2004 Chevrolet Cavalier: wrong fuel gauge reading

Filed Jan 9, 2015 · Electrical · 57,000 miles · UT

The problem originally started with the temperature gauge (showed that the car was always overheating) and then eventually stopped moving at all. Next, the rpms stopped moving and the speedometer began showing that we were going 100 when we couldn't have been going more than 35. Now the speedometer doesn't move at all. So, at this point is impossible to know how fast I am going, if the car is overheating, or what the rpms are. Currently the fuel gauge works most of the time, but occasionally after filling up the tank the gauge will move to the far right (as if it's telling us that the tank is overfilled), to where it would interfere with the other gauges (if they were working). I feel this is a big safety problem and at the very least is very annoying (already been pulled over twice for going 10 miles over, because I had no idea how fast I was going).

Filed Jan 1, 2015 · Electrical · 125,000 miles · IN

First of all my instrument cluster fails, sometimes you know how fast you are going, what your tack is and you fuel level, sometimes you don't. I have never really known my mileage since I have owned the car. I also have issues with the car occasionally not wanting to start or reving of the engine and all of my dummy lights coming on I was told that is my ignition switch,however when I contacted gm they informed me cavaliers used a different switch than the ones in the recall. Ok. Both of these are safety issues, I was going to give this car to my son for his first car, but no way! I can not teach him how to drive in it, because the cluster doesn't function and the ignition switch issues. Gm will not issue a recall for this vehicle and knows there are issues, pretty sure last gm I will own.

Filed May 6, 2014 · Electrical · 29,250 miles · LA

My 2004 chevy cavalier has a problem with the instrument cluster. In 2006 I was driving doing 20 MPH in a school zone and noticed my speedometer read 110, the gas gauge showed empty and the temperature gauge had moved all the way around and was sitting on the speedometer needle. I contacted gm about the problem and was informed that a recall was issued on trucks and SUV's but did not include automobiles. I was told to take my car to a dealership and pay $100.00 to have it inspected by a mechanic and if the mechanic determined it was the cluster, the information would be sent to gm and they would then make a decision on whether they would make the repair or not. My daughter owns a 2004 monte carlo with the same problem and her daughter has the problem with her 2005 cavalier. There are many others with this problem and gm just refuses to address the problem. I think car owners should get the same respect as truck owners and gm should repair these clusters. I have contacted gm many times and they don't do anything .

Filed Apr 1, 2014 · Electrical · 49,080 miles · MI

The instrument panel cluster gauges (speedometer; gas gauge; tachometer) started acting crazy and the dials would jump all over the place. Finally, the dials just stopped working. At the same time my inside dome light stopped working. It would go on when the car was not running so it had to be disengaged completely so it would not run down my battery. Right after that my car turned off while being driven and the keys were still in the ignition. (this has happened three times).this vehicle does not appear under any recalls. I called gm directly but was not able to get any resolution due to language barriers (the reps did not speak english). This was reported to car complaints.com and hundreds of reports and complaints have been reported for the same thing (especially the cluster and electrical problems) but no recalls have been issued. These are very expensive items to have fixed and pose serious safety issues. Many, many people need help and no where to turn and gm has ignored these problems with the 2004 cavalier completely. All fuses have been checked and replaced as recommended as well as all other recommendations on how to fix. On behalf of all cavalier owners who have been ignored please, please help!!!! This has also been reported to motortrend.com. Thank you for any help you can offer!!!

Filed Mar 18, 2014 · Electrical · 86,000 miles · ME

Suddenly without warning the whole instrument cluster panel (fuel gauge, speedometer, RPM gauge & temperature gauge all stopped working correctly and then suddenly stopped working at all! Found out that this is a common complaint and very expensive to replace. It is very dangerous driving without knowledge of your speed! There should be a recall on this also as it is a very common problem and dangerous.

