Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Sold my 1997 chev. Cavalier to a 17 year old girl. Her dad took car for test drive before cash purchase. He went 200 feet down the street then backed up into my driveway. He said brake warning lite came on and brake pedal went to floor. We saw brake fluid pouring from under car. The brake line was rusted and blew out. I took the car to tuffy auto center and they spliced new brake lines to fix. I was shocked to see that plain steel lines were routed underneath the car and exposed to all kinds of corrosive elements. We were all thankful that the girl did not buy the car then get into a terrible accident that day. How many other cavaliers are out there in dangerous condition? I can not see how GM got away with brake and gas lines installed in such a cheap and potentially dangerous location. All the previous description is accounted for by the purchaser and tuffy auto center. [redacted]
I was in heavy stop and go traffic. I was following the vehicle ahead of me at a safe distance (the other drive will certify this). That vehicle stopped suddenly, and I applied my brakes to stop as well. My vehicle slowed down inadequately and I rear-ended the other vehicle. I estimate my speed before I applied the brakes to be between 10 and 15 MPH, and that I had between 30 and 40 feet between me and the vehicle ahead of me. I would have normally expect not to have any problems stopping under these curcumstances. As I try to remember the incident, I remember the brake pedal being very hard -- I was consciously pushing the brake as hard as I could. I have practiced emergency stopping and evasive lane change maneuvers on every car I have owned. This car does have ABS, but I'm convinced that the ABS failed to work correctly, and contributed to the accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact stated that when engaging the brakes, all the brake fluid leaked from the brake line. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician stated the brake lines were corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 118,000 and the current mileage was 118,500. The VIN was unavailable.
ABS brake problems; when applying the brakes, under normal braking conditions, the pedal is very hard and the brakes lock up. Driver has to downshift to get vehicle to stop. On 3/2/98, the front brake rotors were turned. Taken to dealer 2 other times for brake problems. Dealer could not find any prolbems with the vehicle. Driver was involved in a crash on 8/17/98 because of this condition.
This failure is the third one experienced. The first two were reported to mac haik service center and supposedly repaired by replacing the rear drums. I am currently filing a complaint against Chevrolet because of the number of times this rear brake lockup has occured
We have had problems with this car from the date that it was purchased. The brake rotor problems have been worked on several times, and it will stop for a while, but will continue to worsen with time. The ABS light and low coolant light have been on and off for over and year and we were told that we would have to pay to have them fixed, the sound from the exhaust, possibly the catalytic converter, has been going on for over a year and again, we were told we needed to replace it, that it was not covered under warranty. Then engine is sounding more awful as time goes on...lots of noise under the hood especially at crusing speed, and then again when slowing to a stop, and more recently even when idling. …
Have had many problems with car - at 20,000 - the dealer replaced the front brakes and machined rotors, after I requested they be checked due to squeaking. Service covered under warranty. At 30,000 - the battery failed on car while parked. Had car towed to dealership and replaced battery. Dealer stated that there was a faulty battery cell. Service covered under warranty. At 40,000 miles, horn has failed. Currently negotiating with dealer to replace without cost. Have always had ABS problems - car will buck and jerk under certain wet pavement conditions when ABS should not activate. Concerned about this - but cannot afford cost of replacing ABS. Dealer has looked at brakes and said nothing about ABS problems. Have banging/clanging noise from right rear of car when car is cold. Unsure what causes this. …
Brakes lock when stopping release and stop release and finally stop. Distance traveled until complete stop is about 10 to 12 feet. My daughter has a 97 Cavalier and it does the same thing. This is a very serious safety problem and must be fixed. The dealer person said that it is normal ads engagement. But that doesn't prevent a crash. He said that when one wheel is not on the same surface as the other a different signal is sent to each wheel and thus the problem of locking and releasing brakes. It seems to me that this is a systemic problem with anti lock breaks that are placing drivers in a precarious position. Lucky for me there were not vehicles in front of me when the brakes acted as they did. Otherwise I would have rear ended the vehicle in front of me with damage and possible injury to both of us.
Have put 3 alternators on this car, even when under warranty before 12,000 miles (approximately). Brakes have been replaced at least 3 times. Now, the brakes have failed completely and the ABS light came on. Dealer says no recalls, except for the ignition system. Scheduled that for repair 7/23/02. Seat belt plastic covers snapped off (belt loose on one and hit by car door when shutting it. The other one just popped off. Belt continues to slip off engine, causes stalling even if driving 55 MPH. Now brakes intermittently failing. Left front brake continues to have brake dust accumulate on wheel cover. Car has 110,000 miles on it (engine repaired last year). Car is also overheating; has had tstat replaced, radiator fluid. What else could cause this, I don't know.
The anti-lock brakes engage at inappropriate times, at low speeds, precisely as described in the recent recall of GM trucks and suvs. The problem comes and goes. It can occur at very low speeds, and despite very slight pressure applied to the brakes. It is most common on hills, but also occurs on flat surfaces. It occurs on dry as well as wet surfaces, although it is more common on wet surfaces. We have been to the dealer many times and although they have replaced the front brake pads and both front rotors resurvaced and the rear shoes adjusted (at a cost to us of $200.00) the problem did not go away. We are certain this is the same problem as the trucks and suvs and that the recall should be extended to the Cavalier.
Brake complaints in other Cavalier years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the brakes of the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier, 12% of the model year's 540 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (31 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 96,000 miles, and 25% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.