IllustrationWas in a horrible car wreck yesterday and none of my airbag is avoid but yet my no check engine light none of my lights were on so I don't understand the problem you could have nearly killed me is what I got spent around three times and put back at the gas station that I left
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
Seat Belts complaints
9 reportsI OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR WAS NOT MADE WITH THE LATCH SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY THE LOWER ANCHORS IN THE FOLDS OF THE SEAT, SO I CAN INSTALL A CAR SEAT. THE CAR ALSO DOES NOT COME WITH THE CHILD LOCKING MECHANISM IN THE 3 POINT LAP AND SHOULDER BELT. AT THIS POINT I AM UNABLE TO USE MY VEHIC…
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I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR WAS NOT MADE WITH THE LATCH SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY THE LOWER ANCHORS IN THE FOLDS OF THE SEAT, SO I CAN INSTALL A CAR SEAT. THE CAR ALSO DOES NOT COME WITH THE CHILD LOCKING MECHANISM IN THE 3 POINT LAP AND SHOULDER BELT. AT THIS POINT I AM UNABLE TO USE MY VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT MY 2 CHILDREN WHO REQUIRE CAR SEATS AS THERE IS NO WAY TO SAFELY INSTALL THE CAR SEAT. I CALLED THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHO WAS UNABLE TO FIND THIS PART (LOWER ANCHOR OR SEATBELTS WITH CHILD LOCKING MECHANISM). I CALLED GM AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO SUPPLY THE PARTS AND I HAVE CALLED AFTERMARKET PARTS STORES WHO ARE UNABLE TO FIND PARTS. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET I FOUND OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT NO SOLUTION. I FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR AND I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLATCH AND PULL OVER HIS SHOULDER. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.UPDATED 03/10/09.*LJ UPDATED 03/11/09. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXTRACT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT, THE RETRACTOR WOULD NOT RETRACT THE SEAT BELT STRAP BACK INTO PLACE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT ALERTED.
DT:THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. THE REAR SEAT BELT WERE NOT RETRACTING. A PIECE OF PLASTIC BROKEN ON THE SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THE SEAT BELTS COULD BE REPAIRED AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE. , THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. ALSO , THE EM…
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DT:THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. THE REAR SEAT BELT WERE NOT RETRACTING. A PIECE OF PLASTIC BROKEN ON THE SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THE SEAT BELTS COULD BE REPAIRED AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE. , THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. ALSO , THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE REPAIRED. THE DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE. HOWEVER, WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED IT WOULD NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. *AK
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
DRIVERS SEAT BELT/SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO ENGAGE. *AK
WHILE REVERSING ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK AND THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE HIT A LIGHT POLE. THE PLASTIC COVER AT THE ANCHORAGE POINT OF THE SEAT BELT STRUCK THE FRONT PASSENGER IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. THE PASSENGER HAD TO GET 14 STITCHES. *AK
THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. *JB
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.