Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Chevrolet Aveo problems

Owners filed 235 complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Aveo with NHTSA between Feb 2005 and May 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (67).

Complaints
235
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
19
Reported by owners
Fires
17
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system67
  2. Engine and engine cooling62
  3. Exterior lighting48
  4. Power train18
  5. Engine17
  6. Air bags16
  7. Vehicle speed control16
  8. Latches/locks/linkages13
  9. Suspension9
  10. Structure8
  11. Visibility8
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic8
  13. Interior lighting6
  14. Steering5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20057
20068
200714
200826
200926
201033
201124
201214
201315
201440
201515
20165
20171
20181
20192
20201
20212
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

67 reports12 fires
“TACADA RECALL I BOUGHT MY CAR HAD 121000 MILES ALL A SUDDEN I HAVE NO RIGHT TAIL LIGHT NO DASH LIGHTS AN NO PASSENGERS FRONT ORANGE LIGHT THER IS NO POWER GOING TO FUSE BOX UNDER HOOD I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED MY VIN HAD BEEN FIXED FOR THAT RECAL AND IT HAS NOT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 6, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11229828

Engine and engine cooling

62 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET AVEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAGE DISPLAY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V261000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), HOWEVER THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 21, 2014Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lightingODI 10627234

Exterior lighting

48 reports7 fires1 related recall
“The contact's daughter owns a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo. The contact stated that intermittently, the headlights failed to illuminate. The contact's daughter had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V261000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure and the recall; however, the dealer informed the contact that parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2023Exterior lightingODI 11521212

Power train

18 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET AVEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO REVERSE, THE LEVER WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,321.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2015Power trainODI 10679434

Engine

17 reports
“The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and making a stop, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the nearby gas station with assistance. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the vehicle had overheated, and the valve cover gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired however, the valve cover gasket was sealed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 8, 2021EngineODI 11436063

Air bags

16 reports13 crashes2 fires
“MY DAUGHTER CAME TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC AT A RED LIGHT 50 FEET FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER AND WAS HIT IN THE REAR TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR KNOCKING HER IN TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND GM'S INVESTIGATION SAYS SHE WASN'T HIT HARD ENOUGH. SHE WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL VIA EMS WITH BACK AND NECK INJURY'S THIS WHOLE ACCIDENT WAS CAUGHT ON THE CAR WASH VIDEO CAM .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 19, 2017Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 11000060
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.