Two problems related to transmission noise have been reported for the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier based on all problems reported for the 2002 Cavalier.
Vehicle currently has 37,000 well maintained miles on it. At about 25,000 miles a faint noise began to come from the transmission. It was only noticed at low speeds while decelerating. Now it is faint at highway speeds and very noisy at low speeds. It sounds like a turbo-charger spinning up and down. Mr. Goodwrench has never heard it before and gm powertrain engineers say it is normal. I say it isn't. If it were normal, it should have been there when I bought the car new with 200 miles on it. This is the 4th j-body car I have owned and the second with this transmission and I have never heard this noise. This is a well documented complaint and no one is listening. I have been a very loyal gm owner who may well have just purchased his last gm.
Consumer complains of the transmission making a terrible grinding noise when in first and second gear.