IllustrationDRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILS TO CLOSE PROPERLY. AIR LEAKAGE AROUND DOOR FRAME. CAR DOOR DO NOT PROPERLY LINED UP. NOTICE THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I RENTED A 2004 MODEL OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. *AK
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
What owners actually said
196 reportsWHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL. *JB
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES STEERING BECAME HARD TO CONTROL. AS RESULT, VEHICLE SLED INTO A POLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE DAMAGE. ALSO, DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE SHIELD FOR THE CSS WAS COMING APART. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS IN GEAR WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES ENGINE WILL START RACING, AND VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. DRIVER HAS TO SHUT DOWN ENGINE TO STOP IT FROM RACING. *AK
I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED A COMPLAINT TO GENERAL MOTORS AND HAVE A FILE #. I WARNED THEM AND EXPERIENCED MYSELF THAT THE ABS WERE DANGEROUS AND I WAS EXPOSED TO NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES FREEZING AND SKIDDING WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR PATCH OF ICE. THE BRAKES SKID AND DO NOT STOP. THIS COMPLAINT WAS PUT IN OVER SIX MON…
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I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED A COMPLAINT TO GENERAL MOTORS AND HAVE A FILE #. I WARNED THEM AND EXPERIENCED MYSELF THAT THE ABS WERE DANGEROUS AND I WAS EXPOSED TO NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES FREEZING AND SKIDDING WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR PATCH OF ICE. THE BRAKES SKID AND DO NOT STOP. THIS COMPLAINT WAS PUT IN OVER SIX MONTHS AGO. NOW MY DAUGHTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THE BRAKES SKIDDING AND NOT STOPPING. *JB
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO SEARS MECHANIC SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT MOTOR MOUNT BROKE AND CRACKED IN HALF, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DROP DOWN HALF SHAFT. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND MANUFACTU…
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WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO SEARS MECHANIC SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT MOTOR MOUNT BROKE AND CRACKED IN HALF, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DROP DOWN HALF SHAFT. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND MANUFACTURER INSISTED THAT CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK
HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING, NOTICED IT BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT. WHAT THEY DID WAS INSTALL RACK AND RESET ALIGNMENT. THE CAR WAS FINE AFTER THIS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THE DEALER IS SAYING NOW IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM, BUT I AM STILL HAVING THE SA…
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HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING, NOTICED IT BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT. WHAT THEY DID WAS INSTALL RACK AND RESET ALIGNMENT. THE CAR WAS FINE AFTER THIS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THE DEALER IS SAYING NOW IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM, BUT I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME KIND OF STEERING PROBLEM. AND SO THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN\\'T FIXED THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM.
BOUGHT THE CAR ON 5/27/02. SINCE THEN THE RACK AND PINION FAILED IN MARCH 2003, THE DEALERSHIP REALIZED IT WAS A PROBLEM ONLY IN MAY 2003. THE STEERING GRINDS METAL ON METAL WHEN DRIVING----THE HORN DIED 2 TIMES, THEIR WAS AND STILL IS A PULSATION IN THE BRAKES--A RATTLING IN THE SUSPENSION. GM PUT OUT A PI (PRODUCT INVESTIGATIO…
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BOUGHT THE CAR ON 5/27/02. SINCE THEN THE RACK AND PINION FAILED IN MARCH 2003, THE DEALERSHIP REALIZED IT WAS A PROBLEM ONLY IN MAY 2003. THE STEERING GRINDS METAL ON METAL WHEN DRIVING----THE HORN DIED 2 TIMES, THEIR WAS AND STILL IS A PULSATION IN THE BRAKES--A RATTLING IN THE SUSPENSION. GM PUT OUT A PI (PRODUCT INVESTIGATION OUT ON IT)--SAID THEIR IS NO FIX, BUT STEERING PROBLEMS ARE NOT DANGEROUS, AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING, I HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS HERE, W/ THE BBB AUTO-LINE, AND NHTSA AS WELL AS HIRED MY OWN PERSONAL LAWYER AS I HEARD GM FIGHTS PEOPLE TOOTH AND NAIL.
CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A ROTOR PROBLEM DUE TO HIS DRIVING HABIT. *LA *CB
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.