Problems with 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2003 chevy cavalier, ~83,000 miles. dec 3 in ne ohio, traveling at highway speeds on ohio route 11 at ~11:50pm. car suddenly started to slow down, trac light and oil light came on. able to pull over to side of road. engine still running but rough. no power when tried to make car move. had to have car towed home $200. took ~3hrs in freezing cold and snowstorm. car would not start the next day. could not hear characteristic whir of fuel pump when key first turned. diagnosis of electrical showed fuel pump was receiving voltage. tapping on bottom of fuel tank while trying to start car resulted in car starting. diagnosis: new fuel pump required. anticipated cost $250 + labor. total anticipated cost: $450 + labor. fortunately no or little traffic. also fortunate tow truck responded quickly otherwise personal injury from cold could have occurred. this should not have happened at this low mileage. fuel pumps should be lifetime engineered. *tr

I was driving down a busy road in town going 40 mph when my car started to chug. it ended up stalling and i was in the busy lane, still driving!!! i had to immediately turn on my hazards and try to slowly get out of every other drivers way. i had cars that had to slow down quite quickly behind me as i could not accelerate or do anything but coast out of their way. this was the first time something has happened like this, i had the car towed the next morning as when it stalled i was on my way to work. it was the fuel pump. i had brought my car to the dealer where i bought the car. my warranty was just up about a year ago, but i am sure this is not under warranty, it cost me $900 and the fact that i stalled on a busy street. to me this was a very dangerous situation to be in. i was quite upset after the whole ordeal. *tr

While actively driving my 2003 chevy cavalier my car without warning just shut down. i was unable to restart it and a tow to the repair shop was required. i had to have my fuel pump replaced. this was a shock because my car only has 49,900 miles on it. my mechanic was even in shock and doesn't understand why that would happen. i was lucky enough to be able to glide to the side of the road and avoid an accident. *tr

I'd purchased my 2003 chevrolet cavalier in like-new condition with ~20k miles. months after i'd started driving the vehicle, i noticed that when i would put the transmission into neutral(manual transmission), the rpm would drop well below 1000 and sometimes it would stall. when it would stall, it wouldn't start again for a few minutes of sitting. i had the vehicle looked at and no one could find a problem. this problem didn't occur at a regular interval, but instead happened randomly at least once within 2 or 3 months time. i have had the car for 4.5 years and the fuel pump has stopped operating completely. the problem wasn't apparent until i tried starting my vehicle on the morning of november 8th 2009 and the vehicle would not start. the starter was functioning properly, but the electronic fuel injection unit was making a different noise. after having the vehicle evaluated, it was determined that the fuel pump had become inoperable. the replacement fuel pumps price ranges between $150-250 on average and labor would cost more. by doing a little research, it's obvious that this is a common case. an o.e.m. fuel pump on a car under 75k miles should last longer than 5 years before deterioration. *tr

I own a 2003 chevy cavalier. the fuel pump went out on it. the car only has 60,000 miles on it. everything was working great i pulled up to a store turned off the car, ran an errand, then the car wouldn't start. i checked all fuses and relays, and hit the bleed off in the fuel line. the pump just quit. i did some research and many ppl believe that the fuel pump in 2003 and 2001 cavaliers has a defect. im one of those people. *tr

Fuel pump failure at 125,000 kms. driving on highway, car failed to accelerate. eventually had to pull over, vehicle stalled and would not re-start. towed, fuel pump replaced. *tr

Car lost all power due to engine stalling on a busy highway. was able to pull to the side, car would not restart. we had it towed to a mechanic and it was determined that the fuel pump is defective. *tr

tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet cavalier. the contact stated the fuel pump failed while driving at 25 mph. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic. the technician replaced the fuel pump. the manufacture was contacted. the failure mileage is 72,000.the vin number is unknown. the failure mileage is 72,000. bl

I own a 2003 cavalier sedan. three wks ago it started stalling. had it towed to a garage. they kept it for a week and said the computer was bad. then they came back next day and said contacts were dirty. they cleaned them, i got car back and it ran fine for 2 wks. again, it started stalling on the road or not starting. took to garage this am and he is saying fuel pump for another $500 on top of $300 already spent. i realize this car is 6 years old but this is ridiculous. i have always had chevy's and never had this problem with any of them. i spent the week-end on-line and discovered that this is a recurring theme with the cavalier from 1998 onward. we who are seniors and have little money for these types of repairs, need someone in our corner. never will i purchase a chevy vehicle again! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet cavalier. while driving between 50-55 mph, the engine drastically reduced power. the driver pulled over to the side of the road. roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. a certified mechanic inspected the vehicle and stated that the fuel pump failed. the vehicle is in the process of being repaired. the failure and current mileages were 75,000. updated 09/16/09 *bf updated 09/17/09.*jb