Filed Sep 11, 2013 · Electrical · 40,000 miles · IN

2004 chevrolet cavalier instrument cluster; at first the temperature gauge showed hot causing us to pull over to the shoulder of the road and investigate, 27 years as an automotive technician kinda helped me come to the conclusion real quick it was not overheating, then the tachometer would go completely around and peg from the underside and that's where it is and has stayed, the speedometer ceased to work shortly after the tachometer went haywire and the fuel gauge also has its moments, sometimes it works and sometimes it don't and all of the check engine lights and service soon indicators have a mind of there own, the car has no trouble codes and there is no reason gm hasn't recalled these and other vehicles with the same instrument cluster problems, funny they sent me a letter on my 03 silverado cluster and I haven't had any problems with it but I look at all the complaints on the cavaliers and no such recalls, you might ask why I haven't fixed it myself with all my experience and I will tell you right now, why should I have too? Gm should step up to the plate and fix its faulty clusters it is dangerous for any of these informational items of the cluster to be faulty or inaccurate it can cause a motorist to travel at an unsafe speed causing an accident or to pull over onto the shoulder of the road and be at risk of being struck by another motorist from behind these are very dangerous situations, ask yourself how many people have been hurt or fatally injured because of the faulty clusters, who knows; but one would be one too many don't you think?

Filed Jun 18, 2013 · Electrical · 98,000 miles · PA

The speed cluster acts up from time to time. Sometimes the MPH gauge doesn't read or is not accurate or sticks and sometimes the heat gauge doesn't work and sometimes the gas gauge doesn't work. Sometimes I get a brake light that lights up and sometimes the ABS light comes on. The entire cluster acts up from time to time with all different things wrong.

Filed Oct 3, 2012 · Electrical · 52,000 miles · MA

Erratic speedometer reading and occasional incorrect fuel gauge reading, I have on many occasions had the speedometer rise to 110 MPH while driving at approximate posted speeds, approximate because I have no way to actually tell how fast I'm driving. After researching I found this is a major issue with many year 2001 and up gm vehicles with only the higher end cadillac type and larger SUV's being recalled ( which have the same exact stepper motors that are causing the problems ). I guess gm figures it's only necessary to repair the speedometers on the 5000 lb plus vehicles traveling at unknown speeds in hopes of saving the smaller vehicles from being hit by them. I did call the gm dealer I bought the car new from and they said there are no recalls on my cavalier and it would cost approx. $300 not including labor for an exchange unit or send out and repair of my original.

Filed Jun 30, 2012 · Fuel system · 450,000 miles · NY

So when my gas gauges get down below the half line the check gauges light comes up and I know for sure that my car isn't yet empty. What do I do?

Filed Mar 29, 2012 · Electrical · TN

Instrument cluster fails to work properly on this model although I have taken it to the dealership 3 times before the warranty ran out. Has never been repaired although they claim they fixed it. The fuel gauge, speedometer, tachometer, and temperature gauge are all affected by this malfunction. When I am driving down the road, it is very common for it to read that I'm going 30 miles faster than I really am and the extreme opposite also happens where I am sitting at a red light but going 70 MPH. I have researched online and haven't seen a recall but I really feel that one is necessary in this case. It is unsafe to never know how much gas is in the vehicle, the speed in which you are travelling, or any of the other essential things that should be known while you are operating a car.

Filed Mar 14, 2012 · Electrical · 72,000 miles · VA

The speedometer sticks and does not report accurate vehicle speed. Above a certain speed the gauge will freeze and be unusable. This happened without warning while I was driving on the highway and could easily have caused an accident. This is a known safety issue on other gmc cars from the same time period (mine is a 2004). In addition to the speedometer, the tachometer and the fuel gauge are also completely inoperable. The whole instrument cluster is defective. It is incredibly dangerous and expensive to repair, and should be covered under the same recall as the other chevrolet products.

Filed Mar 2, 2012 · Electrical · 60,650 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. While examining the vehicle the contact noticed that the instrument panel gauges were not functioning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the instrument panel would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The current mileage was 61,000 and the failure mileage was 60,650. Updated03/15/12 *bf the consumer stated the problem started with the gas gauge. Which started off as an intermittent problem and became worse. The gas gauge needle then started blocking the temperature gauge, which caused that needle not to work properly. The gas gauge and temperature needle were facing the steering wheel. The consumer was informed the entire instrument cluster would have to be replaced at a cost of $650 plus labor. Updated 05/30/12