most complaints about this car?

Safety is not very good.The Daewoo Lanos on which platform the Optra is based earned an appaling 2 stars out of 5 in Euro NCAP crash tests.It is especially dangerous to have a side impact in.I hope you like your cars with a little "character" ;-). Apart from that, there's a recall on 2004 and 2005 model about the daytime running light module which may catch fire. Mechanically speaking, the engine is tough.There are problems with the wiring in general and mine for example needs a new coil pack.Also the brakes are made of cardboard.They fade during city driving and you need to replace the pads more often than other cars. Apart from that, while the fit and finish is several steps above what GM used to do in the Cavalier etc... some parts are rather flimsy.The gas filler door lever inside the car rusts away in winter conditions and it's easily broken.I've had mine for 5 years now and that's all the problem that I have to report.

My 2006 wagon seems to be a very good little car and only had to replace the stabelizer links. As for the brakes made out of cardboard one can always buy better rotors an brake pads which are available anywhere.

my opinion on this car....i will NEVER buy chevrolet again.... that is how much this car has turned me from anything chev related......we have had our 04 optra for just over 2 yrs now.... we have replaced swaybar links on the back once, on the front 3 times.... tirod ends on the front... strut mounts twice, the lever to open the gas tank is rusted off and the gas door wont stay closed.....the crank pulley split in half.....the alarm goes off on its own from time to time when nothing or noone is near the car....wires keep burning off and the car only runs on 2 cylnders.... that has happened 3 times now since october...the catalatic converter rusted off....the cam shaft sensor had to be replaced.....the brakes and rotors have had to be replaced twice in the last 2 yrs.... brakes adn rotors were put on in august, it broke down in october and was not fixed till february, thats 2 months use on the brakes and rotors b4 it broke down then 4 months after(brakes and rotors had to be replaced again in june, garage said they were decintegrated) 6 months use on brakes and rotors and they were totally gone...the brake relay had to be replaced aswell.......and now the alternator is gone......and guess what.... its priced at over $600..... this car in my opinion is the biggest piece of crap ever made.....

I can see you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer. First this is not a Chevrolet it is an Asian car with a Chevrolet nameplate. Secondly if you would have bought some decent brakerotors and pads you would not have that many problems with your brakes, same with the stabelizer links. You did not mention how many miles are on the car and if parts are rusted off you do live in an area where there is snow and ice (winter roads) and bad roads. Buy any car and you will have the same problems. Remember you get what you pay for.

we pay through the teeth for everything with this car..... cause all parts for it(at least here anyway) can only come from chev.....so all parts put on were genuine chev parts.....and yeah i understand that it will rust off but if u only knew how pissed about this car.... i know it is not a chev car, but maybe chev shouldnt put their names on such pieces of crap.... just my opinion is all....114, 000 kms on the car thats nothing....i dont think anything u buy will have wires burning off every other month and all the crap we have had with this car.....every other month there is some different problem with this car and its costs us between $200 and $500 to fix....in my opinin thats outrageous.....

Get rid of this car but it looks to me you are in an area where you are going to have problems with any car.

Optras in general are garbage. I have an 06 that I bought new, and I've had more problems than I can list with the car. It only has 65 000 km on it, and I've done all the scheduled maintenance. My brother bought a cobalt on the same day, which now has twice the km my car has. He hasn't had a problem with it, period, which is what I would expect from a modern car.

I can only agree with robterri, I hate my Optra -04! I put over 70.000 Baht in it the since jan 2011 when I bought it. When one problem is fixed the next arise. The last thingy changes was the Oxygen sensor because the car could just loose the power and finally stop. The problem still occur after service and Chevrolet here just scratch their heads and have no idea what to do, then they smile and say buy a new car. I just want to put my fist in that smile. So, now I have a car that I put to much money in and can not sell it. It has only rolled 85.000 km on the roads which is nothing... I will NEVER buy a chevy again, yes, I now, this is asian crap but anyway...

Like I mentioned before you are going to have problems with any car you buy or own. First of all if you bought original Chevrolet parts there is a tears warranty on them. I have owned may different cars in the past and they all have problem at times even Honda and Toyotas and all Asian cars . Just take a look at the forums. My Optra has been a good car for me with very few problems, sure I had to replace the front stabilizer bars but since almost every car maker got away from the bolt and rubber spacers most of them have to be replaced. To claim " I will never buy a Chevrolet product again" is just plain dumb as they have produced some of the finist cars in the world.

