Research · complaint index
Chevrolet Cavalier years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 10 model years of the Chevrolet Cavalier by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2003 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 287 | 13 | 1.0 | 1 | 7 | Typical |
| 2004 | 330 | 14 | 1.1 | 2 | 17 | Typical |
| 2003 | 705 | 29 | 2.3 | 2 | 32 | Most complaints |
| 2002 | 209 | 8 | 0.6 | 5 | 26 | Typical |
| 2001 | 248 | 10 | 0.7 | 6 | 24 | Typical |
| 2000 | 326 | 12 | 0.9 | 7 | 26 | Typical |
| 1999 | 247 | 9 | 0.7 | 8 | 27 | Typical |
| 1998 | 363 | 13 | 1.0 | 11 | 39 | Typical |
| 1997 | 546 | 18 | 1.4 | 13 | 70 | Typical |
| 1996 | 512 | 17 | 1.3 | 13 | 58 | Typical |
- 2005287 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 2004330 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 2003705 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 2002209 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2001248 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2000326 complaints · 7 recallsTypical
- 1999247 complaints · 8 recallsTypical
- 1998363 complaints · 11 recallsTypical
- 1997546 complaints · 13 recallsTypical
- 1996512 complaints · 13 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 10, 2026
About this comparison
What Chevrolet Cavalier years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2003 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 10 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.