IllustrationCAN'T SAFELY INSTALL A CAR SEAT BECAUSE THE SAFETY BELTS DO NOT PROPERLY RETRACT. THEREFORE THE CAR SEAT IS NOT STABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Cavalier years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier are substantially higher than 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
430–25K
7225–50K
6150–75K
3475–100K
36100–150K
18150K+
264 reports with mileage · 66 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 185 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports6 fire reports15 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
6 reports1. SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT. 2. DRIVERS SIDE SEAT DROPPED WILL NOT GO BACK TO UPRIGHT POSITION.
2 ISSUES. FIRST, TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HIGHER AND HIGHER EACH TIME THE CAR WAS STARTED UNTIL THE NEEDLE WENT ALL THE WAY AROUND TO THE SPEEDOMETER AND KEPT THE SPEEDOMETER FROM READING THE SPEED. ENTIRE GAUGE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. SECOND ISSUE WAS PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT WOULD PERIODICALLY LOCK, NOT ALLOWING THE PASSENGER …
Read full complaint
2 ISSUES. FIRST, TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HIGHER AND HIGHER EACH TIME THE CAR WAS STARTED UNTIL THE NEEDLE WENT ALL THE WAY AROUND TO THE SPEEDOMETER AND KEPT THE SPEEDOMETER FROM READING THE SPEED. ENTIRE GAUGE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. SECOND ISSUE WAS PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT WOULD PERIODICALLY LOCK, NOT ALLOWING THE PASSENGER TO USE THE SEAT BELT.
WHEN I BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP, MY HEAD LIGHTS DIM SIGNIFICANTLY. IT HAPPENS WITH THE HIGH BEAMS AND LOW BEAMS. MY FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT LOCKS WITHOUT THE BRAKES ENGAGED, AND NEEDS TO BE UNBUCKLED TO UNLOCK. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PLASTIC HOUSING ON BOTH REAR OUTER SEAT BELTS FRACTURED AND DETACHED. THE SEAT BELTS ALSO DID NOT HOLD THE OCCUPANTS SECURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED.
DRIVERS SEAT BELT MORE THAN TWELVE INCHES SHORTER THAN PASSENGERS SEAT BELT. *AK
Official recalls
104V300000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Jun 23, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, 'SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES.' THE PASSENGER-SIDE REAR SAFETY BELT MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WITH AN INCORRECT NUT AND BOLT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN A SEVERE CRASH, THE UPPER SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE MAY SEPARATE. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SEAT BELT COULD THEN BE REDUCED AND THE OCCUPANT COULD RECEIVE GREATER INJURIES.
Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO INSPECT THE SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE AND INSTALL A NEW NUT AND BOLT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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.