Anyone know what this means?

[Brittney]

I just got my new car Saturday. It's a 2002 Chevy Cavalier. It's a great little car (Minus the strong smell of cigarrettes:yuck, but it seems to have a few problems. 1) The gas gage must be messed up (or it could of been the gas pump). I was filling it up today and the pump wouldn't let me put anymore in, but my car says it's only 1/2 of the way full. 2) The ABS light is on and stays on. I'm not sure what that means but here in AZ you can't pass inspection with any lights on.

Anyways, I just thought I would ask.. Here are some pics.

 

[cintistatern2005]

Congrats on the new car. If my car has any lights on I just take it to Auto Zone and they run some kind of diagnostic test and tell me whats wrong and how to fix it.

 

[Alicia4435]

Ok, my husband is an inspection mechanic and I asked him for you what the possible problems could be.

As far as the ABS light, it could be either Wheel bearing or it could be that the ABS sensor messed up. But 9 times outta 10 its the front wheel bearing because the backs don't have sensors. Easiest way the check is to jack the car up (front wheels off the ground) and see if you can wiggle the tire. Or another way is if you hear a loud humming sound while driving. My husband also said that cavaliers are unfortunately known for the wheel bearings going bad and he usually always had to change them during inspection on any cavaliers that were brought in.


As far as the gas... it could be the float or the check ball. It usually isn't the gas gauge or anything especially in such a newer car.

I hope this all helps!

BTW I love the new car! My husband and I love Cavaliers.

 

[alli713]

I'm no help, but if you want to get the cigarette smell out, febreeze it a bunch. I bought a car a couple years ago and it smelled like smoke, I'd febreeze it every day and left the windows open a crack, and in a couple days it didn't smell at all any more )

 

[Brittney]

OK, My boyfriend is here for the day, so hopefully Auto Zone or Fletchers is open and he can go with me. I know nothing about cars, just thought I would ask.

 

[AZChins]

I had a 94 cavalier that had the ABS light on a lot, it would come on and off. I ignored it. I ended up putting on new brake pads and the light mysteriously went off forever when I got done. I think those cars just have strange sensors or something that don't always work correctly.

My wagon has a strange gas gauge thing going on where it will sometimes say I am full after filling it up and sometimes it will only go to 3/4 of a tank on the gauge. I think that those things just get gummed up over the years and stop working correctly. I've had cars that do that intermittently. I wouldn't worry, but always make sure to keep tabs on it so that you don't run out of gas.

You can see that little "drifting" road there in the picture! Stupid kids....

 

[Brittney]

I'm no help, but if you want to get the cigarette smell out, febreeze it a bunch. I bought a car a couple years ago and it smelled like smoke, I'd febreeze it every day and left the windows open a crack, and in a couple days it didn't smell at all any more )

Yeah, that's what I've been doing. I'm allergic to cigarettes so it's really bothering me because I can't stand the smell. My windows are cracked a bit and I've been febreezing and I have a few vanilla things in there. It's starting to smell better.

 

[AZChins]

Oh...my wagon smells a bit as the seats continue to outgas with whatever the previous owners did to them. I had some cherry carmex in the car in the sun, opened it and it had turned liquid...so I ended up spilling it all over. Now my car smells like cherry carmex even though I thought I cleaned it all up. (I am just telling stories, don't do that!)

I agree with the Febreeze...that should help. I think that they make one just for cars.

 

[addictedtochins]

I got this car bomb thing at the dealer that neutrilizes sp? the smoke odor. It works even better than febreze. It's been a while, but I seem to remember you set it off like a flea fogger

 

[Ash]

My bf, his dad, and I were talking about the gas gages in Chevy/GMs the other day. It seems to be a common issue with the reader in them is usually off. For example, Keith's step-mom's car (pontiac grand am) will be full and the gage will read waaaaaay past the "F" and in Keith's Jeep, which has a GM fuel gageIit's an older year which had the mish mosh of parts), it will fluctuate constantly.

 

[Rickman]

Agree with the wheel bearing/ABS light, but sometimes the wire's loose, and can be pushed back in to re-establish contact.
In my experience with gas guages, a little corrosion on the ground wire can cause erratic/wrong readings. The bad thing is, it's usually above the tank, and a PIA or expensive to fix, unless you can extend that wire, and ground it to a clean surface with a new connector.
A few dryer sheets under the seats, and a cup of baking soda sprinkled on the carpets will help with the cigarette smell - vacuum well in a couple of weeks, re-do until odor's gone!

 

[Brittney]

It is my ABS System. The module and valve have failed and it is going to be 1700 to fix. They can flash the chip and make the light go off or they can fix it. But I don't have 1700 lying around to fix an optional mode on my car, even though it is a safety feature.

I got the oil changed, new tires, replaced the break lights and had them flushed, so hopefully it will pass inspection now

 

[AZChins]

Do you need the ABS module for the brakes to work properly? Seriously, it hardly ever rains and you will never see ice out here. With my Cavalier the ABS never kicked in until I moved to Kentucky and had to stop in a icy parking lot. It scared me because I had the car for a couple of years before that and I didn't know what it was.

As long as the braking system works properly, I don't think you will have any problems. Shame on those people for charging so much money for that module...that's insane.

 

[Brittney]

Well now I have a leak in my oil gasket and new oil system-$34 for parts $234 for labor

New engine belt- $90

Hoses/thermostat/fluids-$100

Oil Change and air in tires-$290

Spark plugs/wires and fuel filter replaced- $230

For today: oil leak, diagnostics, transmission fluid, and tune up- $777.59

This just shows that you need to keep up with regular maintenance, which obviously, the previous owner did not do.

 

[Brittney]

And now apparently 4 new tires.... WTH. *bangs head on desk* I only paid 2700 for the car, looks like I will be playing more in repairs

 

[3CsMommy]

Please don't think I'm being mean, but are you and the people you took with you *sure* that all of this needs to be done to your car? I'm asking b/c there are a lot of mechanics that will take advantage of people who don't know a spark plug from a gasket, and the way more stuff keeps "coming up" makes me (raised by a diesel mechanic) suspicious on your behalf.

 

[AZChins]

I hope it runs like new now. Sometimes it takes a bit to get a car up and running. Then again, most of the time that I would do that it would be with a classic Mustang and it seems a little more worth it (and a whole lot cheaper because everything is so basic on those old cars.)

 

[Rickman]

Boy, they saw you coming!
$230 for an oil change and air in the tires?
Around here, that's $25 all day long, with free air!
Even if it was a transmission oil change, Aamco does it for $125!
Shop Tire Tracks on your computer for tires - get 'em delivered to your house, and go to the nearest used tire dealer who will install and balance for $40! You'll save a ton!

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Yah I agree $290 for air and oil change?? You are getting taken advantage of fo sure...I would get some second and third opinions on your car...

 

[Lmbswimmer]

Spark plugs, wires and fuel filter should have been super cheap also. Wires and spark plugs can be picked up at any autoshop and that is a pretty easy replace with a spark plug wrench. I mean like 5 minutes. Then a fuel filter is not all that difficult either from what I have been told. I had my engine catch on fire because the spark plug wires got too hot when crossed and the plastic melted and the metal touched. A guy stopped on the side of the road with me and fixed it with duct tape to get me to the garage. I pulled into my mechanics garage and he went out back to another Escort he had, pulled the plugs and wires off that and installed them in my car for free. I think when I brought it back the next day for a new set (didn't have any in stock) it was $30.