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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

27 reports
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11,000 miles · Nov 23, 2019
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN I'M DRIVEN ABOUT 25 MILES THE ACCELERATOR STAYS STUCK AND THE SPEED KEEP GOIN UP IF YOU DON'T PUT THE BRAKES

NHTSA ODI #11281975

135,000 miles · Feb 18, 2019
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK AND ACCELERATES.

NHTSA ODI #11180951

185,000 miles · Sep 3, 2018
SteeringVehicle Speed Control

LOST PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE STEERING BECAUSE SHEER PEN RELEASED AND ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER-( INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE )

NHTSA ODI #11124077

150,000 miles · Jan 19, 2017
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

SPEEDOMETER HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I CAN NO LONGER TELL HOW FAST I AM DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10946542

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2015
Exterior LightingVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10717248

58,000 miles · Mar 4, 2015
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY SPEEDOMETER FOR STUCK. I KNOW I WAS GOING 60 WHEN IT HAPPENED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS STUCK AT.IT ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. MY CAR HAS HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WINDOWS, AND ENGINE LIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691973

187,000 miles · Oct 15, 2014
Vehicle Speed Control

AS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIME. AS NOTED HERE ALREADY. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED ALL BY IT SELF TO THE POINT I HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF IN TRAFFIC. THEN RESTARTED AND IT WAS DRIVING ON ITS OWN AT 40 MILES AN HOUR LIKE CRUISE WAS ON, I DO NOT USE CRUISE THEN WHEN I PLAYED …

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AS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIME. AS NOTED HERE ALREADY. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED ALL BY IT SELF TO THE POINT I HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF IN TRAFFIC. THEN RESTARTED AND IT WAS DRIVING ON ITS OWN AT 40 MILES AN HOUR LIKE CRUISE WAS ON, I DO NOT USE CRUISE THEN WHEN I PLAYED WITH THE CRUISE BUTTON IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL CAN'T TAKE IT IN COSTS TO MUCH TO LOOK AT BUT IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR JUST NEVER CAN HAVE IT DO IT WHEN I TAKE IT IN AND THEY CAN'T HELP ME IF IT IS NOT DOING IT AT THAT TIME. I WANT THIS ON RECORD SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME THERE IS A RECORD OF THIS HAPPENING, AGAIN SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IT HAPPENS WHENEVER IT WANTS TO... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644795

65,000 miles · Jul 23, 2014
Vehicle Speed Control

SEVERAL TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS CAR IN 2009, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FROM 55 TO 70. STILL DOES THIS ON OCCASION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10615667

40,000 miles · Jan 11, 2013
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL MAY HAVE FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ODI #10492289

82,321 miles · Nov 6, 2011
Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEED ODOMETER IN THIS CAR. I CAN SEE BY SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON CARCOMPLAINT.COM I AM ONLY 1 OUT OF SEVERAL HUNDRED. IT WILL SOMETIMES SAY I AM GOING 100 WHEN I AM GOING 25. IT WILL SOMETIMES STAY STUCK ON 55 WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP. I NEVER KNOW HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS IS VERY DANGERO…

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I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEED ODOMETER IN THIS CAR. I CAN SEE BY SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON CARCOMPLAINT.COM I AM ONLY 1 OUT OF SEVERAL HUNDRED. IT WILL SOMETIMES SAY I AM GOING 100 WHEN I AM GOING 25. IT WILL SOMETIMES STAY STUCK ON 55 WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP. I NEVER KNOW HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH OF ME OR SOMEONE ELSE. THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE REPLACED AND BY OTHER PEOPLES COMPLAINTS TO ME IT SOUNDS LIKE A DAD PART PRODUCED BY GM. I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD RECALL THESE AND HAVE THEM REPLACED BEFORE IT RESULTS IN A DEATH OF SOMEONE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM VEHICLE IF THEY DON'T RECALL THESE PARTS AND REPLACE THEM SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10434410

Official recalls

1

04V300000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.