Fuel pump on 2003 chevrolet goes out without warning. have seen several hundred complaints about this online. *tr

At a driving speed of 55 the car stalled and would not restart. there were no prior warnings such as stalls or sluggish engine, etc. was diagnosed as a fuel pump failure. *tr

2003 chevrolet cavalier. fuel pump went out had to be replaced at a cost of 467 dollars. the car only has 65192 miles on it. *tr

Went to start car to go to store and it would not start. luckily it was at home when it decided to stop working. towed to garage and they said it was the fuel pump. the garage replaced the fuel pump and it fixed the no start issue. i had no idea that this was the process to start a recall investigation or i would have said long ago. there has been lots of recalls lately on gm and this same cavalier decided not to start twice after the fuel pump, once in 2011 was the timing chain then again december 2012 that i still have to diagnose which led me to research recalls. each time the car stopped working luckily it was in my driveway each and every time. the timing chain there was some warning, it would sometimes buck, other times it was fussy on starting and it would stall at stop lights. i will report a new issue if i can find out the 3rd unknown 2012 issue. *tr

My 19 year old daughter during regular driving from work, car just died on the highway. car has 60,000 miles on it turns out to be the fuel pump and after researching the removal process.i noticed that every cavalier from 01 on has the same issue with the fuel pump. this is obviously a manufacture defect and should be recalled immediately. *tr

I drive a 2003 chevy cavalier with only 31,000 miles. i was driving home and the car sputtered and died in the middle of a busy highway. i had to wait for a tow truck to tow my car over 30 miles to the nearest service center to my home to have it fixed. i paid for a diagnostic and was told that it was the fuel pump. the total cost for labor and parts was 799.00, plus $135 for a rental car during the time it took for the car to be fixed. the next day, the "trac off" light came on. i had never had any problems with my car before. my extended warranty had just run out earlier in the year. i have been conducting an internet search and it seems that these cars are prone to this problem and the fuel pumps are under investigation for recall. *tr

I own a 2003 chevrolet cavalier ls sedan with approximately 86,300 miles on it. without warning the car died and would not start on a busy july 4th weekend along i-55 north bound near litichfield, il. i t would not restart, and subsequent investigation resulted in the fact finding that it was the fuel pump. apparently this is a major problem with this make and model vehicle. i request that gm be required to recall this make and model to address the problem and reimburse owners for out of pocket expenses. i have always owned american cars, but an serious considering a toyota next year. *tr

My 2003 chevrolet cavalier with ~61000 miles needs a new fuel pump; a fuel pump should last much longer than that. *tr

My cavalier ran perfectly until the other day when my husband tried to start it and it would start and the die. he tried starting it a couple of times. sometimes it wouldn't start and then sometimes it would start then die. the fuel pump had to be replaced. my car has 85,000 miles on it and i bought it with a salvage title in january 2006. the fuel pump my car has it the original manufacturers. *tr

2003 cavalier cut off and would not restart. car has 58,000 miles on it. fuel pump had to be replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet cavalier. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle began to slow down. it then came to a complete stop before shutting off. the vehicle was restarted, but would not move. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed. the dealer was not notified. the vehicle is currently still at the repair shop and will be repaired. through research, the contact discovered that many consumers were experiencing the same issues with their cavaliers. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 10,480.

Several times my vehicle has been unable to start due to the fuel pump. the fuel pump had to be replaced twice in the past 3 years, and again today. if the vehicle has less than a 1/4 of a tank of gas and it is parked on an incline with the front of the vehicle above the rear, it usually won't start. when i am below a quarter of a tank, i have to park it with the rear above the front on an incline. *tr

Driving on highway and went to accelerate and car just stopped. had to have it towed to dealership and told fuel pump needed to be replaced. cost was $875. car has 66,000 miles. *tr

I have a 2003 cavalier and i had to replace the fuel pump at 90,000miles again !!!this is shameful 4 chevy , i saved my recipe because it cost me 600 dollars to fix it,good bye summer school looks like my graduation is going be delayed half year. *tr

I have a 2003 chevy cavalier. it only has 43000 miles on it. the car suddenly died in the middle of the road with no warning and i almost got hit by the car that was behind me. had to have it towed and they said it was the fuel pump. cost $800. at 44000 miles you should not be replacing the fuel pump. *tr

