Problems with 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My wife's 2004 chevy cavalier has a wrong speedometer indication. it says the car is going 60 mph while not being moved at all. when the car reaches high speeds at the freeway it says the car is going at 120 mph and hits the top of the gauge. the oil temperature indication also shows 190 degrees with engine not running, and with engine running it goes to red band indication. *tr

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. *js

I own a 2004 chevrolet cavalier ls with 36,531 miles on it. yesterday, i went to drive the car and had "no speedometer" function ---------- the needle just sat on "0 mph" no matter what speed i drove. i feel that this is a major safety issue and needs to be addressed. i have also read of the many hundreds of reported failures of the same kind concerning the instrument panel in these and many other gm products built during the years 2000 through 2005. why are the trucks/ suv's instrument panel problems a recall and the documented problems of the cavalier (for the same years) not a recall? it appears to me that the relative cost of each vehicle plays a part in your decision and possibly the end of the manufacturing run of cavaliers in 2005 has skewed your judgment. i find this instrument panel problem a serious driving concern for all who share the road. i also have been in discussions with others who have experienced this problem and there is a suggestion from the gm dealers that the problems of the "old gm" are not the problems of the "new gm (2009). since my taxes pay your salary to keep me safe (without bias) and my taxes and future earnings make me a shareholder of the old/new gm, it would appear to me that this big problem could be solved between the parties because we are all on the same side and in the same family. shame on you for not declaring this a "recall" for the cavalier instrument panel. i still have the car and have not had the problem repaired. i also will not allow my family to drive this vehicle any more and i am not sure i will pay the approximate $500.00 to have it repaired. this reminds me of the lack of a recall for the 3.4liter v-6 motor that i had in my 2003 buick rendezvous with all of its associated problems with head and intake gaskets..... i paid the $1,500.00 to have the intake gasket replaced....... hope the new gm gets its act together fast........as for me i will be spending my hard-earned dollars on japanese .

2004 chevy cavalier instrument panel not working correctly. temperature gauge has flipped and is blocking my speedometer needle from reading correctly. *tr

While driving down a highway the speedometer stayed at 65 mph while he brakes were depressed and the car was slowing. when the car was parked 15 minutes later and shut off wit the key removed the speedometer still read 65 mph. this continued for some time before replacing the speedometer cluster. *tr

All gauges on instrument panel quit working completely at first but now move around backwards or any direction they choose...never correct!!!!! this is very dangerous!!!!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. the contact stated that the gauges on the instrument panel failed and were providing inaccurate or erratic readings. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic to determine the cause of failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000. the current mileage was approximately 90,000.

2004 chevy cavalier speedometer instrument cluster fails. speedometer reads incorrect speed and fails. it is very dangerous not knowing how fast you are going, i received a speeding ticket as a result. i replaced the instrument cluster with one from a junk yard. the problem is temporarily fixed. there are many other people with the same issue. *tr

The speedometer on my 2004 chevy cavalier started going wacky. at first it started racing as you were driving. showing 65 or 70 when you were going maybe 40. now it raced past 110 and dropped down between 0 and 110. looking over the different websites, i see this is a common problem, yet it is not on a recall list. why? this can be extremely dangerous, not to mention you are looking for a ticket by guessing how fast you are going. my car only has 54,000 miles on it, and i sure wasn't expecting any major repairs and that mileage. *tr

In the winter my chevy cavalier's speedometer started to be disfunctional, it would read say 30mph while i was in park. over the summer the problem got worse and i had to resort to using a gps to know my speed. the problem isn't limited to the speedo though, i have also experienced this with the temperature gauge. *tr

2004 cavalier gauges go crazy. 110mph in the driveway, tachometer says 9000 rpm when i am idling. gas gauge is no longer reliable.. particularly a problem in cold and damp weather, hot weather and on open highway. i never know how fast i am driving, whether i will run out of gas, or if the engine rpm's are so high the motor will explode.. 31,000 miles on the car so it is low mileage. *tr

On june 15,2010 my entire cluster gauge started acting funny. i did some research to find out i was not the only one who owner a 2004 cavalier and the gauges go all haywire. i feel this is a safety concern and should be reviewed. *tr

Entire dash cluster doesn't work!! speedometer says going 80mph when sitting still. temp gauge says it's overheating when car is off. gas gauge is now going haywire. going on vacation is hard when you don't really know how fast you're going. something needs to be done about this because a cluster for this car is $270. then pay someone to put it in. there are too many 2004 cavaliers having this issue for this to not be recalled. *tr

2004 chevy cavalier. the speedometer does not work properly. when starting the car (before shifting out of park) it will read 40+ mph. i once started it after it had been sitting in a hot parking lot for 8 hours and the needle was maxed out (again, before it was even shifted out of park). i have read that this problem has been experienced by many people with chevy cavaliers (not just 2004 model). we were told that the only fix for this was to replace the entire cluster, which will cost $500+. *tr

