Equipment complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accessories, trailer hitches and other equipment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Horn contact behind airbag was recently crazy glued, to restore horn, and speedo & cluster requires replacement of entire cluster by Chevy, or removal & rebuild of gauge stepper motors through ebay motors. Use froogle.com and enter"repair Cavalier speedometer" to search. My speedo only on my cluster erratic for 20K miles. I use my tachometer to guestimate highway speeds,2,500 RPM is 55. I have 120K now on the car, otherwise bulletproof. Just tossing out brake rotors now, that's it. I used synthetic oil from the start, very smooth car, @ normal speeds.needs intake and wheels for speeding, over 65. Engine has plenty of go over that, but base brakes, wheels and intake aren't speedworthy, but it is a base model so OK. Keep the tie rods greased, air filters changed after winter as they are easily serviceable unlike most that aren't.
I own a 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier and bought it from a dealer in 2008. Since then all of the gauges are now inoperable. This is a great inconvenience, as well as a safety issue. Not knowing how fast you are going, how much gas you have, or what the temperature is can become a huge issue, not to mention costly. Now, I know this is not the first complaint on these issues and I feel that something should be done about them. If all of these complaints are out, there must be a problem with these cars from the factory. I hope this matter is being investigated and not just put to the side to claim that it must be something that the drivers are causing. Please let us know what the intentions are of GM or whomever is responsible. We paid for these vehicles, which are fairly good ones, can someone please make the decision to take care of this problem. [redacted]
I bought my car, a 2004 Chevy Cavalier with 21 miles on it. Since then I have tried to return it and now the minor but frequent issues are much bigger and more frequently! First my trunk latch broke a week after purchase. The cd broke the next week, cigarette lighter broke, and passenger seat wouldn't move. This was the first two months of ownership. A few months ago the fuel gauge broke, temp gauge and ac. They couldn't verify it so couldn't repair, until it completely failed this month. Also, I was left stranded at 2:30 am with my 3 year old son when the clutch fell through the floor. It was repaired and now the rpms shoot up to 6000, is unresponsive to any pedals, and requires turning the engine off. This happened in san francisco on highway 101, I am truly afraid for the safety of myself. Son, and others driving this car or near one. …
Dt*: the contact stated that there were three problems with the vehicle. The automatic windows failed to roll either up or down. The second problem occurred with the trunk; water continually leaked into the trunk. The third problem was related to the brakes; they were no longer working at only 25000 miles. The brake light illuminated and made a squealing noise as soon as brake pressure was applied. The dealer determined the trunk was not installed properly. Although the dealer fixed the trunk, the problem persists. When it rain, water still leaks in the trunk. The water leak has been an ongoing problem since July 2003.
There are numerous things, and the delaership has convinced GM, because I wrote GM about the problems with this, that I am making this stuff up to get an SUV. First the radio wasn't working, they put the cable back on said it was loose, its still not sounding like a radio should. Next was the popping in the front end, dealership turned rotors, under warranty back brakes squealed real loud they said it was dust I had to pay for that. Back brakes still squeal, front end still pops like a bad cv joint. Trunk wouldn't shut had to keep slamming it. Took it back they greased it worked for awhile starting to get hard to shut sometimes. Brake lights and back lights and cruise control quit working . Took it to dealership at least 5 or 6 times till they finally replaced it how long it will last I don't know. …
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier experienced problems with brake lights, turn signals, and tail lights.** answer required***. The brake lights and tail lights shorted out many times, the tail light socket was also replaced. The consumer received a recall letter #04V524000. The consumer took the vehicle to have the service performed, however that did not seem to remedy the problem. The vehicle has been in the shop on numerous occasions regarding this problem, the consumer did not believe her vehicle was satisfactorily repaired. The cd would not eject. The right side power window made a noise when it was rolled down.
2002 Chevy Cavalier ls the tag on the drivers side door frame with the recommended tire size and psi information has worn off .... My calls to GM have resulted with them saying 5 psi below max pressure on the tire that would put the tire pressure at 45 psi which seems insane... As a person who has had a tire blow out on the interstate I am concerned with this answer. It seems to me this is a safety issue for every one who owns these cars and the tag has worn off ... Inside the owners manual it says to follow the recommended psi on the tag to avoid excessive tire wear and possible road hazards. Shouldn't the tag still be intact after 3 years.
My car had been having trouble starting up previously. It was slow to start up and I thought it was my battery dying again. On December 2004 when I went to start my car it refused to start. We called for a boost, and the aaa driver told us it wasn't our battery but our fuel pump. However, since it was a 2001 car we didn't believe it. When we asked various mechanics about the cost of fixing the fuel pump on our Cavalier they said it couldn't be the problem since it was so new. However, it was. This caused me and my family excessive trouble in having to deal with the loss of the car for the few days it took to get it repaired. We eventually had to shell out nearly $640 to fix it. We had to get a whole new fuel pump and have it installed. I do not have the original gas pump. The mechanic said, "won't start, would not jump start. Ck fuel and ignition systems and found no fuel pressure. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Cavalier years have equipment problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (10), 1996 (8), 2001 (8), 1997 (7) and 2000 (7) model years. Equipment complaints make up 1% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Cavalier equipment problems?
No. NHTSA lists no equipment & accessories 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 equipment problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles; 52% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electrical › radio/tape deck/cd etc. (20 mentions), followed by the mechanical › accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift (6).
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.