Problems · by component
1999 Chevrolet Cavalier engine and engine cooling problems
41 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier cite engine and engine cooling, 17% of all 247 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
41
17% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND VEHICLE SOMETIMES EMITS WHITE SMOKE THROUGH THE VENTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. ALSO, A SERPENTINE BELT AND FUEL PAN WAS NEEDED.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SERVICE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. WHEN THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION FOR ONE HALF MILE UNTIL THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
“I ALSO HAVE A 1999 CHEVY CAVALIER Z24 AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED AT THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD...ALSO DOORS FREEZE SHUT IN WINTER...PROBLEMS WITH WATER PUMP...IT SEIZED UP AND CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE TIMING CHAIN & SERPENTINE BELT...RESULTED IN A LOT OF EXPENSE TO FIX...REPAIRMAN STATED THE MOST OF THE PARTS ON THESE ENGINES SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED...LOTS OF ISSUES WITH THEM....LOVE MY CAR BUT IT'S GETTING EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR NOW THAT IT'S OLDER... *TR”
“THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE WILL START IF TRANSMISSION IS PUT INTO NEUTRAL. THE EVENT HAPPENS WITH AND WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ON. IT HAPPENS AT STEADY HIGHWAY SPEED AND WHEN DECREASING SPEED. IT WENT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WITHOUT STALLING, BUT THEN STALLED TWICE IN ONE WEEK. 2.2L ENGINE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE IS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 07E021000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES). THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.”
“THE ENGINE MADE A TICKING SOUND, LATER THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE, AND IT WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER THE ENGINE WAS TICKING AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS NOT PUT ON CORRECTLY BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. *AK *SC *JB”
Showing 6 of 41 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.