2004 Chevrolet Aveo Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLANT PUMP HOUSING FRACTURED AND COOLANT LEAKED OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND SUGGESTED TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.

2004 CHEVROLET AVEO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WARRANTY NOTICE #14093 ISSUES. *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE WARRANY HAD EXPIRED. ALSO, THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED. *JB

2004 CHEVROLET AVEO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TIMING BELT FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITH NO WARNING. *JB

TIMING BELT SNAPPED AT 73K MILES WHILE DRIVING 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. TOTAL LOSS OF POWER: STEERING, BRAKES, AND GAS PEDAL ALL NOT RESPONDING. MANUALLY MANAGED TO COAST TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER WITH MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON, AND WITHOUT HITTING OR BEING HIT BY ANYTHING ELSE. I'M ALIVE AND SO IS MY PASSENGER, BUT I FEAR WE COULD HAVE DIED ON THAT DAY. RELATED TSBS AND NHTSA BELOW TO AUGMENT REPORTING THIS PROBLEM. ---- TSB #3936 / NHTSA ID #10020573 STATES THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN PRIOR TO 60K MILES TO OTHERS AS FAR BACK AS 2006; TOTAL ENGINE LOSS DUE TO DAMAGE FROM THE BELT AT HIGH SPEED NOT REPORTED OR FIXED. SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE ALSO IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR THIS PART: # TSB #060601021 -- TIMING BELT INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, WORN, WEAR.*KB (NHTSA ID #10020843, OCTOBER 01 2006)

IN MID-FEBRUARY AFTER ONE OF OUR MANY BLIZZARDS, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER SEDAN HOME. THERE WAS A PILE OF SNOW ON OUR STREET THAT HAD HARDENED OVER. I GUESS SHE MISCALCULATED ITS HEIGHT (AND HARDNESS) AND WHEN SHE WENT OVER IT, THE CAR LURCHED UP AND SHE HEARD A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AGAINST THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE ENGINE STARTED SHAKING IMMEDIATELY AND WITHIN SECONDS DIED. SHE CALLED ME OUT AND I TOOK A LOOK AT THE CAR. IT WAS DEAD. I WALKED OVER TO THE ICE AND IT WAS ROCK HARD, SO I TRIED TO TAKE A SHOVEL TO IT AND IMMEDIATELY EMAILED MY NEIGHBORS TO BE CAREFUL OF IT. I AM NOT MECHANICALLY-INCLINED, SO WHEN I GOOGLED WHAT MIGHT'VE HAPPENED, I SAW SEVERAL COMMENTS THAT IT COULD BE AS MINOR AS A DAMAGED OIL PAN THAT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. FIGURING IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING MINOR, I CALLED AAA (HAD TO WAIT A FEW DAYS SINCE THEIR LINES WERE DOWN) AND HAD THE CAR TOWED DOWN THE STREET TO A SERVICE STATION. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE ASSESSMENT FROM THE MECHANIC: APPARENTLY DURING THE COLLISION, THE TIMING BELT SLIPPED AND CAUSED THE PISTONS TO BEND. THIS WOULD COST SEVERAL THOUSAND TO FIX. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CAR HAS AN "INTERFERENCE" DESIGN WHICH IS PRONE TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. MANY AVEO OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ONLINE. THE WORST PART ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENED DURING A COLLISION, OUR INSURANCE CHALKED THIS UP TO "WEAR AND TEAR" AND WE WERE FORCED TO JUNK THE CAR. OUR CAR HAD LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT AND WE KEPT IT IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THIS SHOULD HAVE EITHER BEEN HANDLED THROUGH A MANUFACTURER RECALL OR MY INSURANCE SHOULD HAVE TREATED IT AS THE COLLISION IT WAS AND COVERED IT.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ON MY WAY HOME TO KNOXVILLE FROM ATHENS, TN, AND I HEARD MY CAR MAKE A FUNNY NOISE, AND THEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE, I PULLED OVER OFF OF THE INTERSTATE ONTO AN EXIT AND THEN THE CAR BASICALLY DIED WHEN I MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SMOKE WAS WHITE AT FIRST, BUT THEN IT TURNED BLACK SO WE RAN FROM THE CAR. THE CAR PROCEEDED TO CATCH ON FIRE AND BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED IT WAS TOO LATE. I HAD A LOT OF CLOTHING AND PERSONAL ITEMS IN MY CAR, AND MY BOYFRIEND'S LAPTOP AND REALLY EXPENSIVE TEXTBOOKS WERE IN THE CAR AS WELL. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY BURNED EXCEPT FOR PARTS OF THE TRUNK AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WAS SALVAGEABLE. I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT MY CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE OF FIRES, BUT I HAD NO IDEA BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR TWO MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED. IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER THOUGH, BECAUSE THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE NO CAR AND I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND I NEED A CAR SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO GO ABOUT CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT MY PROBLEM. I AM VERY UPSET THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF SOMEONE COULD HELP ME FIX THIS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE WAS RUINED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 5/4/15*CN UPDATED 05/12/15*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE TIMING BELT FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VALVES. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BELT AND VALVES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON MY LUNCH BREAK, AND HAD JUST MADE A LEFT TURN ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY. ABOUT 5 SECONDS AFTER I MADE THE TURN, I FELT A JOLT AND HEARD AN ODD GRINDING SOUND. MY CAR LOST POWER AND ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO SAFELY STEER THE CAR FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER BEFORE IT FINALLY STOPPED. I HAD THE ADDED FORTUNE OF BREAKING DOWN IN FRONT OF A REPAIR SHOP. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MY TIMING BELT HAD BROKEN AND HAD BENT ALL THE VALVES IN THE ENGINE. IT TOOK 5 DAYS AND $1875 TO FIX. I HAVE SEEN DOZENS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM AVEO OWNERS ABOUT TIMING BELT FAILURES LONG BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED 100K REPLACEMENT MARK, BUT CHEVROLET REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND WON'T ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

