I haven't had any problems with my 05 Cavalier.

'05 sunfire with around 4000km and nothing yet... but after reading this post i'm wondering if buying the car was a good idea... alll the guys in my club with the ecotec swear by them that's why i went that route....

Oh, and the displaying my real name instead of my screen name is kinda lame =\
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If I had a dime for every time I saw Echotec, errr, Ecotec spelled wrong, I'd be rich!

Oops, looks like I'm not to scared to my real name either Mr. Ace140

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I'm new to the sight, so I'd still be poor.

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Only thing wrong with the ecotec is where the research and development (R&D) came from. In fact, GM will be expoiting borrowed technologies for quite some years to come.
So you may as well buy GM, since the taxpayers paid for the R&D and not GM themselves.

I like my 05 sunfire. I have had it for 1060 miles. No check engine lights. it stalled once never did again. the car is NYC so it take its share of pot holes. I orginaly bought it for a three reasons the car reminds me of a trans am, the car looks like a giant mouse and the ecotec racing program. but all kidding a side I am happy .no noises, leaks, or trips to dealer except for a oil change. also a side note the stall happened after the Lojak was put in.

Anybody had problems with thier wipers yet? My wipers just sometimes stop half way up the window. i just change the speed setting and they get moving again, but it is sometimes a problem.

Yep, I had that problem. Took it to the dealer and they told me that the only way that they can fix it is if they saw it when it happened. Well it is so sporadic that of course it wouldn't do it when it was there. This car just becomes more of a POS. This wiper thing only happens when it is on the delay setting.

Ya, it is so speratic, and only when on delay. I think i'll start some testing next time it happens.

3 years ago I bought a new 2002 Alero 5 speed ABS, 4 wheel disc, AC, power lock, cdplayer, traction control and manual 2.2l ecotec for $11,600. This was the first year for the GM line except for Saturn. The Ecotec came out in 2000 and Saturn had exclusive use of the engine for 2 years in the LS series then the rest of the GM divisions could use this engine starting in 2002.

I have averaged 30.08 MPG for the life of the car, my maximum mileage was 35MPG (65 MPH for one tank). I just got 34 MPG average (450 miles in one tank) but I intentionally dropped my speed from 75-80 hwy to 60-65 to compensate due to the $3 gas prices. If I do normal highway driving 75 MPH then I get 32 MPG average (400 miles per tank).

Things I added/changed:
- Cold air intake ($70) Big difference in 4000-5500 RPM range much smoother acceleration or K&N filter.
- 4 tip type sparkplug BOSH or Splitfire
- Synthec oil

Things I want: (Improves gas mileage and power)
- 62 MM throttle body from R&S racing
- high flow exhaust






No real problems, once in a blue moon ..

- Idle will drop from 1000 down and the software will correct. I assume its a fuel quality issue because I drive 120 miles a day. Mixed city and highway. so it rarely happens.
(If you have a consistant problem It could also be a small air pocket in the line. Sometimes if you get dirty fuel it will create residue in the fuel pump and cause the fuel to flow back out of the line into the tank. Thats why you have to crank a few times and then the pressure builds back up. You can try injector cleaner if its disolvable debre such as dirt. If its small grains of sand then you have to remove the fuel pump and try to clean the seals.)


I am so impressed with idle since it is rock solid at 1000 RPM with no fluctuation! (Cruise control is amazing, very accurate and consistant)

- Clutch reservoir became low so I put more fluid in it. No problems since.

- Rarely does the car not start on the first rotation. Meaning .5 seconds after you turn the key it starts. (very impressive) If it does not start then it becomes flooded and you need to wait 10 seconds. This may have happen 5 times in 3 years.

- I did not get the rust proofing and I get rain noise in the back tire area when the road is wet. I figured the rust proofing was a bogus since the car already has it.




One problem I do have and maybe someone can help. My interior light does not work and I cannot fine any switches in the doors. I tried to replace the bulb because it would come on sometimes but I think I shorted something but I have no idea where to look.

Thanks,

Recall on the tail lights. Dilectric grease wasn't added to about 80,000 cars. That's it for me though. 2 minute fix.


--Jason

Well my '04 was doing just fine up until 29000 miles........then all of a sudden it grew a turbo and now I have serious problems.......like getting speeding tickets and embarrassing people in real sports cars.
Seriously though, the only problem I had was a hole in a line allowing my clutch fluid to leak. Now I'm at 32000 and good so far!

Aww, I'm really sorry to hear about the turbo growth. It can lead to serious problems....loss of a license, numerous tickets....and like you said, loss of self esteem of Mustang owners


--Jason

I have a 2005 Malibu Classic with the 2.2l ecotec Engine. Where are the spark plugs. I don't mean to sound like an idiot, but I just can't see them.

they are hiding on you!! On the top of the engine you will see a cover. unbolt it, and the wires are under it along with the plugs.

