In 2002, a cross-country passenger car, called the Chevrolet Niva, rolled off the assembly line of the GM-AvtoVAZ joint venture.
Motorists hoped that this car, after taking part in the development of American designers, would be of high quality and would not cause any special problems to the owners.
But the Americans took more part in the development stage of the car, but the implementation of this project almost completely fell on AvtoVAZ.
The result was a car with a Chevrolet nameplate on the grille and steering wheel, but with VAZ quality.
Nevertheless, the demand for this car is constant, this is even evidenced by the fact that it is still being produced now, while for such a long period the Chevrolet Niva has been restyled only once.
The presence of the prefix "Chevrolet" in the name did not in any way affect the quality of the car, and it has a large number of weaknesses that the owners have to either eliminate themselves or put up with them.
In general, the Chevrolet Niva is a typical Russian car, it was released, but the owners of this SUV have to bring it to perfection.
Power point
Let's start with the "heart" of this car - the engine. It should be noted right away that the unit installed on this SUV does not pull at all, a car that is designed for off-road capability.
Power of 80 liters. With. at 1.7 liters, the volume is not enough for this car, it is more suitable for a passenger car.
You should not expect agility on the road from a Chevrolet Niva equipped with such an engine. Since this is still an SUV, you can not look at its speed indicators, and the indicator of 160 km / h declared in the documentation is quite enough for it.
Using the air conditioner while driving can further reduce the already “dim” performance. With a working air conditioner, the engine becomes completely like a “vegetable” in behavior.
The car strongly “resists” acceleration, so forget about overtaking and maneuvers that require sharp acceleration.
As for the technical performance of the power unit, it is not bad. Strong problems, in addition to routine maintenance, the installation does not deliver.
The only weak point in the motor is the crankshaft oil seals. On some cars, they do not even care for 30 thousand km.
Permanent four-wheel drive on this car is good, but only for driving on a country road. In urban conditions, this advantage becomes a disadvantage - Chevrolet Niva's fuel consumption in the city is high. The car consumes over 10 liters.
The use of an air conditioner can significantly increase fuel consumption.
Now for the systems of the power plant.
One of the most problematic in the Chevrolet Niva is the cooling system, or rather, its components.
The expansion tank of the system is “flimsy” and often cracks appear on it, through which coolant flows. Some owners change this tank almost every year.
The water pump can also cause problems. On some cars, the pump fails regularly, but such a nuisance does not happen on all Chevrolet Niva.
The power supply system does not cause any complaints from the owners, it is reliable with proper care for it. The only thing that can happen to her is the failure of the sensors (DMRV, TPS,).
But problems with sensors are inherent in many cars, so it’s wrong to consider them only Chevrolet Niva’s weak point.
The exhaust system is also reliable, but there are some points with it.
And since the catalyst is an expensive element, this problem is also unpleasant from the financial side. As a solution, cutting out the catalyst and using a resonator instead.
There is nothing to say about the lubrication system, it copes with its duties well and does not cause problems.
And electrical equipment is a problem. The weak point in this system is the generator. It breaks down quite often, on many cars it is changed under warranty in the first year of operation.
Some owners, in order to avoid problems in the future, simply select and install a similar element from a foreign car instead of a regular generator.
Transmission
Let's move on to the transmission. Here, the designers did not even bother to eliminate the problems that arose even on ordinary Niva.
After a short period of operation, the gearbox and gearbox begin to “howl”. And at high speeds (for this car, above 100 km / h is already a high speed), the rumble in the cabin is strong.
On some instances, the detents of some gears quickly fail, which is why the speed at the checkpoint constantly “knocks out”.
Problem areas are cardan shafts. They are often unbalanced, which leads to increased.
On the first Chevrolet Niva, hinges of unequal angular velocities were used (popularly, crosses). And these crosses are just the weakest points in this car.
The spline joints of the cardan shafts also did not "shine" with reliability, they quickly broke, leading to increased vibration.
