IllustrationBRAKES ARE GRINDING AND WEARING OUT FAST. FIRST SET WAS PUT ON BEFORE DECEMBER 2000. ABS LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON/OFF. DEALER IS NOT RESPONDING TO WHY THEY'RE WEARING OUT SO FAST. *AK
1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 140.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cavalier years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
1625–50K
1650–75K
1375–100K
7100–150K
10150K+
65 reports with mileage · 175 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports2 fire reports15 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
45 reportsTOP BRAKE PINS CAME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BRAKE CALIPER . METAL PART OF BRAKES WERE BENT UP. NO INJURIES BECAUSE OF BRAKE FAILURE.*AK THE FAILED RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONSUMER HIMSELF. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT IT WAS THE THIRD TIME THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED IN LESS THAN TWO YEAR. *YH
MAIN SEAL LEAKED OIL AT 5000 MILES, VEHICLE IS HARD TO RESTART ONCE IT HAS RUN FOR A WHILE. *SLC
THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH ROTORS WARPING CAUSING BRAKE PULSATION, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES CONTINUALLY, AFTER SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS OF THE SYSTEM (ROTORS, PADS, CALIPER SLEEVES) THE PROBLEMS CONTINUED, FINAL ANALYSIS REVEALED A DEFECTIVE ABS COMPUTER SYSTEM CAUSING PROBLEMS. *MJS
WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMAITION.*AK
AFTER AN ACCIDENT, MY RIGHT REAR DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. OCCASIONALLY, YOU CANNOT START IT ON THE FIRST TRY. THE BRAKES LOCK AND THE TIRES DO NOT TREAD ALTHOUGH THEY ARE BOTH UNDER 6 MONTHS OLD.*AK
VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ONGOING BRAKE PROBLEMS, FRONT ROTORS HAVE WARPED SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BRAKE PADS AND THE CALIPER MOUNTING SLEEVES HAVE ALSO BEEN REPLACED, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED AT THE SAME TIME, DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY EBCM COMPUTER MODULE WHICH HAD BEEN BAD F…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ONGOING BRAKE PROBLEMS, FRONT ROTORS HAVE WARPED SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BRAKE PADS AND THE CALIPER MOUNTING SLEEVES HAVE ALSO BEEN REPLACED, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED AT THE SAME TIME, DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY EBCM COMPUTER MODULE WHICH HAD BEEN BAD FOR A WHILE, BRAKE PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS. DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE SEAL LEAKED. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FRONT END SEEMED LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING LINKAGES. THE BLOWER CONTROL SWITCH WAS REPLACED DUE TO BLOWER INOPERABLE ON HIGH. *SLC
POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, ETS LIGHT, SAFETY BELT LIGHT, AND AIRBAG LIGHT FLASH ON AND OFF. *SLC
ONE OR MORE FRONT ROTORS WARPED--DEALER CONTACTED, BUT CLAIMS WARPED ROTOR (EVEN AT 30K MILES) IS CONSIDERED "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" UNDER GM WARRANTY, AND THUS NOT COVERED.
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE GOING DOWN HILL AND PEDAL BECOMES HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
Official recalls
204V036000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Jan 27, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE FIRE COULD SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, WHICH COULD INJURE OCCUPANTS OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO ADJOINING STRUCTURES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND CHECK THAT YOUR CAR WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CHECK THEIR VEHICLE ONLINE BY GOING TO WWW.MYGMLINK.COM AND ENTERING THE VEHICLE'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
99V218000 · Interior Lighting
Aug 11, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROL LOCATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND ILLUMINATION." THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BACKLIGHTING MAY NOT FUNCTION AFTER ADJUSTING THE INTERIOR LIGHT INTENSITY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT LIT AT NIGHT, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.