Headlight complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact stated that the speedometer and both turn signal lights failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Last December my 2005 Cavalier experienced a speedometer malfunction while I was traveling on the highway. I was in an area where the speed zone changed from 50 MPH to 65 MPH. The speedometer registered my increase in speed fine. When I slowed down, the speedometer stayed in place. Over the past 7 months my dashboard gauges (fuel, temp, speed, RPM) all malfunction. Sometimes they reset themselves. Most of the time I'm never sure how fast I'm going or how much gas I have. My engine temp will read off the charts even on a cool morning after it has sat still all night. Although this started last December, the problems continue to this day. I have poured so much money into other electrical issues with this car already, I'm convinced it is not worth one more dime to fix the instrument cluster. I've spent hundreds on power window motors that continuously malfunction. …
All of the trouble lights come on including the service light with a wrench. Then, all of the gauges drop to nothing; you don't know how fast you're traveling, what your fuel capacity is, the temperature gauge drops to nothing along with the tachometer dropping to nothing. In the odometer and "error" message replaces the odometer reading. The gauges will intermittently go off and on or all of them will drop of with no reading. The other evening, I was coming home on a winding back country road and all of my lights went out. I have to limit my driving to daytime driving and only use the running lights as it appears to only aggravate the problem when I use my headlights. Today, everything above happened along with some news things. …
The car has a major wiring or electrical problem, but its not detected by mechanics. I have a temp gauge that is all over the place, sometimes it even touches the far bottom right side of the control panel. The speedometer is no longer working, driving or parked I am going -3 miles an hour. The rpms work when they feel like it which is rarely. The only gauge working is the gas. In addition to this, the car cuts off while driving. All of this has been for the last year and a half and continues to date. I have been in mid-left turn on major intersections of los angeles and it just died. I commute on the 110 fwy and it has just died, always while I am accelerating never parked. Then in a few seconds you crank the key and your off and running again. It is so scary because it is so unpredictable. I have received speeding tickets not knowing my speed and mechanic cant find the problem. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier. While driving 5 MPH entering the highway, the turn signal lamps failed to illuminate when activated and resulted in a crash. The contact's vehicle was struck on the rear driver side and spun onto the roadside. The air bags did not deploy and a police report was filed. All three occupants in the vehicle were severely injured and required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V524000 (exterior lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. ...updated 02/19/16 updated 09/20/16
When applying the brakes at night, the headlights and dash lights dim to a softer shade of light. I have also changed the rear single lights in my car three times in the past 6 months. This car has a bad brake problem. The front of the car shakes very bad when you apply the brakes while exiting a highway. City driving is not as bad, but when the brakes get warmed up they pulsate when I come to a stop. At the end of the day, I pull my car into my driveway and the first thing I smell when I get out is a burning smell from the back brakes. I called the fucillo Chevy service department in December 2003. I talked to a serviceman about my brake problem. He told me that my pulsating brakes is the ABS system working in the snow. Now the roads are dry and my brakes are still pulsating. I could not find anything in my original paperwork on my car showing that it has the ABS system. …
Problem with electrical system that operates rear blinkers and brake lights. I have changed bulb which are not the problem. I have changed the electrical connectors. Works fine for short period of time when either of these are changed but still not fixed. Started with passenger side but now having issues with driver's side. Online forums suggest many others are having this issue as well. Cant find a permanent fix. Please help. Is not blowing the bulbs, just stops working for no apparent reason.
Purchased vehicle from dealer 7/12/13 with the following issues: non-working odometer, blinkers, brake lights that frequently "short" out & a non-working windshield fluid function. I was informed by the dealer to take vehicle home & return it the following day for the repairs of all the above notations that were discovered during a test drive. Upon the time of return, I was sadly & rudely approached by the dealer. He stated that he did not claim to fix these issues? On 7/17/13, I filed a "complaint" with the better business bureau regarding this poor business transaction. All of which, I have proof. Despite my endless efforts to correct this issue, nothing significant has been done on my behalf. I have been pulled over a number of times, because of my failing brake lights - which have been replaced on multiple occasions. …
Related recalls (5)
Exterior lighting › Turn signal
On certain passenger vehicles, the rear lamps that provide stop and turn signals and tail lamp functions stop working because of inadequate contact between the bulb and socket. In addition, if one bulbs were to become inoperative while the vehicle was operating in cruise control, the cruise control would disengage when the…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear lamp bulb socket assemblies and apply grease or replace them if necessary. The recall began on January 18, 2005.
Interior lighting
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with the bi-fuel option fail to comply with FMVSS no. 101, "control location, identification, and illumination." the instrument panel lights in these vehicles are at full illumination levels and cannot be adjusted. The standard requires at least two levels of illumination.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel type indicator switch assembly, which includes the instrument panel illumination control.
Interior lighting
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 101, "control location, identification, and illumination." the instrument panel backlighting May not function after adjusting the interior light intensity.
Remedy: Dealers will test the body control module, and if necessary, replace it.
Interior lighting
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 101, "controls and displays."
Remedy: Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.
Exterior lighting › Hazard flashing warning lights
The front and/or rear hazard warning lamps (four-way flashers) do not flash when the hazard switch is activated. This fails to comply with FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Remedy: Dealers or vehicle owners will inspect for proper function of the hazard warning lamps. If necessary, dealers will replace the hazard lamp switch.
NHTSA investigations
Turn signal malfunction
Complainants allege that the rear turn signals fail to illuminate and do not provide a signal to drivers in following vehicles.odi has received one report of a crash where the complainant braked and attempted to make a left turn and the following vehicle impacted the complainant's vehicle in the driver-side door.in May 2002, GM's supplier made changes to the bulb socket that included stopping the use of…
Turn signal malfunction
On May 14, 2004 the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe04-043) based on consumer complaints alleging that the brake/tail turn signal lamps would not operate properly when either the tail lights were turned on, the brake pedal was depressed, or when the turn signal switch was activated.on September 14, 2004 odi upgraded pe 04-043 to an engineering analysis (ea04-028).GM states…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Cavalier years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (57), 1996 (29), 2000 (19), 1998 (18) and 1997 (16) model years. Headlight complaints make up 8% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Cavalier headlight problems?
Yes — 5 recalls, including 04V-524 (turn signal, Nov 1, 2004); 00V-201 (interior lighting, Jul 20, 2000); 99V-218 (interior lighting, Aug 11, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Cavalier headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles; 49% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the turn signal (40 mentions), followed by the brake lights (34).
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.