Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Daewoo Nubira problems

Owners filed 122 complaints about the 2001 Daewoo Nubira with NHTSA between Aug 2001 and Nov 2010. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (80).

Complaints
122
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling80
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic28
  3. Suspension8
  4. Air bags4
  5. Power train2
  6. Vehicle speed control2
  7. Electrical system1
  8. Fuel system, gasoline1
  9. Parking brake1
  10. Exterior lighting1
  11. Structure1
  12. Steering1
  13. Service brakes, air1

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20011
200218
20037
200492
20051
20060
20070
20082
20090
20101

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

80 reports1 fire2 related recalls
“THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN DIAGNOSED IT WAS RELATED TO A DEFECT IN THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. I CAME TO KNOW ABOUT A RECALL REGARDING MY VEHICLE MODEL ON THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE CAR WAS NOT IN THE DATABASE AND REFUSED TO DO THE REPAIR. IN THE RECALL LETTER IT SAYS THAT WITH THIS CAMSHAFT DEFECT THERE IS A RISK OF ENGINE CATCHING FIRE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10220466

Service brakes, hydraulic

28 reports1 crash1 related recall
“RECALL 04V357000, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. CAM SHAFT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. NO DEALER WAS AVAILABLE TO MAKE REPAIRS. *AK THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED TWICE. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine coolingODI 10094697

Suspension

8 reports
“THE DAEWOO NUBIRA 2001 SHOULD BE RECALLED TO REPLACE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WHICH ARE ATTACHED TO THE SUSPENSION. I FEEL THE CONTROL ARMS' INADEQUACIES ARE CATASTROPHES WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE CONTROL ARMS ARE FAULTY AND COULD CAUSE STEERING FAILURE. THIS IS A PART THAT IS REPLACED ON THIS CAR MODEL TOO OFTEN. WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE DOES NOT HAVE $700 TO PAY FOR REPAIR? I ASK THIS BECAUSE WHEN I DRIVE THE DAEWOO IT IS INCREASING DIFFICULT TO HOLD IT ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE FRONT END RACK AND PINION STEERING JERKING LEFT AND RIGHT. I LIMIT MY DRIVING TO THE SUPERMARKET AND SMALL ERRANDS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT I DRIVE SLOWLY AND ON SMALL STREETS. GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY IS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE QUESTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN AT MOTOR CITY, ODESSA, TEXAS, 432-550-8721, THAT THE BALL JOINT MAY FALL FROM THE FRAME CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. I NEED REPLACEMENT OF THESE CRUCIAL PARTS. I CAN LIVE WITH PEELING PAINT, BARELY FUNCTIONING ELECTRIC WINDOWS, AND A NON FUNCTIONING AIR CONDITIONER, BUT I CANNOT LIVE WITH A STEERING PROBLEM THAT IS VEERING OUT OF CONTROL. I KNOW THAT DAEWOO IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS - BUT GMC IS. I ALSO KNOW THAT THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 4, 2008SuspensionODI 10216946

Air bags

4 reports3 crashes
“CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALLS 02 V 131 001 CONCERNING FMVSS 201 AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, AND 04 V 357 000 REGARDING CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER IN HIS AREA THAT WERE WILLING TO HONOR THESE RECALLS.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2004Engine and engine cooling, Air bagsODI 10094745

Power train

2 reports
“ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD IT CHECKED AND THE OIL WAS FULL SO I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOOK IT IN. MELISSA SAID IT WAS A GOOD THING THE LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE IF NOT THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE LOCKED BECAUSE THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THERE AND THE MOTOR WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH OIL. SHE SAID IT WAS CLEANED OUT AND THE WARRANTY COVERED THE LARGE PART OF IT AND MY COST WAS $106.00. ON JUNE 12TH THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AND THE CAR STARTS TO TICK. I CHECK THE OIL AND IT'S FULL SO I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND MELISSA TELLS ME THE ONLY WAY IT COULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY IS THAT I NEED PROOF OF ALL THE OIL CHANGES AND $300.00 TO GET STARTED. IT'S EVIDENT TO ME THAT THE CAR HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND I NEED TO BE REIMBURSED. THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE AND IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MY FINANCIAL WELL BEING. PLEASE HELP QUICKLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Power trainODI 10070156

Vehicle speed control

2 reports
“WHEN ACCELERATING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THEN, WHEN CONSUMER LET GO OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2003Vehicle speed controlODI 10051683
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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