Problems · by component

2001 Chevrolet Cavalier service brakes, hydraulic problems

33 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier cite service brakes, hydraulic, 13% of all 248 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
33
13% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE REAR BRAKES ON THE CHEVROLET CAVALIER CAN BECOME UNADJUSTED AND WHEN YOU HAVE TO BRAKE QUICKLY, THE BRAKES CAN LOCKUP AND SEND YOU INTO A SKID. THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, BUT I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TYPE BRAKING SYSTEM THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH SO I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CAR WENT INTO A SKID UNTIL MUCH LATER, AFTER I ALMOST REAR ENDED SOMEONE. PERSONNEL AT THE REPAIR SHOP EXPLAINED THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO ME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2009Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10283750
“WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY UNTIL I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR FOR A WHILE. LAST MONTH I COULD NOT COME TO A STOP AT ALL AND DAMAGED THE FRONT END I ASKED AROUND AND FOUND ANOTHER PERSON WITH THE SAME MODEL CAR THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM ALSO. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2007Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10184924
“2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES AND THE ENGINE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THE CONSUMER HEARD GRINDING/RUBBING NOISES INTERMITTENTLY. THE FOG LAMP WENT OUT. THE BRAKES WERE NOISY AND WOULD STICK WHEN APPLIED. WATER LEAKING INTO THE TRUNK. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START AND THE VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM AND ALARM STOPPED WORKING. THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFT INTO LOW GEAR. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE HVAC BLOWER WOULD NOT WORK IN THE FIRST AND SECOND SPEED. THE DEALER FOUN AIR IN THE BRAKE LINE AND DETERMINED THAT HTE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING WAS FALLING OUT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2005Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, StructureODI 10136689
“DT: HORN DID NOT BLOW UNLESS CALLER HIT THE RIGHT SPOT. CALLER SAID THERE WAS A DEAD SPOT IN THE HORN PAD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED. ALSO, TORQUE CONVERTER LIGHT DID NOT COME ON.. COIL PACKS WERE DEFECTIVE. CALLER STATED THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND CALLER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETECTED UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. DEALER REPLACED THE COIL PACKS. MANUFACTURER SAID WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THEY COULD NOT HELP. ALSO, SEAT BELTS COME OUT OF THE GUIDE AND HIT THE PEOPLE IN THE EYE. CALLER SAID THE FRONT BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE. CALLER DOWN SHIFTED THE GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. ALSO, HAD TO REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS THREE TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE TRUNK LATCH HAD A GAP IN IT, THE LID DID NOT CLOSE TIGHTLY. *AK *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2005Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, Electrical system, Seat belts, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10129189
“THE TAHOE BRAKE ROTORS WERE BADLY GROVED, AND THE VEHICLE BRAKES WERE LIKE NEW. DEALER SAID THE VEHICLE STOPPED OKAY, BUT WHEN I HAD THE ROTORS AND BRAKES REPLACED, THERE WAS A WORLD OF DIFFRENCE AS HOW THE VEHICLE STOPPED.I KEPT THE BRAKES AND ROTORS FOR PROOF. VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2005Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10118525
“WHEN STEPPING ON THE BREAKS OF MY 2001 CAVALIER A VIBRATION IS CAUSED AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. I KNOW SOMEONE ELSE WHO OWNS A 2001 CAVALIER AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO HER CAR. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE HIT ANYONE YET BUT IT GETS REALLY CLOSE ESPECIALLY WHEN STOPPING FAST. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2005Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10110686

Showing 6 of 33 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.