Problems · by component
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier visibility problems
37 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier cite visibility, 5% of all 705 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
37
5% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the visibility
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE DEFROSTER WAS ENGAGED AND THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SEE BLACK SMOKE COMING THE VENTS. THE CONTACT MERGED ONTO THE SIDE SHOULDER AND SECONDS LATER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 9/27/11 *CN UPDATED 3/29/12 *CN”
“2003 CAVALIER, THE DEFROSTER KNOB CABLE HAS GONE BAD 2X'S BEFORE IT IS GONE AGAIN, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR WENT LAST YEAR, LAST MONTH THE FUEL PUMP WENT, THE PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR IS GOING, THE SPEEDOMETER IS MESSED UP ALONG WITH THE TACK, IT STICKS. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR JUST TURNED 17, THE SPEEDOMETER SAID SHE WAS GOING 105, WHEN SHE SHUTS THE CAR OFF IT SAYS SHE'S STILL DOING 35, AT TIMES THE CAR WONT START, DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY, THIS IS BS, THERE IS ONLY 72000 MILES ON IT, GM NEEDS TO START FIXING THESE PROBLEMS, SOME ONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED. *TR”
“MY DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW WILL INITIALLY GO DOWN. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO POWER THE WINDOW UP, IT GOES APPROXIMATELY ONE TO TWO INCHES THEN STOPS. I HAVE TO CONTINUE DRIVING OR LEAVE MY CAR RUNNING UNTIL THE WINDOW IS UP. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO LEAVE MY CAR IN ANY LOT OR PARKING SPACE WITH THE WINDOW DOWN. ON AVERAGE EVERY 10 MINUTES IT WILL GO UP ANOTHER INCH OR TWO. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I POWER THE WINDOW DOWN. I WILL NOT LEAVE MY WINDOW DOWN. ELEMENTS WILL DAMAGE THE INTERIOR, AND IT LEAVES ME SUSCEPTIBLE TO VANDALS. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND I CONSIDER THIS MALFUNCTION UNSAFE FOR ME THE DRIVER AND MY CHILDREN. I PAID $18,000 FOR THE VEHICLE, I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO GO UNFIXED, HOWEVER I FEEL IT IS THE COMPANY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO RECALL AND REPAIR THE ISSUE. *TR”
“I OWN A 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LS AND ON DEC. 25 WHEN I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST BUTTON SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. I COULD NOT GET THE REAR DEFROST TO TURN OFF SO I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND REMOVE THE FUSE TO IT. SHORTLY AFTER THIS INCIDENT THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED WORKING AND THE FUSE TO THEM IS STILL GOOD, I REPLACED IT JUST IN CASE BUT THE WINDOWS STILL DO NOT WORK. THE ODOMETER HAS ALSO STOPPED WORKING SO I HAVE HAD TO GUESS MY SPEED. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THE REAR DEFROST DOES NOT WORK I CANNOT SEE OUT THE REAR WINDOW ON COLD DAYS, I ALSO CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM DRIVING WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, AND THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR IS DUE FOR INSPECTION NEXT MONTH AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS, THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND RELY ON IT TO GET TO AND FROM WORK EVERYDAY. I HAVE ALSO PLACED A COMPLAINT WITH GENERAL MOTORS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE AS I FEEL THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED ARE A RESULT OF POOR OR HURRIED WORKMANSHIP IN THAT AREA OF THE VEHICLE'S MANUFACTURE. *TR”
“HVAC CABLE BENT AND THEN SNAPPED. NOW I CAN'T DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD I RAN OFF THE ROAD TODAY BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO GM OVER A YEAR AGO AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. THEY NEVER RESPONDED TO MY LETTER. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE HAD IT FIXED BY A MECHANIC 2X AND SHOULD NOT ONLY BE REIMBURSED, BUT SHOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. IT STILL DOES NOT WORK RIGHT. HAD THE ACTUAL CABLE REPLACED AND THEN JUST HAD THE KINK CORRECTED ON IT AND IT BROKE AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. *TR”
“I HAVE TO IDENTICAL 2003 CHEVY CAVALIERS AND THE WINDOW MOTORS BOTH FAILED AROUND THE EXACT SAME TIME AND I HAVE BEEN TO NUMEROUS SITES THAT HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS FAILURE AND CHEVY SAYS THAT THIS ISNT THEIR PROBLEM. *TR”
Showing 6 of 37 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.