On modern models, they are already used, and got rid of splined joints. Thanks to this replacement, many problems with the drive were eliminated, but another appeared - the anthers of the hinges are torn.
Chassis
Here, too, there were some weaknesses. Ball bearings do not last long, but given the condition of the roads, and the bearings themselves are just consumables, then there is nothing special about their failure, the same applies to oil seals, bushings, silent blocks.
The elements of the steering trapezoid are also a weak point of the chassis, so constant monitoring of its elements is required.
The weak point in the chassis of the Chevrolet Niva are the hubs. Their bearings quickly break down and require replacement.
Proof that the hubs are a weak point in this car are the reviews of the owners, in which they indicate that they encountered a problem when, when driving, the wheel “left” along with the hub due to a broken bearing.
Another weak point of the chassis is the front shock absorbers. Their resource on the Chevrolet Niva is not very large.
Many also note the need to install another anti-roll bar, since the rolls during maneuvers in the Chevrolet Niva are significant.
Car owners still complain about the lack. This shortcoming is really serious. Even restyling did not bring such necessary equipment to the equipment of the car.
Body and exterior elements
The body is still quite reliable, with the exception of the wheel arches. If you do not treat them with protective agents in a timely manner and do not protect them with plastic wheel arch liners, corrosion centers appear on the arches very quickly.
It is noted that not enough paint is used to paint the plastic elements of the body, so the paint layer quickly begins to come off the plastic elements.
Initially, it was indicated that this car got a nameplate on the grille from Chevrolet.
But our specialists fixed it, and they didn’t come up with anything better than putting the badge on double-sided tape.
As a result, washing and using high-pressure washing installations can easily beat off the nameplate. Therefore, owners often either wash the car themselves, or they warn at the car wash that water under high pressure is not supplied to the nameplate.
Many note that the head light on the Chevrolet Niva is very worthy, but even here there were some troubles.
Condensation forms on the inside of the headlight lenses after washing or driving in the rain.
As for the headlights, the use of weak housings for parking lights is also noted. As a result, the hulls melt quickly.
After purchasing a car, it is better to immediately replace the regular lamps with LED ones to avoid this problem.
Salon
There are also enough shortcomings and weaknesses in the cabin. First of all, there is a small volume of the luggage compartment. But this drawback is conditional, some of the volume is enough, in addition the trunk can be increased by folding the rear seats.
The second weak point in the cabin is soundproofing, but rather its complete absence. When driving inside the car, you can hear everything - the engine, the transmission, and the chassis.
The tightness of the cabin is not up to par. Drafts and smells make their way inside, and even on the new Chevrolet Niva with seals that have not yet shrunken.
The presence of air conditioning is a positive quality, but it only “eats” the performance of the power plant, so drivers have to decide whether to drive comfortably, but barely, or without comfort, but a little faster.
Power windows are a convenient thing, but the drive plastic gears of the mechanism quickly wear out on the Chevrolet Niva. After a short period of operation of the car, you can lose this convenience.
As for the dashboard, everything is in order here except for the fuel level sensor. On many cars, its readings are incorrect.
Naturally, the interior plastic leaves much to be desired, since it is hard, and its fastening is weak. Therefore, even a new car is characterized by crickets, etc.
Additional troubles can be caused by Chevrolet Niva electronics, in particular, power relays.
These relays are responsible for the operation of the cooling system fans, fuel pump, electronic control unit and ignition.
The failure of any relay, except for the fan relay, can make the car immovable. Therefore, it is best to always have a spare set of these relays with you.
Enough of the bad things the owners say
Despite all these shortcomings, the Chevrolet Niva is characterized by the owners for the most part on the positive side. All these weak points for a real driver who is not afraid to dig into his car are not critical.
Of course, the same owners “scold” the Chevrolet Niva for a large number of flaws, but at the same time they try to eliminate them, as well as improve the car, sorting out and replacing the chassis, and eliminating all other shortcomings and weaknesses.
For all its weaknesses and shortcomings, the Chevrolet Niva is in demand, and for several reasons.