IT'S THE 3RD TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. IT OCCURRED TWICE WITH MY DAUGHTER AND HER BABY IN THE CAR, TODAY WHEN I PICKED MY KID UP FROM SCHOOL; THE CAR CUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION. I HAVE CHANGED THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, CRANK SENSOR, COOLING TEMPERATURE SENSOR, 15 AMP FUSE TWICE, REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET, SEALANT, EGR VALVE AND EGR GASKET. CLEANED OFF ALL OIL RESIDUE ON ENGINE, ON HEAD GASKETS, ON SPARK PLUGS. RECENTLY REPLACED THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR, TIMING BELT AND HAVE ALSO DID A TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGE. THE CAR IS NOT WORKING APPROPRIATELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, HE HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,995.

MY STEPDAUGHTER AND HER FRIEND WERE TRAVELING CROSS-COUNTRY FROM CALIFORNIA TO ILLINOIS. CAR HAD JUST BEEN CHECKED BY A MECHANIC PRIOR TO TRIP AND SAID WAS OK. ON I-40, ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF ALBUQUERQUE NM, SHE REALIZED THE CAR WAS GETTING WARM, THEN THEY SAW STEAM FROM HOOD, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SHE IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED ME, IN ILLINOIS. THEN SHE CALLED AAA FOR TOWING, AND WAS TOWED TO GALLES CHEVROLET IN ALBUQUERQUE. THE NEXT DAY THEY DIAGNOSED TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATING; CAUSE OF FAILURE LIKELY A BROKEN THERMOSTAT HOUSING. I SEARCHED FOR THIS ISSUE AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN EDMUNDS FORUM; THIS CERTAINLY SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. IN THE END THE GIRLS WERE SAFE, THANK GOD. NOT ONLY WAS THIS A VERY EXPENSIVE INCIDENT (~$5000), BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, LEAVING TWO YOUNG COLLEGE GIRLS STRANDED IN A REMOTE DESERT LOCATION ON A HOT DAY, VERY VULNERABLE. THE NEXT PERSON THIS HAPPENS TO MIGHT NOT BE SO FORTUNATE. I URGE YOU TO TAKE ACTION TO REQUIRE GM TO RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR

THE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING COMPLETELY SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING ONLY 35 MILES PER HOUR. THERE ARE MULITPLE CHEVROLET AVEO OWNERS THAT HAVE A CAR BETWEEN THE YEARS 04-06 THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFTY HAZARD, BUT A REALITIVE COSTLY FIX. *TR

TIMING BELT FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. ALMOST GOT INTO ACCIDENT. CHEVY AVEO ONLY HAD 65,000 MILES. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY AVEO THAT ONLY HAS 65K MILES ON IT AND GETS REGULAR OIL CHANGES. I WENT IN AND HAD MY TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED AND WAS TOLD THE CAR LOOKED GREAT. DROVE A FEW OTHER PLACES, AND WAS ON A STEEP HILL, TURNING AROUND (AS I HAVE DONE MANY TIMES BEFORE), AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF MY ENGINE. I PARKED IMMEDIATELY. MY THERMOSTAT HOUSING PIECE (PLASTIC) HAD CRACKED IN HALF AND WAS SPEWING ANTIFREEZE. IN THE TWO SECONDS THE CAR WAS ON, I LOST HALF MY ANTI-FREEZE AND MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS COVERED IN ANTI-FREEZE. FURTHER, THE PART IS HARD TO FIND AND WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS FOR A REPLACEMENT. THIS PART BROKE OUT OF THE BLUE, IN THE MIDDLE OF ROUTINE DRIVING. THERE'S NO WAY TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT'S FIXED - THE CAR WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED. I HEAR THAT THE PART IS NOW BEING MADE IN ALUMINUM AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR (EVERY 50-70K THIS PIECE JUST INEXPLICABLY CRACKS). I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE PART OF A STANDARD RECALL. HAD THIS PIECE BROKE AT ANY OTHER TIME (SUCH AS FIVE MINUTES PRIOR, WHEN I WAS ON THE FREEWAY) THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN DIRE CONSEQUENCES. FURTHER, HAD I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY FURTHER, I COULD HAVE HAD AN ENGINE FIRE OR SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS. THIS HAS RESULTED IN THREE DAYS OF TIME AND ENERGY TO GET THIS REPAIRED (HOPEFULLY TO BE COMPLETED TOMORROW). THIS PLASTIC PIECE IS NOTHING BUT A SAFETY HAZARD AND I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY TO HAVE ESCAPED IN ONE PIECE. I'M YET TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE THE ANTI-FREEZE WILL DO TO MY CAR IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET THE CAR INTO THE SHOP TO BE FIXED UP. *TR

ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TIMING BELT BUT THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CHANGED TILL AROUND 60,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS ONLY 48,000 MILES ON IT. I WENT AND BOUGHT A TIMING BELT AND A WATER PUMP BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT IF I CHANGED THE BELT I MAY AS WELL CHANGE THE WATER PUMP ALSO. AFTER A GOOD DEAL OF MONEY I WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ENGINE FAILURE BECAUSE OF A "VALVE RING" HAD WORN AWAY. I NEED TO PUT A "NEW" ENGINE IN IT AT CONSIDERABLE COST. I HAVE BEEN LAID OFF FOR OVER A YEAR AND THIS HAS CREATED A HARDSHIP FOR ME. I CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR PAYMENT AND THE COST TO FIX THIS CAR, ALTHOUGH CHEAPER THAN BUYING ANOTHER, IS STILL A LOT OF MONEY FOR ME. NOT ONLY IS IT HARD ENOUGH TO FIND WORK IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT A CAR. I BELIEVE THIS FAILURE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT 48,000 MILES! I AM 55 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OWNED CHEVY'S ALL MY LIFE. NOT HAPPY.

