IllustrationMY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER, HIT A POT HOLE, AND WENT OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY. SHOULD THE ALUMINUM WHEEL-RIM, FACTORY-INSTALLED, HAVE BROKEN IN HALF WHEN THE AXLE WAS FINE? I AM SENSING METAL FATIGUE? *NM
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
Wheels complaints
4 reportsDT: 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE ALUMINUM RIM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CRACKED WHEN PULLING OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND COMING UP TO A LIGHT. NOTHING HAPPENED TO THE TIRE, AND NOTHING HIT THE RIM TO PUNCTURE IT. THE CRACK WAS ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIM. IT CRACKED A 9 INCH RIP LONG WAYS AND THERE IS RIP RUNNING OUTSIDE TOWARDS …
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DT: 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE ALUMINUM RIM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CRACKED WHEN PULLING OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND COMING UP TO A LIGHT. NOTHING HAPPENED TO THE TIRE, AND NOTHING HIT THE RIM TO PUNCTURE IT. THE CRACK WAS ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIM. IT CRACKED A 9 INCH RIP LONG WAYS AND THERE IS RIP RUNNING OUTSIDE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED IT LOOKED LIKE A CHUCK HOLE AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. HE THEN CALLED GM AND WAS TOLD TO GO TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. THAT DEALERSHIP STATED IT LOOKS DEFECTIVE AND IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE BACKING UP. ALTHOUGH THEY STATE THIS, THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO PUT IT IN WRITING. THE CONSUMER HEARD A POP AND HEARD THE TIRE LEAK AIR BECAUSE IT LOST ITS SEAL. *AK
DT: CONSUMER STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD WENT BAD, AND THEN THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RADIO HAD TO REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND THE ALARM WENT OFF AT RANDOM. ALSO, DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BODY M…
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DT: CONSUMER STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD WENT BAD, AND THEN THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RADIO HAD TO REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND THE ALARM WENT OFF AT RANDOM. ALSO, DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BODY MODULE CONTROL UNIT. THE FRONT END HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE WHEEL COVERS AND THE CLICKING NOISE WAS A RESULT OF THIS. THEY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL COVERS TWICE. *AK
I PURCHASED MY 2004 CAVALIER LS WITH ONLY 4 MILES ON THE OD. I NOTICED THE VERY SAME DAY ON THE WAY HOME THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VIBRATING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 & 75, AND DIDDNT TAKE IT IN RIGHT AWAY CAUSE I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL AND THERE COULDNT POSSIBLY BE ANYTHING WRONG CAUSE THE CAR WAS BRAND NEW. WELL THIS CONT…
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I PURCHASED MY 2004 CAVALIER LS WITH ONLY 4 MILES ON THE OD. I NOTICED THE VERY SAME DAY ON THE WAY HOME THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VIBRATING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 & 75, AND DIDDNT TAKE IT IN RIGHT AWAY CAUSE I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL AND THERE COULDNT POSSIBLY BE ANYTHING WRONG CAUSE THE CAR WAS BRAND NEW. WELL THIS CONTINUED AND GOT WORSE, SO AT 6,000 MILES WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR A ROTATION I HAD THEM CHECK IT AND THEY SAID THE WHEELS WERE OUT OF BALANCE. I DROVE IT AWAY BUT STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I FINNALY TOOK IT BACK A MONTH LATER AND TOLD THE DEALER THIS WAS NOT NORMAL, SO THEY DID A FORSE VARATION BALENCE WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. I JUST THINK GM NEEDS A BETTER INSPECTION PROCESS, CAUSE THE TIRES WERE NOT CORRECTLY BALENCED FROM THE FACTORY.*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.