The first is the cost of the car.
It is difficult to find a quite good SUV for such a price, even if it is of domestic production, albeit with an American nameplate.
The second is permeability.
Chevrolet Niva rides off-road, and rides well. She will not overcome strong off-road, but the average one is easy.
This car is perfect for lovers of outdoor activities outside the city, and fishermen, owners of cottages.
It is worth noting that not every foreign crossover is able to overcome the off-road that the Chevrolet Niva will pass. And this despite the frankly weak power plant.
The third is high maintainability.
Most malfunctions, due to the simplicity of the design, are eliminated in garages using improvised means.
Many people even like that this SUV, like most domestic cars, can be repaired “in the field, on the knee” without using any special tools.
The fourth is the availability of spare parts.
You can find spare parts and consumables for Chevrolet Niva almost everywhere. At the same time, their cost is not as high as for foreign cars.
Summing up
Yes, Chevrolet Niva has many shortcomings and weaknesses, breaks down more often than foreign cars, comfort is minimal. But with proper care and carrying out all routine maintenance, this car will serve "faithfully" to the owner.
In general, this car copes with its direct duty - it overcomes off-road, albeit average, after all, the Chevrolet Niva is not a full-fledged SUV, so even such cross-country performance for this car is a significant achievement. And all cars have flaws, to a greater or lesser extent.
Chevrolet Niva is still a worthy representative of the domestic auto industry, even if it is a joint development with GM. If the car were bad, it would not be awarded twice the title of "Car of the Year" in the SUV class.
In addition, the second generation of this car is on the way, so let's see if the designers can fix all the weaknesses and bring the Chevrolet Niva to a decent level in terms of quality and performance.
06.12.2016
- a small car that, at first glance, seems like an SUV, but, in fact, it is a real SUV. Due to its small size, short base, permanent all-wheel drive with a symmetrical differential, the presence of locks and a low gear, this car is able to get out of almost any swamp. Over the fourteen years of its existence, the car has not undergone practically any changes, the only thing the manufacturer decided on was adding a plastic body kit. But, is everything so stable with reliability and what to expect from a used Chevrolet Niva, now let's try to find out.
A bit of history:
The history of the Chevrolet Niva dates back to 1998, at the same time, at the annual auto show in Moscow, the concept of the VAZ 2123 Niva car was first presented to the public. The novelty was supposed to replace the outdated model VAZ 2121 Niva, which had been produced without any changes for more than 20 years. But, at that time, the AvtoVAZ concern did not have the funds to launch the mass production of new items. As a result, the management of AvtoVAZ decided to sell the license for the production of the Vaz 2123 and the right to the Niva brand to the General Motors concern. Before the start of sales, the designers of the concern made a huge number of changes to the appearance of the Niva, which is familiar to us, which made it possible to consider it an independent model.
The novelty debuted on the world market in 2002. It was assumed that the previous version would be discontinued, but this did not happen (changed the name to "LADA 4 × 4"), since the novelty turned out to be almost twice as expensive as its predecessor. On the market, Chevrolet Niva competes in price with foreign SUVs, but, alas, not in quality. In 2009, an updated version of the SUV was presented, the changes affected only the exterior and interior, but the technical part remained unchanged.
Advantages and disadvantages of Niva Chevrolet with mileage.
The body of the Chevrolet Niva begins to rust already in the fifth year of operation, corrosion centers appear at almost all joints and corners of the car. The paintwork is very weak, especially on the plastic elements of the body. Many owners do not recommend washing the car with high pressure washers, as it often knocks out pieces of paint. If you constantly drive with a spare wheel on the back door, then, over time, its hinges are pulled back and the door starts to close poorly. To avoid this trouble, many owners carry a spare tire in the trunk.
