Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Chevrolet Cavalier problems

Owners filed 330 complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier with NHTSA between Feb 2004 and May 2024. The most-cited component is electrical system (185).

Complaints
330
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system185
  2. Vehicle speed control27
  3. Power train23
  4. Visibility23
  5. Steering16
  6. Air bags15
  7. Engine and engine cooling15
  8. Structure13
  9. Equipment13
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic13
  11. Fuel system, gasoline9
  12. Seats8
  13. Exterior lighting8
  14. Engine7

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
200421
200526
200621
200714
200836
200922
201055
201134
201222
20138
201430
201517
201610
20173
20182
20194
20202
20211
20221
20230
20241

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

185 reports2 crashes5 fires
“I HAVE HAD MY USED CHEVY CAVALIER 2004 CAR FOR ALMOST A YEAR. AS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE ENGINE HAS JUST STOPPED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN THE TIME SPAN OF 5 MONTHS. NO ONE ( AUTO SHOPS) CAN FIND THE ISSUE. THEY HAVE ZERO ANSWERS. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS. I WOULD BE BANNED FROM THE INTERNET IF I SAID WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY TO CHEVY. THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS YESTERDAY...AUG 3RD 2017.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2017Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11012830

Vehicle speed control

27 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 19, 2015Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed controlODI 10717248

Power train

23 reports2 crashes
“IN THE PARKING LOT WHERE I WORK MY CAR WOULD NOT START. WHEN MOVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEVER IT DID NOT CATCH ON TO ANYTHING. THE CAR JUST ROLLED BACKWARDS AND I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PRESS ON THE BRAKES PREVENTING AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE AUTO SHOP. DIAGNOSIS: SHIFTER CABLE WAS DETACHED FROM TRANSMISSION. PREVIOUSLY ON 09/13/2011 THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY CAR. THE SHIFTER CABLE BROKE AND I HAD TO BE TOWED TO LOU BACHRODT CHEVROLET BOTH TIMES. THE 2ND TIME INVOICE NO. CWCS692729 $502.24 AND $477.55 INVOICE NO.CWCS149491 THE FIRST TIME. THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. TWO TIMES IS TOO MANY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2020Power trainODI 11383222

Visibility

23 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS COULD ONLY BE CLOSED PARTIALLY. THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS COULD NOT BE OPENED OR CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE DOOR MOTOR AND REGULATOR. THE MOTORS AND THE REGULATORS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 3, 2012VisibilityODI 10442249

Steering

16 reports1 crash1 related recall
“EVERY TIME I GO TO MY JOB MY POWER STEERING RESERVOIR BECOMES EMPTY AFTER I PUT ONE OR MORE QUARTS IN THE RESERVOIR. ANYTIME I DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I SWAY BACK AND FORTH NO MATTER HOW MUCH CONTROL I HAVE OVER THE VEHICLE. MY STEERING GETS SO HARD TO THE POINT WHERE I ALMOST CRASH EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR ANYWHERE BECAUSE I HAVE NO POWER STEERING OR DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER THE STEERING BECAUSE IT BECOMES SO TIGHT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2019SteeringODI 11228454

Air bags

15 reports10 crashes
“AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AT RANDOM INTERVALS FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THEN TURNS OFF. SPEED, ROAD CONDITIONS, AND GEAR MAKE NO DIFFERENCE AS TO WHEN IT COMES ON. IT HAS COME ON WHILE TURNING, WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AT 20 MPH, WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP, AND WHILE GOING 50MPH ON THE HIGHWAY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2019Air bagsODI 11277967
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.