Chevrolet cavalier 2003 fuel pump failure stalls vehicle in heavy traffic. there are hundreds of instances of this failure in the 2003 model stranding motorists in unsafe conditions. *tr

I was driving about 15 mph, entering a roundabout, when my car shut off. i could not restart it. after getting it towed home, i got a mechanic to take a look at it, and he says my fuel pump failed. i have read several reports that others with the same make and model have complained of this issue, and i thought it best to add mine to the list. the cost to replace the part is going to be $700. *tr

Car died on road - no warning. bad fuel pump...problem is widespread from what i've heard and dangerous...lost power steering and power brakes at 50+ mph. *tr

Came to a stop. accelerated from stop. vehicle had problem accelerating. finally stalled out about 1/8 mile later. will not restart. turns over but will not start from what i have read from others with this same problem with this year and model. every one of them has stated that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. *tr

Fuel pumps is dead 60k miles. *tr

Trans axle went out april 09 with a horrible mess of oil, steering rack replaced 6 months later, driver side window/ motor problem, fuel pump went 75,000 a bit shy of a year later. now my defrost isn't working; possibly the switch 85,000. had brakes done twice so far with leaks; this includes hydraulics, rotors, pads, shoes etc. my steering has seized while driving. this car has been a very expensive inconvenience. *ln

Fuel pump on 2003 cavalier with approx. 66k miles failed abruptly and without warning. car was parked in a shopping plaza parking lot and would not start. had to be towed to service garage. *tr

The fuel pump on my 2003 chevy cavalier went out without warning while traveling on interstate 25 in denver, colorado. this is an extremely dangerous situation that can potentially cause serious injury or death due to an accident. i brought the car to a mechanic and was informed that it was the fuel pump that was the culprit. i really think that it is imperative that this issue is addressed before some gets seriously injured or dies as a result of this faulty part. *tr

I was maneuvering my 2003 cavalier into a parking spot, and it just died. it wouldn't restart, we had to push it into the parking spot. the diagnosis is a bad fuel pump. after receiving a quote for nearly $800, not from the dealer! i went online to see if i could get an idea of cost and availability for a non-oem part. the first things i found were the forums with hundreds of unhappy cavalier owners. after reading the forums, i'm thankful i wasn't in traffic when the pump failed. i was unpleasantly surprised to see how many people have been having this same problem. the cost for this repair is substantial; gm apparently knows this but is unwilling to step up and take responsibility for their bad decision in choosing this part. please investigate this matter and apply whatever pressure you can to make gm accountable for their error. please contact me if you need my help with this matter. *tr

I bought a brand new 2003 cavalier in may of 03. i drive to and from work, a total of maybe 14 miles. i have taken excellent care of this vehicle. out of the blue i am stranded in a parking lot due the car not wanting to start. i had 3/4 of a tank of gas, yet it acted like there was none. had car towed to dealership. would not start off of tow truck. next day, starts fine. it has taken 3 days for them to finally conclude it's the fuel pump! fix = +$950.00!!!! i have 34,000 miles!!!! we have had vehicles much older than mine and with +100,000 miles never have this problem. this is ridiculous! i am partially disabled due to a severe back injury and now need to worry about if this is going to happen again. per prior posts, several people have had this happen more than once. this is an issue that places not only the driver's life, but that of other motorists. how is it possible that chevy has not taken action? something needs to be done! *tr

Bought 2003 cavalier 7-26-2003, brand new. stalled while driving 3-31-04 - smelled burning/chemical smell- car restarted - took to dealer - dealer found no problem. to dealer 3 times to fix detective exterior lighting 2004/2005. several additional engine stalls 2004-2009 - car restarted. on 3-6-09 stalled while driving - wouldn't start - towed to dealer- dealer said fuel pump went bad - will repair at my expense - over $1,000. dealer asked if i have extended warranty - i don't. when the car stalls out i have no brakes, no power steering - it is terrifying and very unsafe. and if the car is repaired is it going to be any safer? will the same problem keep recurring as it did with the lighting signals? i am a safe driver, i am the only driver of this car, the car has only 51,000 miles on it, i only drive 10 miles to and from work, it is garage kept. i have owned several cars and have kept them all for many years and i have never had a major repair such as this occur on such a young car. this problem has been apparent since i bought the car but the dealer has ignored and neglected it at the expense of me and my family's health. i have children and grandchildren that are driven in this vehicle and could be victims of this defect. for the public safety in the u.s. please request a recall of this component (fuel pump). this is a serious matter and should be remediated as soon as possible. please help before a deadly accident occurs. *tr