Engines
Two engines are available on the car - 1.8 (125 hp) manufactured by Opel, they are equipped only with export cars and 1.7 liters (80 hp) manufactured by AvtoVAZ, this engine is intended for the CIS market. Cars with a 1.8 engine are a real exotic for our market, therefore, there is no point in talking about its reliability. Motor 1.7 has a good resource and has a number of significant drawbacks. The timing drive is equipped with a metal chain. The main disadvantage of this unit is the unreliable design of the standard timing tensioner, which often leads to a chain jump. A rattling sound from under the hood when starting a cold engine and a diesel rumble at idle will serve as a signal to replace the tensioner. If a running engine often randomly stalls, most likely a flush or replacement of the throttle sensor and fuel injectors is required (flushing is recommended at least once every 70-90 thousand km).
Also, the ignition module is not famous for its reliability, a signal about the need to replace it will be a deterioration in dynamic performance and engine tripping. About once every 100,000 km, hydraulic lifters need to be replaced, if they are not replaced in time, this will lead to premature failure of the ramp and burnout of the valves, which, as a result, will significantly reduce compression in the cylinders. In order to extend the life of hydraulic lifters, specialists from branded service stations recommend monitoring the oil level and keeping it above average. In a car with a mileage of more than 150,000 km, oil consumption increases - up to 300 grams per 1000 km. Often, the cause of increased oil consumption is hardened valve stem seals, on average, once every 100,000 km, the oil pump, idle speed controller, mass air flow sensor, cylinder head gasket and starter need to be replaced.
The cooling system is disappointing with the frequent occurrence of radiator leaks, and the quality of the expansion tank does not stand up to criticism (cracks), as a result, it has to be changed every 15-20 thousand kilometers. Periodically, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the connecting clamps of the lower pipe leading to the radiator in order to avoid leakage of coolant. Also, the exhaust manifold mounting bracket is not famous for its reliability; extraneous sounds resembling rattling will serve as a signal of the need for replacement. The noisy operation of the fuel pump is a fairly common phenomenon, this feature is not treated in any way. Once every 4-5 years, check the condition of the fuel pipes that are under the bottom, as over time a large amount of dirt and reagents accumulate on them, which contribute to corrosion, which will result in gasoline leakage. 
Transmission
Chevrolet Niva is equipped with only a five-speed manual transmission. As operating experience has shown, the mechanics are quite reliable, but it has enough minor flaws. Of the main ones, one can distinguish: vibration of the gear knob at high engine speeds (2500 and above), on warranty cars, the dealer changed the lever assembly under warranty, but this did not solve the problem for long. Some owners have managed to eliminate arm vibration by replacing the fork and bearing. If, on the car, it began to knock out fifth and reverse gears, most likely, adjustment of the backstage of the gear selection mechanism is required. Loosening the backstage clamp often leads to a shift of the lever forward, as a result, the fifth and reverse gears stop turning on. The clutch has a decent resource (80-100 thousand km), but the release bearing may need to be replaced already at 40,000 km, and it is also necessary to monitor the condition of the anther of the working cylinder. Another Achilles' heel is considered to be a razdatka, leakage of transfer case seals is a fairly common phenomenon. It is also worth mentioning that every third car, even a serviceable transfer case, makes a terrible howl when driving.
Driving performance Chevrolet Niva with mileage
The Chevrolet Niva suspension has a fairly simple design and does not cause any particular problems. Due to the design features, wheel bearings must be adjusted and tightened at least once every 25,000 km, and if this requirement is not neglected, the bearings will last up to 80,000 km. Also, do not forget to check the anthers of the CV joints for cracks at each maintenance and to inject the crosspieces once every half a year. Most often, rear suspension rods need to be replaced - every 40-50 thousand km. The disadvantages of the front suspension include silent blocks of the upper arms and ball bearings, their resource is 50-70 thousand km. Once every 70-90 thousand km, it is necessary to replace the thrust bearings, shock absorbers and their springs. Every five years of operation it is necessary to change the brake hoses for new ones. The service life of the front brake pads is up to 50,000 km, the rear ones - up to 60-80 thousand km.
