILES, THE STRUT MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. WHEN IT HIT CLOSE TO 60,000 MILES THE TRAC OFF/ CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS KEPT COMING ON. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED SOME COMPONENT IN THE FUEL SYSTEM TO PACIFY ME BUT STATED IT HAD TO DO WITH THE GAS CAP NOT BEING ON RIGHT. NOT THE PROBLEM AT ALL BECAUSE I COMPLAINED TO CHEVROLET AND THEY REPLACED THIS PIECE YET AGAIN (WAS REPLACED BEFORE) AND I DROVE IT OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP TO NC AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE WAY DOWN THERE. WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, SHORTLY AFTER THE TRAC OFF LIGHT COMES ON AND IT MAKES A NOISE LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS READY TO FALL OUT OF IT. SEEMS THE PROBLEMS START WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO CLIMB A HILL WHICH TO ME HAS NEVER SOUNDED LIKE A PROBLEM WITH THE GAS CAP! NOW IT'S COMPLETELY OUT OF WARRANTLY, AND I REFUSE TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IT'S GONNA DIE ON ME SOMEWHERE. HUBBY DRIVES IT LOCALLY AND HE'S GOTTA SHIFT IT INTO SECOND OR THIRD TO TRY TO KEEP IT FROM DOING THAT. SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. YOU CAN'T USE THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAUSE IT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 30, 2007Power trainODI 10197831
“MY CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. IT CAUSED A TRAFFIC JAM AND WAS ALMOST HIT. I COULDN'T GET MY CAR INTO GEAR, I FINALLY SHUT OFF MY ENGINE AND STARTED IT IN FIRST GEAR. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 4, 2006Power trainODI 10169972

Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.