Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier problems

Owners filed 363 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier with NHTSA between Jan 1998 and Jun 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (66).

Complaints
363
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
39
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
35
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system66
  2. Steering57
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic56
  4. Engine and engine cooling54
  5. Air bags36
  6. Structure26
  7. Exterior lighting17
  8. Visibility17
  9. Vehicle speed control15
  10. Power train13
  11. Suspension12
  12. Equipment11
  13. Latches/locks/linkages10
  14. Seats9

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
199832
199966
200051
200136
200223
200343
200451
200521
20067
20074
20083
20093
20102
20114
20126
20131
20141
20154
20160
20172
20181
20190
20201
20210
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

66 reports10 fires1 related recall
“THE GAS GAUGE IS GOING HAYWIRE. IT PEGS TO THE "F", AND THEN IMMEDIATELY PEGS TO THE "E", EVEN THOUGH THE TANK IS HALF FULL. THE GAUGE THEN JUMPS AROUND THE MIDDLE FORM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER SIDE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL HOW MUCH IS IN THE TANK. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO WHILE SITTING AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2018Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11073780

Steering

57 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE FAILURE WAS A CONTINUOUS OCCURRENCE IN ANY SELECTED GEAR. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V286000 (STEERING: RACK AND PINION) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER BEING DRIVEN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. UPDATED 5/24/11 *CN UPDATED 1/18/2012 *LN *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 11, 2011SteeringODI 10395493

Service brakes, hydraulic

56 reports8 crashes
“I HAVE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE WITH THE ABS SYSTEM AND SO DID MY FATHER-IN-LAW WHO DROVE CAR BEFORE ME. ABS WAS ALWAYS VERY SENSITIVE TO ACTIVATING AND WHEN ACTIVATED VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. I HAVE BE DRIVING 40 YEARS AND NEVER OWNED A MORE DIFFICULT VEHICLE TO STOP. HAD BRAKES SERVICED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES AGO AT DEALER, HAVE BRAND NEW MICHELINS. DOES NOT MATTER, I SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET ABOUT THIS CAVALIER ABS SYSTEM AND IT IS DANGEROUS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2007Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10211878

Engine and engine cooling

54 reports1 crash
“I HAVE A Z24 AND MY CAR STALLS OUT AND TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING I HAVE CONTACTED A CHEVY DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CAVALIER'S DO, BUT MY TYPE OF VEHICLE(Z24) ISN'T AFFECTED. EXPLAINED IT IS AND THEY SHOULD SEE ABOUT THIS. AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED. ALSO, WHEN RESEARCHING THIS INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I WITH MY TYPE OF VEHICLE. WHY WOULD 1 TYPE OF CAR OF THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE PROBLEM AND NOT ALL OF THEM? IT HAS THE SAME COMPONENTS JUST DESIGNED A LITTLE DIFFERENT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10477268

Air bags

36 reports23 crashes
“"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE TRIED TO COONTACT DEALSHIPS, AND AM BEING TOLD MY VEHICLE DOESN'T "SHOW UP"? YET MY CAR IS VERIFIED FROM WWW.NHTSA.GOV ( MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBERN040002 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER04V036.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 24, 2017Air bagsODI 11039374

Structure

26 reports
“I HEARD VIBRATION BY THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL. I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED I COULD ACTUALLY MOVE (WOBBLE) THE WHEEL, IT CAME LOOSE FROM THE FRAME ACCORDING TO 3 CAR SHOPS. I EVEN TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP, IT WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ALSO THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY CORRODED, THERE ARE PARTS OF THE UNIBODY FRAME THAT ARE JUST MISSING DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN VERY GOOD SHAPE, BUT DUE TO THE FRAME ISSUE ITS NOW UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WAY TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. ANY RECALLS ON THE 1998 CAVALIER?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2017StructureODI 11020957
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.