Outcome:
Chevrolet Niva is a fairly reliable, unpretentious and inexpensive SUV. The car will be a great option for outdoor enthusiasts (fishing, hunting), who are not afraid and like to do repairs on their own. The listed problem areas are just statistics of the most common malfunctions, according to the owners of this car and specialized service stations. When buying this car, you must understand that anything can break here, therefore, Niva is not a friend for pedantic motorists. When buying this car, a lot depends on luck, as a rule, the lucky ones sing odes about its reliability, but those who are unlucky have to constantly fix annoying minor malfunctions.
Advantages:
- Good off-road performance.
- Low cost of maintenance and repair.
- Balanced suspension.
Flaws:
- Weak paint finish.
- The quality of finishing materials.
- Outdated design.
Actually, many people, including myself, having moved from another car to a Chevrolet Niva, immediately feel the poor dynamics of the car - it accelerates slowly, sometimes it doesn’t pull uphill at all and you have to switch down to a gear or even two. Agree, when overtaking you feel somehow more confident if the car quickly picks up speed. You can't say the same about Chevy. But let's figure out what the dynamics of Shniva depends on and how to increase, if possible, the power of the car.
Acceleration speed, dynamics depends primarily on engine power. The engine on Shnivy is dead, there's nothing you can do about it. And therefore, you can go the other way and change the gearbox, put the main pairs with a gear ratio higher than the standard one. And the torque, and hence the power, will immediately increase.
I have a friend who bought an ordinary Niva on 235/75/R15 wheels (which is almost 29″ - the arches were cut) and immediately began to complain that the car accelerates poorly, it doesn’t pull uphill at all when there are 3 passengers in the cabin, then you even had to turn on 2nd gear in a protracted hill to call in. The engine is dead of course.
We looked — that's it — the main couples are regular — 3.9. It goes without saying that they are not at all suitable for such wheels, if you want to somehow increase the acceleration rate, then you just need to change them to at least 4.3. As soon as the pairs were replaced, the Niva really went, and how, the acceleration became like that of a sports car, practically)) That is, by replacing the pairs, we really increased the dynamics of the car.
By default, new Niva and Shnivy are now equipped with “high-speed” pairs 3.9 (this is from the “six”)
There are others (increased number):
- 4.3 is "penny"
- 4.4 - from the "kopeck piece"
I just moved to a Chevy from a VAZ 2106 and was surprised for a long time - I accelerated to 80 much faster on a Shorik than on a Shevik. The Shesterik is lighter, and the engine is almost the same. The maximum speed on the VAZ 2106 squeezed 140 km / h from the hill, and on the Chevrolet - only 110.
The question immediately arises - is it worth changing pairs if the wheels are regular 205/70 / R15? In general, people checked and this is what they found out - the dynamics of the car will still get better if you put pairs of 4.3. And if the wheels are 29″, then it’s better to put 4.44 at once. Even with stock wheels and a stock GPU, the car rides worse than with larger wheels and a 4.3 GPU.
The GP on 4.3 looks like this:
These cost about 5-6 thousand for two pairs. It is clear that boo, because new ones are not being released now.
What will happen to the car when changing the GP?
The basis is a GPU with a larger gear ratio increases torque. And this means that:
The machine will become more high-torque, it will grasp very famously. It will be better to ride on the backcountry tight when you need to drive through a dangerous area and not dig in. You will not stall anymore)) Well, you will switch around the city more often, because the number of revolutions will always be higher. And in general, you can immediately start from the second traffic light - no problem.
Gasoline consumption will decrease, because now you need to “put pressure on the sneaker” to accelerate, you need to be weaker. And this is also a weighty argument for replacing the GPU.
On the highway, you will already begin to use 5th gear (on GP 3.9 I rarely even use fifth, everything is in fourth, especially if the full load is for people and luggage).
How much does it all cost - together with the work it will cost 12 thousand. However, you will immediately notice such an upgrade, and if the wheels on your Chevy Niva are at least 215/75 / R15, then God himself ordered to change the pairs. You can still ride on the stock one, but with large wheels you definitely need to change, because the dynamics will be just no good. So you will be surprised - why the car does not go.
