1997 chevy cavalier steering column and dashboard caught on fire on march 10, 2011. Car had no mechanical or electrical issues prior to the fire. Car was in excellent working condition. Car had been parked for approximately one hour after being used for a short drive. The cavalier was parked outside in front of the house no one was in the vehicle. Fire department had to be called to extinguish the fire from the car. No prior knowledge of the recall for the electrical system ignition switch defect.
1997 Chevrolet Cavalier: fire, smoke or burning smell
18 of the 540 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier describe fire, smoke or burning smell.
- owner complaints
- 18
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 5 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Fire, smoke or burning smell by model year
What owners say
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 ?
My car has recently caught fire. The fire started in the steering column. My car was a total loss.
Dt: the dash area of the vehicle caught on fire, it started around the ignition switch. They do have a recall not sure if it includes this vehicle. The vehicle started without the keys in the ignition after turning it off, and that was when it caught on fire. This happened on july 6, 2005. The fire department and insurance company came out and inspected vehicle.
Consumer attempted to start vehicle but it failed to do so. Consumer lifted up the hood and noticed that main wire to starter caught on fire. The driver was able extinguish the fire. Consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic replaced the ignition switch due to a worn out relay switch.
While waiting for recall 02070000 repairs appointment date ignition switch caught on fire and damaged other components. Consumer was charged.
Vehicle caught on fire due to ignition switch failure. Steering wheel/dashboard caught on fire . Contacted dealer ,and dealer was not willing to do anything.
After receiving the notice in the mail concerning the recall I contacted my dealer andean chevrolet, only to be told that the replacement parts were on "national back order" and to not even bring in my car that there was nothing that they or anyone else could do. I then asked what should happen if I'm driving down the road and my car should really start on fire. The reply I received was "that very rarely happens, and to call back in 3-4 weeks." two days later I started having trouble starting my car. When I tried starting it and it didn't I continued to try to start it finally only to end up getting a machanics help. This continued for several days and even being stranded in a very secluuded area because of this ignition problem. I even ended up replacing the battery due to trying to start the car. Missing work and being late resulting in loosing the placement. |what do I do about this and whom do I hold responsible for other situations resulting in this recall that unable to be fixed at this time?
While attendant was servicing vehicle he placed key inside of ignition, and vehicle wouldn't turn over. Ignition switch started smoking , and vehicle caught on fire.
While backing up consumer noticed smoke coming from ignition switch. Then, flames. He shut off engine, and fire went out. Consumer called chevrolet customer service about the recall on ignition, it has not been determined if this vehicle was affected by recall.
I got the letter about the recall of the ignition starter switch that might cause a fire. On saturday, that is exactly what happened. I had the car repaired, but didn't know until monday when I got the letter from gm. I am very upset that they told me to wait until july for them to get the repair kit. In other words... I have to drive around for 3 months worrying about my safety and where I might break down. My wife and I were planning on driving to florida for 2 weeks and now I might have to cancell. I think they should compensate me with a rented car until they fix mine. It's like telling me that I have an oven that might go on fire if I use it for the next 3 months. I wouldn't use the oven so why would I use my car. It is unsafe. What happens if it does catch fire or cause a fire to surrounding objects. How safe can it be to drive around with a car that might catch fire???? Hep me!
On thursday, may 31, 2001, the vehicle ailed to start and was jump started. We then drove home (5 mins' drive away) and parked the vehcle in our carport. About 5 mins later a neighbor came to tell us that the vehicle was on fire. The fire originated in the steering wheel column (probably due to a problem with the ignition) and destroyed the ignition, wiper switch, turn signal switch and the covers. Additional damage was done while trying to put out the fire. The fire brigade was called to the scene. The incident could have been much more serious if the fire had not been spotted so quickly.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
- Risk
- If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, buick at 1‑800‑521‑7300, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 02V070000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier fire or smoke
Is fire, smoke or burning smell a common problem on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?
18 of 540 owner complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier (3%) mention fire, smoke or burning smell. The model year with the most reports is 1997.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?
There is 1 recall and 5 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
Stalling 40Wipers 20ABS 19Won't start 18No deployment 17Grinding brakes 13Power steering loss 13Overheating 12Knocking 10Fuel pump 10Steering lock-up 10Headlights 9Engine failure 8Check engine light 7Fuel smell 6Jerking 6Loss of power 6Misfire 6Pulling 6Hesitation 5Seat belt 5Sudden acceleration 5
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