IllustrationI HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND I ALMOST HAD A BAD ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WHEELS LOCKED UP ON ME AND I WAS STILL IN ONE PLACE AND A EIGHTEEN WHEELER RAN INTO ME. I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THIS CAR EVERYTIME I LOOK UP. *JB
2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
280–25K
1625–50K
3150–75K
1275–100K
9100–150K
6150K+
102 reports with mileage · 94 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports4 fire reports19 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
35 reportsACCORDING TO THE OVERLAND PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED NEAR THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ON MY SONS 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Z MODEL. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED BEFORE FIRE/RESCUE COULD ARRIVE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE THAT CAN INJURE OTHERS. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DISPLAYS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE DISPLAY THAT GOES OFF MOST FREQUENT IS THE ELECTRONIC ODOMETER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP HOWEVER THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. *NM UPDATED 8/16/2006 - *NM
DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT THE 2002, CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAD A DASH CLUSTER PROBLEM. THE DASH CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPAIRED, AND THE CONSUMER COULD NOT TELL THEM HOW MUCH GAS SHE HAD. THE CONSUMER WANTED SATISFACTION AND THE TRUTH ABOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD IT REPAIRED. THE CONSU…
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DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT THE 2002, CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAD A DASH CLUSTER PROBLEM. THE DASH CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPAIRED, AND THE CONSUMER COULD NOT TELL THEM HOW MUCH GAS SHE HAD. THE CONSUMER WANTED SATISFACTION AND THE TRUTH ABOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD IT REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT THE INDIVIDUAL CHANGING THE OIL TOLD HER THAT THE CAR WAS TOO NEW TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. ALSO, THERE WAS AN OXYGEN SENSOR PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAD A NEW ONE PUT IN. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG BEFORE THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE GAS LEVER WAS WORKING. SHE DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE CONTACTED GM OR NOT. SHE CONTACTED A DEALER. *AK THE DASH CLUSTER WAS INOPERATIVE ALONG WITH THE GAUGES NOT WORKING SINCE THE #2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE AND THE TRACTION LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. *SC
DT: CONTACT STATES THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD KEPT GOING OUT, EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE STALLED. DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WAS BAD GASOLINE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT STATES THE PARTS WERE TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC, HE STATED THE FUEL LINES WERE FINE. *AK
GOING TO THE BANK TO USE AN ATM MACHINE...ROLLED WINDOW DOWN, BUT THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP...EARLIER I HAD MY CAR WORKED ON DUE TO CRACKED DASH...WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR SPOILER WAS REPLACED, BUT IT IS STARTING TO CRACK AGAIN...WHEN I DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN AND GO TO USE THE BRAKES IT SLIDE TO THE RIGHT AND SEEMS TO LOCK U…
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GOING TO THE BANK TO USE AN ATM MACHINE...ROLLED WINDOW DOWN, BUT THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP...EARLIER I HAD MY CAR WORKED ON DUE TO CRACKED DASH...WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR SPOILER WAS REPLACED, BUT IT IS STARTING TO CRACK AGAIN...WHEN I DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN AND GO TO USE THE BRAKES IT SLIDE TO THE RIGHT AND SEEMS TO LOCK UP ON THE FRONT PASSAGER SIDE...NOTHING WAS DONE TO FIX THE BRAKE, BECAUSE THE DEALER LOOKS AT ME AS IF I AM CRAZY...THE DASH WAS REPLACED...
I GOT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND I HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR. IT IS NOT EVERYTIME BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TRY 4 OR 5 TIMES JUST TO GET IT TO START. MY SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT. I'M NOT A FAT PERSON , AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE BIG ENOUGH TO RUIN MY SEAT BELT RETRACTORS. MY REAR DEFROSTER BARELY WORKS, AND MY PASS…
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I GOT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND I HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR. IT IS NOT EVERYTIME BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TRY 4 OR 5 TIMES JUST TO GET IT TO START. MY SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT. I'M NOT A FAT PERSON , AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE BIG ENOUGH TO RUIN MY SEAT BELT RETRACTORS. MY REAR DEFROSTER BARELY WORKS, AND MY PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR ALREADY WENT BAD. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS CAR. *AK
POWER WINDOWS FAIL - THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT I AM RETURNING MY CAR TO THE DEALER, NESSINGER CHEVORLET, MEDFORD, NY FOR THE SAME ISSUE WITHIN A TIMEFRAME OF LESS THAN A YEAR. THIS TIME IT'S FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW, FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST TIME THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MOTOR THAT FAILED, CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THEY…
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POWER WINDOWS FAIL - THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT I AM RETURNING MY CAR TO THE DEALER, NESSINGER CHEVORLET, MEDFORD, NY FOR THE SAME ISSUE WITHIN A TIMEFRAME OF LESS THAN A YEAR. THIS TIME IT'S FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW, FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST TIME THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MOTOR THAT FAILED, CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THEY TELL ME THE PROBLEM IS THIS TIME, I'M SURE IT WILL BE SOMETHING ELSE FOR THEM TO CHARGE ME WITH. THIS WINDOW IS OPEN AND WILL NOT CLOSE. THIS CAR IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS KEEPS HAPPENING. I FIND THIS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE NOT TO MENTION A MAJOR INCONVEINENCE. *AK
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S ENHANCED TRACTION SYSTEM (ETS). *NM WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT WOULD COME ON THE VEHICLE WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, WHICH OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. *SC *JB
SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO ALREADY PUT A NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW TIRES (ACCEPTABLE) TWO SETS OF BRAKES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL IS ON AND NO ONE CAN FIND OUT WHY SO THEREFORE I CAN'T GET AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL LIGHT IS OFF. HELP. *NM
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.