2004 Optra, Purchased mine in Jan. 04 and has 272000 km. The car has been great. Sure it has it's minor problems, but I love the car. Three problems have occurred since I purchased the vehicle, daytime running lights ( wiring problem), brake switch ( covered under warranty), and the alarm would go off for no apparent reason (switch under the hood needed a shim). Parts can be somewhat hard to find for this car in the aftermarket, but if you look under 2004 Susuki Forenza, then parts become easier to find.

THIS CAR WAS GREAT UNTIL MIDAS RUINED IT BY OVER FILLING ONE ENGINE OIL. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SSPS CAME ON CAR OVER HEATED. THANK GOODNESS THE CAR STILL HAD THE WARRANTY ON IT BUT NOW AFTER ALL THOSE REPAIRS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WON'T COME,OFF MY HUSBAND HAD CHECKED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IT WAS CARBON FROM CHEAP SPARK PLUGS THE MECHANIC PUT IT. WE REPLACED IT WITH BETTER MORE EXPENSIVE ONES THEIR GREAT UN PLUGGED THE BATTERY TO LET THE CAR COMUTER RESTART AND TWO DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WE REMOVEDTHE LIGHT WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM REMOTE GREAT IT CAME OFF AND THE. CAME BACK ON AGAIN DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT COULD WE DO TO GET THE LIGHT OFF OR DOES SOMETHING ESLE NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN? COIL PACK MAYBE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 138000 ON IT

I have a 2005 optra. Junk car. never GM again. Brakes are shit. engine light is always on for one thing after another. Two computers and countless censors. Tranny gears down hard when ever it feels like, even down hill. countless visits to dealers and shops.Endless problems. Peice of shit. Back to Suzuki, and Honda for me .

I have a 2005 optra. Junk car. never GM again. Brakes are shit. engine light is always on for one thing after another. Two computers and countless censors. Tranny gears down hard when ever it feels like, even down hill. countless visits to dealers and shops.Endless problems. Peice of shit. Back to Suzuki, and Honda for me .Anyone want to buy one for parts ?

Please take note: the Optra is a Suzuki. The Optra is for Canada, as the Forenza is the USA. Check it out. The two are identical. If your unable to find part for the Optra, look under Forenza (Suzuki)

i want to know that somebody pls give me a perfect answer and guide me that 2004 to 2007 model i want to purchase so is this car optra is best for average , mainmtainance and in all feautures and maintainance how much giing so is this car is best or not because i am thinking that which car i should purchased which gives me better average, maimntainance also very low which car i should purchased

I wouldn't buy Optra again. Chev is always good, but this was a mistake for us, Looked good price for only 55000 kms. now it is okay, small problems, but where do put tranny fluid in, Google has that question, but no answer. anyone Help. My mechanic couldn't find it, nor my son nor I

Funboy, is the tranny, automatic or standard. The drain plugs and fill plugs are different.

automatic

2005 Optra 4 door, in Canada is a Daewoo. In the U.S. it is a Suzuki. We got 199000 km out of this car but it cost a lot to keep it on the road, constant overheating issues. Parts had to be GM due to lack of after market availability. It is off to the crusher tomorrow and we will have a few bucks in our jeans. Note local auto wrecker didn't want it for parts. I would by a Chev again but nothing that has been made by Daewoo with a chev badge.

it has an enclosed transmission...... its in ur manual..... and my Optra is also gone to the crusher.... 153,+++ kms and head gasket gone and head cracked..... known prob by gm and the refuse to do a recall..... head gasket that was originally put on in manufacturing was too big...

I have a 2006 Optra that I bought new. It has generally been a great car although it's check engine light has been bothersome (scope showed a problem with the throttle body) for the last 3 weeks or so. Had the throttle body replaced under my extended warranty 20 months ago; and then this past month the check engine light has come on and scope showed throttle body problem again - mechanic cleaned the throttle body assembly and it worked like a charm for 2½ weeks and then Monday the check engine light came on again, showing same code. I asked the mechanic how often a throttle body fails on other vehicles and was told "never", so I was not inclined to replace it again for $700, and the mechanic was not inclined to pressure me to replace it - he'd worked for GM and said this was a common problem with these cars and shop guys would cringe when they saw an Optra coming in with a check engine light - it was usually the same code for the throttle body. He suggested that perhaps the accelerator pedal sensor was a problem, so we replaced the accelerator pedal for $210. Drove home without any issues, but the next morning the check engine light was on again. The mechanic cleared the code (throttle body again) and suggested I go back to the dealer that replaced the throttle body and "give them hell". Today is Friday and the car started (-26C outside), but as soon as I started driving, the check engine light came on again. This is very frustrating because a) I don't want to spend money on unnecessary repairs and b) I am not having any performance issues - the car drives perfectly. I'm tempted to spend $200 on a scope to keep in my car so I can just clear the stupid code myself and save $100 on having the mechanic do it.

