AC & Heater complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier. While driving 55 MPH, the vehicle stopped in the middle of the interstate without warning. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed. The dealer was not notified. In addition, the contact heard a tapping nose in the heater and the cd player does not work. There were also two motor swtices repaired in the windows. The vehicle is currently being repaired at the contact's expense. The failure and current mileages were 78,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier. The vehicle defrosters do not work. The defrosters only blow out onto the dashboard, and not the windshield. The failure causes dangerous driving during winter weather. He has called the dealer regarding the failure, but has gotten no response. He has not taken the vehicle to get inspected by a mechanic. The failure mileage was 46,000 and current mileage is 49,000. Updated 4/29/08
I own a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier ls and on dec. 25 when I turned on the rear defrost button smoke started to come out from inside the steering wheel column. I could not get the rear defrost to turn off so I had to turn off the car and remove the fuse to it. Shortly after this incident the power windows have stopped working and the fuse to them is still good, I replaced it just in case but the windows still do not work. The odometer has also stopped working so I have had to guess my speed. I feel that this is a huge safety concern since the rear defrost does not work I cannot see out the rear window on cold days, I also cannot tell how fast I am driving which can cause an accident, and the power windows have stopped working. The car is due for inspection next month and I cannot afford to fix these problems, this is my only vehicle and rely on it to get to and from work everyday. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact was driving 30 MPH when the defroster was engaged and the contact began to see black smoke coming the vents. The contact merged onto the side shoulder and seconds later, the vehicle caught fire from the ventilation system. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and current mileage was 90,000. The VIN was unavailable. Updated 9/27/11 updated 3/29/12
I got the car brand new and I have always had problems starting the car. It is not everytime but sometimes I have to try 4 or 5 times just to get it to start. My seat belts no longer retract. I'm not a fat person , and I don't know anyone big enough to ruin my seat belt retractors. My rear defroster barely works, and my passenger side power window motor already went bad. I am very dissatisfied with this car.
The wire that connects to the air conditioner is too short and will intermittently cause the ac to kick in. When the ac kicks in this will cause the vehicle to surge forward. There is a technical service bulletin about this problem, but the manufacturer will not do any thing about it.
Upon driving vehicle at low speeds 20-30 MPH with front and rear window defroster on,it became more,and more evident of a possible fire. First there was an increasing burning smell followed by smoke. A connector on the drivers side kick panel has melted being so close to the carpet its possible that it being winter moisture from melted snow somehow May have caused this to happen, a search on google seems to pull multiple cars with this same problem. Also I want to note that I was not able to turn off my rear defrosted with the rear defroster switch, I had to pull the 30 amp fuse that still had a complete circuit in it!
The defrost wouldn't work when really rainy or cold and this started in winter of 2009. In summer of 2010 the ac worked only when fan was on med or high, but finally only on high. These were electrical wiring problems: ac due to blower resistor burned out and defrost caused by a resistor burned out. Ac started to smell like something electrical was burning. If this wasn't fixed any sooner could have caused fire I'm sure. Now I have to see what needs to be fixed now that I have service engine check light on. With these electrical issues had no service engine check light come on. O2 sensor replaced @ 68,000 and catalytic converter changed @ 56,000 and the recall for this vehicle replaced.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Cavalier years have ac & heater problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (21), 1995 (13), 1996 (13), 1999 (7) and 1997 (6) model years. AC & Heater complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Cavalier ac & heater problems?
No. NHTSA lists no a/c & heater recall for any Chevrolet Cavalier model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Cavalier ac & heater problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles; 47% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the appliance › air conditioner (36 mentions), followed by the defroster/defogger/hvac system (18).
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.