My car has the same problem with the instrument cluster that was recalled for other gm vehicles. The fuel level gauge, temperature gauge, RPM, speedometer.... None of my gauges work. They gave the wrong readings, the hand wouldn't return to their starting positions, then the hands went lower than their starting positions to the point they all didn't work anymore. This car needs to be added to the gm recall list for the same problem.
Chevrolet Cavalier fuel gauge problems
167 of the 4,549 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Cavalier describe wrong fuel gauge reading, most of them for the 2005 model year.
- owner complaints
- 167
- worst model year
- 2005
- typical repair cost reported
- $500
- typical mileage
- 60,113
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 14Overheating 14Fuel pump 7ABS 6Check engine light 4Power windows 3Won't start 2Knocking 2
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet cavalier. On several occasions, while driving, the instrument panel failed to operate as intended. The contact stated that the fuel gauge, engine temperature gauge, and tachometer were inoperable. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet cavalier. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the fuel gauge displayed the incorrect fuel level. While the vehicle was parked, a family member noticed fuel leaking onto the ground. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
The gas gauge is going haywire. It pegs to the "f", and then immediately pegs to the "e", even though the tank is half full. The gauge then jumps around the middle form one side to the other side. It is impossible to tell how much is in the tank. This happens while driving and also while sitting at lights or stop signs.
Instrumet cluster problems for a few years. Fuel sending unit has been replaced at about 52,000 miles after quiting twice while driving highway speed of 55 MPH. Dealer claimed the car quit because of a bad battery the first time and did not diagnose the problem correctly. It was not the battery. The fuel sending unit intermittently reads well beyond full and interfears with the temperature gage function. Now speedometer is stuck at 85 MPH while turned off. I was driving with the cruise doing 67 MPH, I slowed down to make a turn at an at grade insection to a road posted at 55 MPH. I completed the turn and sped up. The speedometer read 58 MPH but it felt llike I was gong about 30 MPH. I stopped at another intersection and the speed dropped to 40 MPH. I made the turn and acelerated and the speed went to 110 MPH but I was not going near that fast. The car is in driveway turned off but the speedometer reads 85 MPH. Most recent issue is steering rack and k-frame rusted out and needed to be replaced. Mechanic stated he never saw a steering rack rust out or a k frame rusted as bad as the one on this vehicle. We are the original owners.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet cavalier. While driving at an unknown speed, the speedometer displayed an incorrect reading. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the stepper motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that four years later, while driving at an unknown speed, the fuel gauge malfunctioned showing an incorrect reading. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,111.
Please call about these problems with these cars, [xxx] is how I think anything will get done, just called today 02-20-15. Gas gauge went out 02-07-15 ( mileage 40000) and is hitting against my temp gauge so I don't know how hit my car is getting. I replaced my temp gauge back in 01-07-12 mileage(29111) cause it was hitting against my speedometer<--- this was not replaced but I dont think till this day it shows the right speed. Air bags did not work back in 2006 crash no fault of the car then, someone hit me, so dont even know if they will. Called gm about that in 2012 and told me there was nothing that could be done. Forgot to tell kimmy about this problem today. Good luck getting these problems fixed. I have to drive my kids and family around only car I have so I hope something is fixed before we get hurt. And I hope for the ones that fixed these repairs get there money back if they find it to be a issue.. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
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).
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.
The gauges are failing to operate. This started with the gas gauge and is now affecting the temp gauge. I took it to a dealer for testing and it reset itself when plugged into the computer for diagnosis and it also does this if you disconnect the battery for a few minutes but very quickly stops working again.
Related recalls
Fuel system, other: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with bi-fuel compressed natural gas (cng) vehicles. The cng fuel line and the cng high pressure regulator coolant lines can contact other fuel (gasoline) and brake lines on the vehicle. Abrasion from contact can cause a leak in the brake pipe, fuel pipe, or both.
- Risk
- Abrasion from contact can cause a leak in the brake pipe, fuel pipe, or both. A brake fluid leak could disable a portion of the brake system, causing longer stopping distances. Gasoline leaking from a fuel pipe, in the presence of an ignition source, could cause a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and reposition the cng fuel and coolant pipes and reposition/repair any damaged fuel or brake pipes as necessary.
Recall number 00V053000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Cavalier fuel gauge
Which Chevrolet Cavalier years have wrong fuel gauge reading problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2005 (56 complaints), 2004 (49 complaints) and 2003 (25 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix wrong fuel gauge reading on the Chevrolet Cavalier?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $500 (median of 26 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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