My temperature gauge overextended clockwise past the maximum temp thresh hold until the needle was pointing directly right (toward psgr). the tip of the needle, being stuck in that position, physically blocked the speedometer needle from going any higher than 10 mph. eventually the speedometer just failed, the temperature gauge still continued to not work, and approximately 1 month after that the gas gauge failed as well (that needle is all over the place). the only gauge in the cluster that is working is the tachometer. this seems to be a popular defect for this car, as i have read many others-same problem. my car is a 2004 chevrolet cavalier and has less than 25,000 miles and has been taken excellent care of and now i'm afraid to drive it out of town. this problem needs to be a recall from gm. very unhappy. *tr

Car caught on fire in the wiring in the floor left of the brake pedal. driver and passenger escaped the vehicle with just minor injuries. a passer by cut the battery cable and the fire/smoke stopped. *tr

2004 chevy cavalier speedo sticking. it started around 5 months ago it says your going 110 mph when only going 30 mph. now it all over the place and the tach doesn't always work right either so you cant go by that. it is very dangerous trying to guess your speed. i have looked all over the internet only to find many people having the same problem. chevy should have a recall if someone freaks out on a highway alot of people could really get hurt or even killed. im sure if someone from chevy teenager had a cav doing this or got hurt because of this something would be done. please do something to get this fixed. it doesn't seem to be a big issue but when people get hurt then it will be.. please for the safety of people on the road tell gm they have a problem. *tr

The instrument cluster on my 2004 chevrolet cavalier has failed to operate properly. *tr

I have a 2004 chevy cavalier and recently the speedometer has just stopped working. sometimes it decides to work due to weather conditions, but most likely it is on 80mph when im doing 20mph or it just sits at the bottom all together. i was about to have a mechanic fix my car and i did some online research. i found a website with 33 additional complaints with the same issue with a 2004 chevy cavalier(http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/cavalier/2004/accessories-interior/speedometer_stopped_working.shtml). this is a safety hazard to drivers and passengers and gm needs to recall this and correct the problem immediately, it is unacceptable. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. while parked the contact noticed the fuel gauge displayed the incorrect reading. the reading would fluctuate from empty and full. in addition, the contact noticed the speedometer did not read the accurate speed while driving. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic. the mechanic stated the instrument cluster would have to be replaced but the part was not available for repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

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. *tr

Gauge cluster not reading correctly on and off on 2004 chevrolet cavalier. *tr

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!!! *tr

Speedometer runs up to extreme limit at any speed and tachometer freezes up. *tr

The speedometer and tach quit working or are reading the wrong speeds on my 2004 chevrolet cavalier. i can be at a stop sign and the gage shows 40mph. i can be going down the interstate and it shows 30 mph. sometimes it doesn't work at all. i have been online & seen several forums with people with the same problem, and there is no apparent recall. *tr

All gauges in my cavalier have stopped working (speedometer, temp gauge, rpm's..) the car dies randomly while driving, dies when stopping. i actually tried to pull my car over because it was acting like it was going to die and while i was pressing the brakes it was trying to go!! very scary!!! could have wrecked! *tr

Speedometer failure 2004 chevrolet cavalier gauge cluster failed at 82000 miles. unsafe. cannot determine mph. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. whenever the contact started her vehicle she noticed that the instrument panel displayed incorrect information. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 45294.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. she stated that the entire instrument panel would fail intermittently. the dealer was contacted and advised that the cluster, a fuse or the wiring could be faulty. the vehicle has not been taken into the dealer to be diagnosed. no repairs made to date. the failure mileage was 12,000 and the current mileage was 112,075.

Instrument cluster on my 2004 chevrolet cavalier started malfunctioning in late december 2009. first the gas gauge stop working, then the temperature gauge beacuse the gas gauge interfered. now july 10 2010. the speedometer has also stopped functioning properly because the temperature gauge interfered with it. this is very dangerous. i emailed gm but no response. was told by gm dealer it would be over $700 to replace it. not fair at all, this should be a recall by gm because of the safety issue.

