Most common 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier problems
Share of the 345 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Cavalier complaints by model year
Best Cavalier years: 2002, 2001, 1999. Years to avoid: 2003, 1997, 1996. Compare all years →
1998 Chevrolet Cavalier recalls (4)
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Remedy: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch, and check that your car will start with a properly charged battery and, if necessary, replace the…
Steering › Rack and pinion
Certain passenger vehicles and Mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between January 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began January 24, 2003.
Fuel system, other › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with bi-fuel compressed natural gas (cng) vehicles. The cng fuel line and the cng high pressure regulator coolant lines can contact other fuel (gasoline) and brake lines on the vehicle. Abrasion from contact can cause a leak in the brake pipe, fuel pipe, or both.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reposition the cng fuel and coolant pipes and reposition/repair any damaged fuel or brake pipes as necessary.
Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The wheel lug nuts were not tightened securely resulting in a fracture of the wheel studs.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the torque of all wheel nuts and, if necessary, tighten any that May be below required torque.
What 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier owners say
Electrical system all 66 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier. While driving at 35 MPH, there was an odor of smoke inside the vehicle. The contact coasted over to the side of the road, lifted the hood, and noticed that the wires from the alternator were on fire. The contact extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 169,000.
Consumer stated the vehicle was parked and shut off. Without warning, the vehicle caught on fire from the steering column. Dealer notified. Consumer woke to ignition running. Ignition was in off position with the keys removed. She inserted the key and turned it on and off several times until the engine shut off. Just then smoke was seen coming from under the steering column. Fire dept. Determined fire was the result of something electrical.
Brakes all 59 →
The engine started having problems where it didn't want to move and the gas pump kept messing up and the gas needle doesn,t show correct it will say you have a half a tank when you really have a quarter tank, and the throttle sensor is messed up I was on I-4 which is a major highway in orlando in the middle of traffic the was on but loss power and stalled out.
After being driven 50 miles the car was parked on a slope of 6 inches in 24 feet. The parking brake was set and the manual transmission was in neutral. After 2 hours the car rolled backwards 75 yards, over a small tree and steel fence post and came to rest in a field of tall grass. Damage to the rear bumper was substantial. Closer investigation reveled that even tho the parking brake was set the car would roll. It appears that after the brakes cooled off for several hours they released the pressure against the rear brake drums and allowed the car to roll even tho the slope was very slight. The issue is that even tho the parking brake appears to be set it will allow the car to roll after the rear brakes cool and release the shoes from the drums.
Engine & cooling all 56 →
My daughter was driving her 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier when the engine stalled and she had not power. She tried turning on a side street she had no power steering and no brakes. She tried to get out of way of a truck that was approaching her but couldn't and her car went underneath the truck. Needless to say the car was totaled. The engine stalled once while it was idling so she had to get it jumped. My husband and I thought she might has left something on or wasn't quite sure about what really happened when it died while being parked. I drove it the next day and it seemed fine. After the accident happen she told us that sometimes when she would put the car in reverse it would die. She would has to put it in park and the re-start the engine and the car was fine. We only had the car for a month. We don't know if the transmission had problems or if this was an electrical problem.
The starter went out the first week I got it did tires start rubbing the sucks went out making it hard to drive and a second time start rubbing I end up buying three times cuz they got ball real fast the wiring under the engine ripped apart and now it's threw a rod.
1998 Chevrolet Cavalier engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 30 / 24 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 30 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier a good car?
Based on 345 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Cavalier rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Cavalier at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier?
The electrical system — 66 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition. Next are the brakes (59) and engine & cooling (56).
How many recalls does the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, the most recent from January 27, 2004 (switch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Cavalier?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 2001 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 1997 and 1996. See the full Chevrolet Cavalier years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 83,000 miles; 24% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.