1999 Daewoo Nubira Problems

What owners report

Complaints for the 1999 Daewoo Nubira center almost entirely on the engine and cooling area, and most of them are about the camshaft position sensor recall: owners report check-engine lights, a burning or smoke smell, and difficulty getting the recall work done because few Daewoo dealers remain in business. A smaller share of reports describes timing belt failure, front suspension noise or looseness, and brake or stalling behavior — usually at moderate mileage in the 25,000-100,000 mile range.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Camshaft position sensor recall and check-engine light

   • 38 complaints (60%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2006

   Owners describe an illuminated or blinking check-engine light that sometimes comes and goes, and several tie it to the camshaft position sensor. Many say they received the recall notice but could not get the work performed: dealers said the sensor part number was outside the covered range, refused recall work, had no parts, or were no longer in business. A few report the check-engine light returning after the sensor was replaced. Filed mostly in late 2004 through 2006; reported mileage ranges from about 26,000 to 100,000 miles.

   Recall 04V357000Recall 04V394000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 04V357000 / 04V394000 was actually completed and keep any paperwork; if the check-engine light is on, have the code read before buying. Confirm which shops still service Daewoo vehicles locally.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Recall 04v357000 was issued for the cam shaft position sensor. Consumer states dealer refused to repair the vehicle at no cost under the recall because the vehicle part serial number was not included. However, the VIN was part of recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10092541, filed 2004-09, 100,000 miles

   “Consumer complaint concerning the 1999 Nubira camshaft sensor recall. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer and the camshaft sensor was replaced. The consumer was charged for the repair and request reimbursement.”

   NHTSA complaint #10161582, filed 2006-06, 26,628 miles
2. 2
   Engine cooling

   Timing belt failure and engine damage

   • 7 complaints (11%)
   • median 57,323 mi at 5.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2006

   Owners report the car quitting while driving and being towed, with the timing belt found broken or the timing chain failed. Several say the repair involved bent valves or head work, and one attributes the belt failure to a water pump leaking internally. Parts availability was described as slow. Reported roughly between 44,000 and 72,000 miles, often during ordinary driving.

   What to check: Ask for records of timing belt replacement and water pump service, and check the belt's age rather than relying on mileage alone.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Timing chain went out. Told when this happens on a Daewoo it usually damages the valves. Total cost $1400.00 with 1 month to get parts. Search many GM/chevy places which now service the Daewoo. Only have 71240 miles on car. Got it at 51200 and put around 20k on it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10020591, filed 2003-05, 71,000 miles

   “Engine warning sign sometimes kept coming and going or blinking. Went to a mechanic and he thought it wasn't the problem of the engine since there was no record in the memory in the car. After a few weeks later, car stopped on the road. Towed the car to a mechanic and discovered two pistons were broken and he recommended to replace the engine to another one with new parts that belong to the engine. It cost me $2721.01 total to fix.”

   NHTSA complaint #10158881, filed 2006-06, 63,000 miles
3. 3
   Suspension

   Front suspension noise and lower control arm wear

   Mentioned in 5 of 46 sampled complaints

   Owners describe cracking or squeaking noises from the front end, steering wheel vibration when changing lanes, and uneven tire wear. Complaints state the lower control arm bushings wore out and that replacement parts were hard to obtain; one says the problem returned after the arms were replaced. Mostly reported between about 25,000 and 36,000 miles, sometimes during acceleration or mild turns.

   What to check: Listen for clunks or squeaks over bumps and check front tire wear patterns; have the control arm bushings inspected on a test drive.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The lower control arm has problems. Dealer has not been contacted. Ts without warning the control arm bushings wore out. This happened when accelerating or engaging in mild turns. Parts have been difficult to obtain.”

   NHTSA complaint #8021546, filed 2002-10

Buying note. Records matter most on this model year: confirm whether the camshaft position sensor recall was completed and whether the timing belt and water pump have been serviced, since parts and dealer support for Daewoo vehicles are limited. A pre-purchase inspection covering the front suspension and brakes is worthwhile given the age.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 46 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.