My fuel pump went out on my 2003 chevy cavalier with 40,000 miles on it. i've noticed on topix comment boards this has happened to a lot of people with the 03 cavalier. there really needs to be a recall from gm, this is not safe. *tr

I was driving home from my daughters track meet and was in the passing lane when i felt a strong hesitation. i quickly got into the driving lane and tried to give it gas, but it wouldn't go. i pulled over to the side and it stalled, and i could not get it restarted. after waiting 40 min. for a tow(over 40 miles) we got it to my dealer. the dealer called the next day and told me it was the fuel pump at a cost of $900.00. *tr

I am having to replace my fuel pump on my 2003 chevy cavalier for the 2nd time, the first time it was still under warranty. nothing lead up to this, turned off the car to go into the store, came out car would start, no getting any gas. *tr

My car has been running finer and then al of a sudden in the middle of rush hour traffic it dies. no warning. nothing. the fuel pump has gone out and will cost $600+ to replace. there have been many many complaints about this very issue and it happens at approx the same mileage of the car. between 60000 and 70000 miles. this needs to be addressed! *tr

1. i was just driving my car it was running fine, i parked it on a hill and when i came back to start it, it just wouldn't start. 2. it was making horrible noises, the tank was at 1/4 i never let it get below that. after an hour of trying to get it to start someone mentioned that it could be the fuel pump and to have someone hit the gas tank while i tried starting it, sure enough it started, i drove it home, the next day i drove to fill up thinking it would help, it died on the way home and wouldn't start at all with any amount of help. 3. i had to have the car towed to get fixed, it was the fuel pump, they replaced it and it cost a total of $613. *tr

2003 cavalier- 86,000 miles. fuel pump failure. usually do my own mechanical work but opted to let a shop work on this one. total cost 800.00. shop stated that this is a very common problem. *tr

I have had a 2003 chevrolet cavalier and the fuel pump keeps going bad costing me a pretty penny every time it goes. after doing some research online it appears that there are many people with bad fuel pumps for chevrolet cavaliers. just reporting the problem to add my name to the list of unhappy 2003 chevrolet cavalier owners. the incident that i list below is the latest date the fuel pump went bad, today as a matter of fact. the last time it went bad was less than a month ago. *tr

2003 chevy cavalier shut off on me while driving down steep hill. no power steering and brakes, luckily made it to safe space at bottom of hill. car would not restart. now in garage. diagnosed with bad fuel pump. it will cost $600.00 to fix when part comes in. this is ridiculous, car has only 56,000 miles on it! this is a severe safety hazard. i searched on-line and it is a common complaint with this vehicle. something must be done before a fatality occurs, if it has not already! *tr

2003 chevy cavalier stalled while driving. had towed to shop and fuel pump was bad. replaced at 69,000 miles at a cost of $760.00. the warranty on the new factory fuel pump was for 12 months or 12,000 miles. after 14 months and at 78,000 miles the 2nd fuel pump has gone bad. unemployed and don't have the money to fix it again! please recall. *tr

Fuel pump died with no warning on dangerous highway. had to get a tow and repair at a shop not familiar with total bill including towing and repair 1,200 some vehicle forums have upwards of 500 individuals with same problem definite safety hazard and warrants a recall. *tr

My wife was driving with our two boys to the library when the car just stopped as she was going into a busy intersection. she called me at work in a panic. luckily, another driver calmed her down and helped push the car off to the side of the road. issue was that the fuel pump went bad. car only has 47,000 miles. cost of repair was $660 plus the towing from the intersection to the shop. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet cavalier. while driving 75 mph, the vehicle stalled and the engine shut off without warning. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed. the manufacturer stated that nothing could be done because there was no recall or warranty. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 36,000.

I have 165,000km on my 2003 chevrolet cavalier. it is constantly stalling, mostly at stop lights and when i slow down, however today it stalled on the highway. the mechanics think it might be the fuel pump but it is hard to tell for sure what it is and i don't want to spend all this money if it is not that. i have heard from many people this is a common issue with this car. i feel quite unsafe driving since it could stall or shut down at any point. a car should not stall while driving or at stop lights. please recall this part!! *tr

I have a 2003 cavalier and had the fuel pump go bad at 67,000 miles. i researched on the web and it seems that there is a tremendous amount of 2003 cavaliers that have had this same issue. i have replaced 3 of the 4 window motors in the past 18 months. i have twice had my climate control switch fixed, as it was stuck only on vent. and most recently at 69000 miles i have to replace my fuel pressure regulator. in my educated opinion, this seems to be an awful lot of repairs for a vehicle of this age and with this record. *tr