Over the past 2 years the speedometer on my 2004 chevy cavalier has stopped working at different times. the speedometer will go up past 100 mph when it is parked and will take 2+ weeks to reset itself and start working again. this past month the gas gauge and tachometer have also stopped working, this in addition to my speedometer being out have left me without know how much gas i have left, how fast i am going and multiple other issues. *tr

The speedometer on my 2004 chevrolet cavalier has failed at the 50,000 mile mark. there is no way for me to tell the accurate speed i am driving. *tr

2004 chevy cavalier ls sport when turning on the car the speedometer shoots up past 80mph at standstill. this occurs at least twice a year. never know how fast you are going unless you actually sit there and count. takes about 4 or 5 days before the speedometer makes its way back to 0mph. *tr

The instrument cluster is not giving the right speed you are going and the tach is not giving the rpms it stays on 0. speed needle goes all the way around as to as far it can go and it stays there for a few days. *tr

The easiest way to put this is the 2004 chevy cavalier instrument panel is messed up, it first started approximately 3 months ago when my speedometer would read 40mph when i was idling, and now the needle is buried past 110mph even when im going 20mph. now the gas gauge has gotten messed up too its needle is buried blocking the temperature needle from advancing which would cause overheating and braking problems. i called a local dealership about this problem and the service manager said he knows it is a problem but then proceeded to tell me it would be $500.00 to repair it. honestly i am kind of scared to drive this car with my family in it due to chevy not wanting to replace this widely known problem, i greatly appreciate you taking your time for reading this. *tr

Defective instrument cluster/panel. speedometer doesn't read the proper speed limit and the temperature gauge will not "reset" (?) it just keeps going clockwise around the dial. *tr

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). *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. the contact stated that the instrument cluster failed when she turned the vehicle on. occasionally the instrument cluster moved rapidly and registers 0. a local mechanic replaced the instrument panel; however, the failure recurred. the dealer stated that they could diagnose the for $125. the manufacturer advised the contact to have the dealer diagnose the failure at the owners expense. the failure mileage was 3,000 and the current mileage was 58,000.

I have a 2004 cavalier and all the gauges have stopped working. once in a while the rpm gauge works. i investigated and have found various websites with lots of other people experiencing the same problem. the cost of repair is 500+ dollars with no simple do it yourself fix available. *tr

I have a 2004 chevrolet cavalier and the speedometer failed on me. i replace the speed sensor but problem is not resolved. i fear this could be a dangerous situation on the road and should be recalled. *tr

Well i have a 2004 chevy cavalier and the speedometer doesn't work. i would get oil changes and tires rotated and notice small differences then out of no were it just would not work. it stuck on 110 and the temp is off too. also it does not tell you how much gas you have. over all the whole board seems to be not working. i have had this problem for at least two years people tell me they dont know what it is others tell me it cost 700- 900 dollars to fix. *kb

2004 chevy cavalier all gauges on dash do not work. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. the contact stated that the instrument cluster was defective. the speedometer and fuel gauge failed to operate properly and displayed inaccurate readings. the vehicle was purchased with 30,000 miles. the current and failure mileages were 31,000.

At about 50,000 miles the tachometer on the dashboard cluster began to fail, becoming wildly uncalibrated and showing rpm well above actual. this was followed by the speedometer suffering the same defect. when driving, stopped, in park, or even engine off, the speedometer will read inaccurate: 30mph, 90mph, sometimes pinned 360-degrees off the gauge. a quick temporary fix is, while the car is off, to remove the dash cluster fuse and reinsert it, which resets all the gauges at 0. this is only temporary because within days, if not earlier, the gauges become uncalibrated again. recently at about 60,000 miles the speedometer has also randomly begun to report speeds well below actual speed. i.e. when traveling 45mph the speedometer will read 25mph. *tr

Gauges on front panel are not working. gas, speed, temp. i have contact chevy dealers and they said it is not recalled. read on many sites on the internet that other people are having the same problem. *tr

Gauges in car is not working. read on your site there is another 65 people who have the same problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet cavalier. the contact was driving approximately 70 mph when she noticed that the speedometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge and rpm gauge failed intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for the failure. she contacted the manufacturer and was advised there were no recalls on the vehicle and that they were unable to assist. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 130,000. updated 04/15/11*lj updated 05/02/11

My 2004 chevrolet cavalier has "squirrelly gauges" . none of the gauges read correctly. however, once in a while one or more gauges do appear to be reading correctly. my gas gauge is never accurate. my speedometer is often pegged over to top speed or reads 45 mph when i'm doing 65. the only accurate gauge is the odometer. this problem has been going on for about 2-3 years. (no i do not have the money to repair it) researching this problem, i search google for the symptoms and this seems to be a common problem. i look on ebay and find vendors who repair "squirrelly gauges". my complaint is not unique. *tr

Speedometer and other gauges going haywire. at times i have no idea what speed i am going. i can be stopped at a redlight and my speedometer reads 90mph. or i can be keeping with the flow of traffic on route 30 and it reads 20mph. *tr

Dash cluster failure. rpm gauge running backwards and sticking, fuel level indicator incorrect, speedometer sometimes incorrect. when this happened i looked it up online to see if i could diagnose the problem. it seems that this is an extremely common and potentially dangerous problem. *tr