I have 48,000 kms (Approx 30,000 miles) on my 2004 Cavalier.

So far, warranty replaced interior light switch located in door jamb plus the heater fan switch was replaced because it was noisy. That's all!

05 sunfire, 18,000 mi and the only prob is my 5th gear syncro it kinda grinds unless i press on the cluch twice before i shift it in

I have an 03 cavy and my engine dies out too. It happens I would say every 4-6 months.
I was thinking it could be the fuel injection, a problem with the pistons, anything electrical.....the list could go on with possible problems. I did notice, however, to control the idle, if you have a 5 spd, downshift more often than you usually do. I do it all the time. That produces more torque to the engine. Doing that keeps my rpms up.

One other thing you might want to look at is if you have a cai....check to see if it is connected tightly. I noticed this after my enginge kept quitting on me on my way to work. I looked under the hood and saw that the air filter tubing came loose. After I reconnected it and tightened down my clamps....the engine was fine.

i have a 04 LS Sport sedan auto. now has over 59k miles on it. i have the usual odd suspension/steering noises, and like others the dealer tech didnt find anything. i had it shut off when i came to a stop light only once...bout a year ago. never had the light problems. my outer (plastic) pillar covers have cracked all on thier own, dunno why. all but the rear driver side. cant say its been a bad car at all. my only big concern is the timing chain.





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Every once in a while I have an idle shut off. Not much of a problem except for when I'm sitting on a hill, then it gets a little annoying...but it happens so few and far between there's nothing I can think to do to cure it. I tried taking the car in to have it reprogrammed but they told me there were no marks down for my car.

Only real problem I had was my sister-in-law drove it for a day and broke the back adjust handle off of the driver's seat....thank you GM warranty! Cost of repair = 2 hours in a showroom, drooling over a Cadillac XLR

my experience has been good. sometimes the engine has a hard time starting and i think i have narrowed down why. it seems to like to flood itself for no good reason. if it sputters a bit when i start it, i just hold the key and it fires. the problem appeared when i put a intake on it, so i belive there is something going on with that much air being available and the MAF sensing it, so it dumps alot of fuel in, even though the eninge hasnt quite gotten through the ignition phase. then again i may just be retarded and completely off.

PLEASE NOTE: one of the reasons your ecotecs may be sputtering at stop signs and dieing is because your gas station attendant forgot to put that cap on all the way. no joke, the computer does a vaccuum check on your cars fuel system every so often. if it pulls too much vaccum through the lines when the cap is loose it will sputter and die. this may be a complete load of crap, i havent researched it, thats just what a mechanic told me.

for anyone having noise issues with the clutches in 2000-2003 gm J-bodies, a TSB was just released this month pertaining to that issue.

Apparently the noise when depressing the clutch is just harmonic engine noise translating through the clutch assembly and is nothing to worry about. Aside from being rather annoying at times.


Freakin morons.... When will they learn. Hold On Not Done Accelerating

just bought the car 05 cav. the only problem I noticed is when going about 70mph, I get a road noise "wohmv, wohmv" its constant and even. Sort of like when you go to far over on to the shoulder and they have the groves cut in the road. Just not that loud. Any ideas?

Oh and I do have that clunk noise when I hit a bump in the road, its up front. Sort of like if battery or something was jumping and clunking down. Anyone else figured out this problem?

First the noise sounds like a tire issue and the "clunk" sounds like a mount issue.




Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.

For all of those having idle or stalling problems don't forget that nation wide the gasoline mix has been changed and will be changing again. The mix is right now at 15/85 ethanol to gasoline; it used to be changed from 9/91 (I think). By summer of '07 it will be 25/75 mix. I'd say half the time the rpm's dip real low is because the computer is trying to figure out what its burning. the other half just happens because the AC is on (oh well just turn the key again). The change in the gas mix could also be a contributing factor to (stoichiometry) O2 sensor problems as well.

Anyone having tach issuses (black 04 cavi 5spd). Only happens on very hot days ~85+F. Car starts and run fine but the tach either is showing the half the rpm is should or pegged at 0. I drive it for a few minutes, may 4 or 5, recycle the computer (key all the way off then restart the engine at a red light) and then the tach works fine. I can get it to work easily enough so I'm not taking it into the dealer yet. Any ideas?

my 03 at 15k had to have the tranny yanked.. wouldnt go into 5th.. fixed under war. has 34k now no problems (except the hvac thing)

now my 02 with a auto at 54k snapped a timing chain... now i have no compression in 3 out of 4 cylinders.. oh boy.. bent valves are fun



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oh i forgot.. the 03 has has a check engine light for 2 yrs about a downstream 02 heater sensor circuit (that works btw)



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