Chevrolet Niva is a regular Niva that has been upgraded with many improvements in comfort and convenience. But the main problems and weaknesses, in particular the transmission and engine, have not been resolved. Shniva is scolded by 99% of its former owners, and only those who bought it recently praise it.
Dealers often do not do pre-sale preparation, therefore, such jambs as creaking DZ and undertightened bolts contribute to many possible Sheva Niva malfunctions already in the first thousand kilometers. So after the purchase, it is better to immediately lubricate the locks and door hinges (dry), and at the same time tighten all the bolts.
Cons of the engine on the Chevrolet Niva
Stupid on acceleration. Oil seals can already leak at 30 thousand mileage, under warranty they can change if the oil flies in all directions, but only wet ones are not touched. The air conditioner, although it works without problems, but with its inclusion, the engine's low power also drops. In the city it is imperceptible, but on the highway the difference is noticeable. Also increased, but that consumption, that weak dynamics are eliminated by good firmware. The motor, in general, is reliable, albeit rather weak, up to 250 thousand it will quite serve only, like all VAZs after 100 thousand, a revision is needed.
Disadvantages of the cooling system
A fairly common sore Chevrolet Niva is a tank with antifreeze. After a year of operation, the expansion tank is leaking and has to be replaced under warranty. On some Niva, sometimes the pump may not be enough until the first MOT.
Weak points of the chassis on Shniva
As for the weaknesses of the Chevrolet Niva in the chassis, here are: ball bearings, oil seals, steering linkage parts, jet thrust, and you should also pay attention to the hubs. There are many cases that, under warranty, after 30 thousand mileage, the owners turn to replace the front wheel bearing. It is necessary to constantly monitor the backlash and tighten. Native racks will also not live long. It is also easier from CV joints, they do not like heavy loads, anthers are often torn.
Transmission cons
Weak crosses on the cardan shaft. Together with bearings, they are Sheva Niva's weakest point. Cardans themselves are also rather weak. Vibration occurs due to splines.
Electrical problems on Chevrolet Niva
Can already the first six months of operation, but the blessing is a rarity. The generator, its belt and will not work for long either. There are cases that in the first year of operation, the generator is changed under warranty. When the car is on a slope. An electronic FLS is like a rheostat, it contains the whole jamb. The wiring of the cooling fans is highly susceptible to the external environment, so fuses can often burn.
headlight problems
In the headlights, the overall bulbs melt the body (it’s better to put LEDs right away).
Exhaust System Disadvantages
You can quickly ruin just a few gas stations with bad gasoline, although in general the exhaust system serves 50-60 thousand km.
Weak spots in the body
It is highly susceptible to corrosion, especially wheel arches - an almost new car can rot in the third or fourth year of operation. Scratches literally in a few days begin to rust. The paint is peeling off the plastic.
Problems in the interior of the Chevrolet Niva
Shnivy's next sore point is soundproofing, or rather its complete absence. At a speed after 100 km / h, the feeling that the engine and razdatka are in the cabin. Many complain about extraneous odors that are drawn into the cabin.
One thing pleases that there are a lot of spare parts for Sheva Niva in stores, so all diseases of the Chevrolet Niva can be cured, but there are a lot of marriages and leftists. Although in general, whoever is lucky, someone has it for years and does not require almost any attention, while others are unlucky and something is constantly pouring in it. Still, don't expect miracles from her. The car is quite good for itself, the closest competitor, but you can’t find a better car in terms of price / convenience ratio from the price range. Although from the fact that it is ours, domestic, you will have to put your hands on it and not overestimate its capabilities. As a rule, all the weak points on the Chevrolet Niva will appear during the warranty period and the dealer fixes all the jambs without any problems.
Facts about Chevrolet Niva - pros and cons
The most common problems are listed above. In fact, there are many more of them. Therefore, read the reviews of the real owners of the Chevrolet Niva in the comments below, and leave your own, ask questions.