MY AVEO IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON WHEN THE ENGINE HAS TO BE SERVICED. APPARENTLY, THIS LIGHT DID NOT COME ON FOR THE WARNING THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE THAT I NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT. DRIVING TO ME(THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BY MY CHILD OF 28 YEARS WITH A 3 MONTH OLD IN A REAR CAR SEAT) TO PICK ME UP TO TAKE ME TO WORK THE CAR JUST STOPPED. IN THE MIDDLE OF ONGOING TRAFFIC. THANKFULLY THE CAR WAS NOT HIT BUT THE POLICE AS WELL AS MY BROTHER (WHOM WAS ON HIS WAY TO WORK) WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HER FATHER (HE WAS CALLED) SHOWED UP WITH A TOW ON ITS WAY TO TAKE IT TO MY MECHANIC. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN/BELT WENT. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION IT ALSO CAUSED THE BENDING OF 2 PISTONS. IN ORDER TO FIX IT PROPERLY THIS MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. I WAS INFORMED HOWEVER THAT ALL AVEOS FROM THIS MODEL OR YEAR HAS SHOWN TO HAVE THE TIMING BELT/CHAIN TO MALFUNCTION BETWEEN THE MILEAGE OF 40,000- 80,000 MILES. SO, I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A RECALL ON FIRST THE WARNING LIGHT NOT INDICATING THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG AND SECOND, THE TIMING CHAIN/BELT MALFUNCTIONING REPEATEDLY BETWEEN THE MILES OF 40,000-80,000 MILES. I LOVE MY AVEO BECAUSE IT IS THE PERFECT SIZE, EXCELLENT ON GAS AND BEING A 2004 MODEL THERE IS ONLY ABOUT 66,000 MILES OR SO ON IT. I AM TRULY MISSING MY AVEO AND WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME GET IT BACK TO NORMAL SO I CAN TAKE IT HOME. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS MY FIRST REAL CAR AND I WOULD RATE IT IN THE TOP TEN VEHICLES TO PURCHASE FOR ITS TOTAL ECONOMICAL QUALITIES. SO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.

CHEVY 2004 AVERO TIMING BELT BROKE WHICH ALSO DAMAGE ENGINE HAD TO REPLACE VALVES WHICH COST OVER $1100.00. THIS INCIDENT HAPPEN WHEN MY WIFE WAS COMING FROM THERAPY ON A HIGHWAY (BQE), IN BROOKLYN WHEN OUT OF NO-WHERE WITH NO WARNING SIGNS, THE CAR JUST STOP, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSE A UNTHINKABLE EVENTS OF ACCIDENTS. THANK TO MY HIGHER POWER , THAT NO ONE WAS HURT OR EVEN WORSE, FATALLY INJURED. I HAD THE ENGINE RE-BUILT, HOPEFULLY THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE TIMING BELT INSPECTED EVER TIME I CHANGE THE OIL TO AVOID ANY FAILURE OR UNWANTED INJURIES OR DEATH DUE TO GM LACK OF NOT RECALLING THIS VECHICLE BECAUSE MY 2004 AVERO ONLY HAD 58,000 MOLES ONLY, WHEN THE CAR MANUAL INDICATES THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACE EVERY 60,000 MILES. *LN

WAS SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE ALL OF THE SUDDEN QUIT. LISTENING TO IT WHILE TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINE, MY FIRST THOUGH WAS TIMING BELT. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE HOME AND INSPECTED, THE TIMING BELT WAS TIGHT BUT NOT TURNING ANYTHING, UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT 14 OF 16 VALVES ARE BENT ALTHOUGH THE CRANK SHAFT TURN THE TIMING BELT IS NOT. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT WITH THE 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO AND WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT WHEN THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. #1 NO CLEARANCE BETWEEN PISTON AND VALVES. #2 FAULTY TIMING BELT. *TR

MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST CAR PURCHASE...WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT. BOUGHT THE 2004 CHEVY AVEO USED WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT ON A SATURDAY. IT BROKE DOWN SUNDAY. TIMING BELT BROKE AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE...NOW IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH...A QUICK SEARCH WHILE WATCHING THE CAR GET TOWED SHOWED THAT THIS IS A HUGE, WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM THAT GM HAS DECIDED TO DO NOTHING ABOUT. DEALERSHIP WORKING WITH US TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH A SWAP IN VEHICLES. *TR