I had the same problem for sometime. Replaced the throttle position check the wiring etc. etc. Service engine kept coming on. To my surprise, after going on the internet and looking for anything and everything, I came across a blog that talked about the cam position sensor.. The sensor was only $60.00 bucks. Gave it a try and the car has been running now for eight months with no service engine light. The blog was saying that the cam sensor has a fault so they upgraded them about a two years ago. I found it strange that the codes that kept popping up were throttle position. Even the mechanic at the dealership had no clue as to why it didn't show the cam sensor at fault. But they are connected to one another through the pcm

I have owned a 2006 Chevrolet Optra5 since I bought it in 2007 with 4000KM on it. I paid $9999. I am not good with scheduled maintenance, have done 6 oil changes, one tuneup, have never taken it in for maintenance other than those times, except for tire issues. The only problem i've ever had is a minor electrical flaw, the rear window defroster randomly does not work some times, and now, in 2014, I am having some suspension issues, Canadian Tire tells me i need a sway bar replaced. Best Car i've ever owned, engine is still perfect, not burning oil or leaking anything. I'm betting i'll have this car for at least 3 or 4 more years. Passed AirCare easily last year.

I have a 2007 optra I bought new and it has 115000k's on it. Great car. I change the oil and filter every 5000k's religiously. 1 new air filter, 1 new rear shock (my own fault, pothole), plugs, (std tranny) fluid change, set of tires. Lately the check engine light comes on for a couple days and goes off for a month or two. From reading your sight I think I'd better sell it now when the engine light is off. Side note* My wife has 2008 G6 and I baby it the same. It has had 2 tranny rebuilds and a new tranny finally installed. It has been in the shop 18 times and has had to be towed 3 times. 4 recalls and finally chevy upped the warranty to 7 years 160000 km's to keep my happy.(good choice) I think it's hit and miss these days with new cars. My has been a cheap car to operate to this point and Piston Ring online has all the after market parts you want for the Daewoo.

Beat the heck out of mine, Engine takes 5,500 RPM shifts all day, no odd rusting issues like weak fenders or rockers. Everything works. Running HID Head Lamps and Fogs, relayed direct power from secondary fuse panel of course, no fires. Replaced timing belt as soon as I bought it for piece of mind. Bought higher end brake parts. Other parts usually come from online. Spend about $5 every two weeks to wash and wax it. Real easy to service. Fun little car...

Bought a 2006 optra 5 with 17km on it. $12.999 new 5 speed standard. I have never in my life owned a car of such little value. 60,000km the valve cover cracked. They covered it under warranty. 4 months after the repair it happened again, EXACT same place. They wouldn't cover it......about a $700 repair. 80,000km suspension COMPLETELY shot. The car is dangerous to drive now.....Unfortunately the car isn't worth putting the money into repairing it. Sad the car had 153,000km on it and honestly, it's not even worth selling to anyone. Worst car I've ever owned! The most honest review you'll get....Pass on this poorly made piece of sh*t!

To the user VELO...talk about not the sharpest knife! You are obviously below grade in intelligence given your answers. I own a used car dealership and WILL NOT SELL the Aveo or Optra to my customers. The rusting on the gas cap release lever is because it's a piece of crap and poorly designed for repetitive use, not because of the climate the poor guy lives in. Same with most of the other problems. When I read your answer I figured right away that you work for Chevy and yes, it has the Chevy name put on it under authority of Chevy so it is a Chevy - moron.

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Sorry but you can't take a Korean car, put the Chevy logo on it and call it a true Chevy. If so then there in lies a problem with Suzuki putting the their brand on the same car. Where you live does effect the condition and life of a car. Yes it may not be the greatest car available but it is a set of wheels. Maybe you'd rather drive a Lada or a Pony. I did a head gasket on my 04 Optra and most parts including water pump, thermostat, timing belt main gasket kit and brakes all came from run of the mill parts stores. A number of little parts mostly small gaskets had to come from dealer and yes they can be pricey. Overall it's a nice car to drive. 154.000 KMS on it

Bullshit comment from grisem, I did not lookup the car, needed one "now" , thought that Chevy stood for descent car. This piece of shit car is so overpriced for damn low quality. Now drive a Toyota in same price range, what a difference.

Chevy optras are a Korean car, open the drivers door and look down at the ID plate. Korean car made by daewoo. In the US suzuki has it under the forenza model. In order for my scanner to scan codes I have to enter Suzuki Forenza. I did NOT say these cars are great I said it is a set of wheels, Yes I own a 04 Optra redoing the head gasket repair is not the easiest one to work on but the one I own is a nice little car to drive. Do your home work first.

