Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was on my way to my dentist appointment, suddenly a hissing noise came from the car.all of the dashboard lights came on and I knew I was in trouble.I was on a busy intersection in the city.I had to act in a split second and steer quickly off of the nearest side ride.the steering wheel was locking up.I had just enough power to get safely off of the street in time and to keep from getting hit from behind.I was in motion on a city street.the car was trouble from day one.I believe it was a flooded out car sold to the unsuspectithat unsuspecting person was me.I got suckered out of over $2400. I have paid for at least 2 new cars with the money I have spent on this lemon.by the way the shady owner don't feel responsible at all for scamming my money out of me.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact noticed that the vehicle was smoking while he was driving. He pulled off the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle exploded. The driver sustained burns and is currently in the hospital. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the failure is similar to NHTSA campaign id # 07e021000 (fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly:pressure relief devices). The powertrain was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 64,000.
Takata recall: fuel gage nas never worked since being bought, turn signals ( both right and left) barely worked when bought and went out completly the next day, power steering locks up occasionally and and cant turn wheel,shift gear linkages will only shift manually under the hood, car will die or struggle to continue running unless foot is always pushing on gas, engine occassionally backfires, and not quite sure if the fuel pump is working properly or gone out
Engine shakes when first started n when idling, but not when driving. Hoses n belts r not in good shape. Not sure about the air bags but seen on this site that there was a problem. I have seen that there are or where, quit a few recalls that were not taken care of. Especially safety ones.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact was driving approximately 35 MPH when all of the service warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over and shut off. When the contact restarted the vehicle, it resumed normal operation for one half mile until the failure recurred. The vehicle would not restart and was towed to the contact's residence. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after multiple attempts. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 130,000.
While driving and with no warning, the vehicle stalled. Water dripped from the vehicle which caused the consumer to add antifreeze. This cooled the engine. The consumer was able to make it to the repair shop and there he found out the motor mount was bad and the engine rocked back and forth. This caused the bolt on the compressor to penetrate a hole in the hose. The motor mount and hose had to be replaced.
The engine stalls without warning while driving. Engine will start if transmission is put into neutral. The event happens with and without cruise control on. It happens at steady highway speed and when decreasing speed. It went for a couple of months without stalling, but then stalled twice in one week. 2.2l engine with automatic transmission. Nothing has been done to correct the problem.
Valve cover gasket and head gasket both faulty on engine at only 60,000 miles. This is a very common complaint yet I have not found any recalls. Chevrolet fails to admit to these failures, and will not assist. In same neighborhood, three other Cavalier owners have replaced head gaskets and Chevrolet does nothing.
Car cuts off at any given time. Can be running at 60 MPH or sitting at a stop light, just completely cuts off. Will not restart, have to park it and let it sit, could only take 10 minutes or could take a few hours before it will run again.
The engine made a ticking sound, later the timing chain broke, and it was replaced. However the engine was ticking again. The dealer stated that the timing chain was not put on correctly by an independent mechanic.
Engine complaints in other Cavalier years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier, 20% of the model year's 240 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier, though it has 2 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 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to engine & cooling 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.