Problems · by component

1996 Chevrolet Cavalier power train problems

53 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier cite power train, 10% of all 512 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
53
10% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I REPLACED THE BATTERY ON MY 1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2.4L WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION ABOUT 3 DAYS AGO. TODAY AS I WAS DRIVING TO GET GAS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO IDLE LOW AS IF IT WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH FUEL TO THE ENGINE. AS I CAME TO A STOP IT GOT WORSE AND THEN I CHECK THE DASH FOR ANY INDICATION OF MALFUNCTION ONLY TO SEE MY AIRBAG, CHECK ENGINE, ABS, CHECK OIL & BATTERY LIGHTS FLICKERING. MOMENTS LATER AS I SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR IT DIES RENDERING ALL SAFETY AND NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I HAD TO CALL A FRIEND TO JUMP ME 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE REACHING MY HOME WHICH WAS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10438689
“WHILE TURNING INTO A GAS STATION AND CAR BEGAN TO MAKE CLUNKING, SPUTTERING NOISES. IT STALLED THEN BEGAN TO GO AGAIN, THEN JUST STOPPED AND SAT THEIR HALFWAY IN THE ONCOMING LANES. THE ENGINE JUST REVVED IN ANY GEAR. THE CAR WAS PUSHED INTO THE GAS STATION TO AVIOD A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND A CHUNK OF THE TRANSMISSION CASING FELL OFF. THE CAR WOULD ONLY MOVE IF IN NUETRAL AND PUSHED. THE CAR IS PENDING DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2004Power trainODI 10086209
“WHILE DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD BETWEEN 25-30 MPH VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO LEFT. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE CRASHING INTO AN EMBANKMENT. UPON IMPACT, THE VEHICLE TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACKWARDS 15 YARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DRIVER HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE WINDOW TO EXIST THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE OFFICER INDICATED THAT THIS OCCURRED DUE TO AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE. THE AXLE BROKE ON THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2004Power trainCrash reportedODI 10086061
“WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2004Power trainODI 10068661
“JULY 2002 MANUAL TRANSAXLE LEAK- REPLACED LEFT AND RIGHT SEALS; MARCH 2003, LEFT SEAL REPLACED; OCTOBER 2003 RIGHT SEAL REPLACED. OCTOBER 2003, LOW COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON WHEN DRIVING UP HILLS IN 2ND OR 3RD GEAR AND SOMETIMES ON FLATS- SAME GEARS. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK AND THAT THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN, MEANWHILE I TOOK IT IN FOR THE LEAKING TRANSAXLE- I CAN'T WIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10070972
“1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ETS OFF LIGHT CAME ON DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, OFF AGAIN BY THE TIME WE GOT TO HE DEALER. HAPPENED AGAIN DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING A WEEK LATER. DEALER FOUND THAT COMPUTER CODE INDICATED FAILURE OF A PUMP SEAL IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (4-SPD OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION). COST TO REPAIR WILL BE AT LEAST $1,305. OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE NHTSA SITE SHOW PROBLEMS WITH PUMPS INSTALLED IN TRANSMISSIONS PRIOR TO JUNE, 1996. CAR HAS ONLY 37,000 MILES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2003Power trainODI 10000904

Showing 6 of 53 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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