Compared with cars in same price range it is a lousy car, whatever you say grisem.

We own a 2004 Optra with automatic transmission. We bought it new. In 12 years all we have done is maintenance. We have only bought shocks, brake pads, belts, filters and burned-out bulbs. The lights were not good, but we installed a good quality lighting system. It has a handy a/c outlet in the glove compartment. When you have 40° C year round, it helps to prevent suppositories and chocolate bars from melting or to keep your sunglasses cool.

Hi, I have a 2005 Chevy Optra and noticed something is melting underneath/behind my glove compartment.... anyone have this issue or know what it could be?

Check (clean or replace) your a/c filter. Also the a/c evaporator might need cleaning. We had the same problem 2 years ago with our 2004 Optra. There was a black tarrish gum falling on the floor carpet under the glove compartment, We took the car for general a/c maintenance and the problem was gone.

I live in Iraq. I have a 2010 Optra, I bought it in 2015 with 125,000 km on it. The first six months was perfect, then I had to fix problem after another. I had to set some money a side for the car on a monthly basis as I did for the rent! After I fixed and changed several things, my car has been OK again for the past few months! I like as as it serves us (especially my kids) a lot, but I am not going buy such a brand again!

if change the engine oil brand it is very difficult , the oil fill come out in ignition coil due to this engine light come on . it is very irritate . 11 km per liter only given in highway if local city it will may 8 km only.

It is one of the most worst car ever i used. very low mileage (only 6km/l) , AC Not working, Door lock not working, Window glass not working, external heat observing, radiator getting heat, spare parts are costly. For maintenance only i am spending $150 every month rather than replacing spare parts. Every 2 to 3 months i m spending $600 for due to car breakdown. I strongly recommend Chevrolet to call back this vehicle and return the money.

Aside from the normal wear and tear, I can say my 2005 Optra Wagon is a very good car. I know a thing or two about cars (mechanically) so maintenance is done by me on a weekly basis, I see to it that I put at least half a day during my days off to check and do some walk around inspection on the car both in and out, under chassis and engine bay. It now has 223.000 ++ kms. on it without any major repair yet. Maybe I'm just plain lucky :)

I need help. I have a chevrolet Optra 1.6 2004 model. My car is over heating mechanic not able to say the reason why this car is over heating. Please guys help me out in fixing my car from over heating

If there are no leaks in the system, check your fan and gauge sensors. Also check the fan and water pump.

Hi Guru, I had the same problem a few years back. Checked everything. First off, are you losing anti freeze? If so, remove the breather on top of the throttle body and look down into the intake manifold. Do you see anti freeze lying at the bottom of the intake manifold?

I HAVE MY CHEVROLET OPEL SINCE 2011 - 215 000 KM--WITH ORIGINAL CLUTCH , STARTER AND GENERATOR - NO PROBLEMS APART FROM A CYLINDER HEAD CASKET REPLACEMENT

I have a 2008 chevy optra ... i need struts for it but i have ta know where it was manufacturer .. how could i find that out ... when i brought it there was no manual

I have a Chevy Optra 2004, has 160,000 km on it. Endless repairs and parts are hard to find, Check light has been coming on and off, power window for the drivers side does not work now. Suspension and shock absorbers and a lot of rubber bushes were replaced twice already but the car still shakes and very noisy on the road. Very high fuel consumption. Lots of noises in the car like a bird is inside. Could not detect where it was coming from on the door and on the dashboard. The remote for the alarm does not work now, wanted to replace it but it costs about $230 to replace. Don't buy this car, you will regret it

P0122 DTC: Check your throttle body housing seal where it meets the throttle body. If worn or damaged replace it. GM # 96455810 is a $5 part. This was the P0122 DTC issue on my 2005 Chev Optra (Canada) sister car made by Daewoo in South Korea.

P0122 DTC: IN MY EXPERIENCE: If TPS itself is fine, replace Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) connector pigtail; splice with new part Borg Warner PT217 Electrical Connector. Also make sure there is a throttle body gasket in place and all 4 nuts are tight on the throttle body.

hi friends, automotive lovers. Please help me especially friends who have experience with chevrolet optra cars or underdeveloped estates. How to handle it ?

My Chevrolet Estate car has an unresponsive problem and a lot of power is reduced. If you walk slowly, the car feels stagnant. And if you want to be slowed down or want to stop feeling the car's engine is fighting does not obey what we want where it looks like the car's rpm is rising and almost roars when the pedal pedal is stepped on. I request a solution from friends, especially those who have experience with Chevy car problems like this. Thank you