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2005 Chevrolet Cavalier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Cavalier years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier are substantially higher than the model-year median of 140.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

230 reports with mileage · 57 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 211 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

6 reports
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45,000 miles · Aug 2, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED THE INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A FAMILY MEMBER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED THE INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A FAMILY MEMBER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

NHTSA ODI #11115433

40,000 miles · Feb 20, 2015
Air BagsFuel/propulsion System

PLEASE CALL ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH THESE CARS, [XXX] IS HOW I THINK ANYTHING WILL GET DONE, JUST CALLED TODAY 02-20-15. GAS GAUGE WENT OUT 02-07-15 ( MILEAGE 40000) AND IS HITTING AGAINST MY TEMP GAUGE SO I DON'T KNOW HOW HIT MY CAR IS GETTING. I REPLACED MY TEMP GAUGE BACK IN 01-07-12 MILEAGE(29111) CAUSE IT WAS HITTING AGAI…

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PLEASE CALL ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH THESE CARS, [XXX] IS HOW I THINK ANYTHING WILL GET DONE, JUST CALLED TODAY 02-20-15. GAS GAUGE WENT OUT 02-07-15 ( MILEAGE 40000) AND IS HITTING AGAINST MY TEMP GAUGE SO I DON'T KNOW HOW HIT MY CAR IS GETTING. I REPLACED MY TEMP GAUGE BACK IN 01-07-12 MILEAGE(29111) CAUSE IT WAS HITTING AGAINST MY SPEEDOMETER<--- THIS WAS NOT REPLACED BUT I DONT THINK TILL THIS DAY IT SHOWS THE RIGHT SPEED. AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK BACK IN 2006 CRASH NO FAULT OF THE CAR THEN, SOMEONE HIT ME, SO DONT EVEN KNOW IF THEY WILL. CALLED GM ABOUT THAT IN 2012 AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. FORGOT TO TELL KIMMY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM TODAY. GOOD LUCK GETTING THESE PROBLEMS FIXED. I HAVE TO DRIVE MY KIDS AND FAMILY AROUND ONLY CAR I HAVE SO I HOPE SOMETHING IS FIXED BEFORE WE GET HURT. AND I HOPE FOR THE ONES THAT FIXED THESE REPAIRS GET THERE MONEY BACK IF THEY FIND IT TO BE A ISSUE.. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10689630

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2015
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

A SHORT WHILE AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR I NOTICED ALL OF MY GAUGES WENT OUT. I WAS NERVOUS TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAD OR HOW FAST I WAS GOING. NOW I'M CONSTANTLY HAVING TROUBLE WHEN IGET GAS. EVEN WHEN I KNOW FOR SURE THAT I NEED GAS AFTER PUMPING FOR A FEW SECONDS, IT NEVER FAILS THAT THE PUMP …

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A SHORT WHILE AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR I NOTICED ALL OF MY GAUGES WENT OUT. I WAS NERVOUS TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAD OR HOW FAST I WAS GOING. NOW I'M CONSTANTLY HAVING TROUBLE WHEN IGET GAS. EVEN WHEN I KNOW FOR SURE THAT I NEED GAS AFTER PUMPING FOR A FEW SECONDS, IT NEVER FAILS THAT THE PUMP WILL STOP AS IF MY TANK IS FULL. THIS MORNING MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR AND ALL OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS SEEMINGLY ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER MAKE ME QUESTION THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10676272

138,000 miles · Nov 11, 2014
Fuel/propulsion System

CAR WOULD NOT START. LATER CAR WOULD STALL OUT, NOT GETTING FUEL. CAR HAS SAME ENGINE AS MY FORMER 05 COBALT. I BELIEVE PROBLEM IS IN IGNITION WIRES, ALWAYS HAD LIGHTS ON IN INTERIOR AFTER STARTING ENGINE. NOW CAR MUST BE SOLD FOR PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10654259

45,000 miles · Oct 29, 2013
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA ODI #10549984

104,021 miles · Mar 19, 2013
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

I JUST BOUGHT A 2005 CAVALIER FROM A PRIVATE PARTY AND A COUPLE DAYS AFTER I HAD IT I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER SAID I WAS GOING 110 MPH WHILE I WAS ON FREEWAY MY HEART DROPPED I IMMEDIATELY LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO REDUCE SPEED. I BEGAN TO OBSERVE THAT OTHERS WERE PASSING ME SO I GOT OFF ON THE NEXT EXIT. WHEN I CAME TO A C…

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I JUST BOUGHT A 2005 CAVALIER FROM A PRIVATE PARTY AND A COUPLE DAYS AFTER I HAD IT I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER SAID I WAS GOING 110 MPH WHILE I WAS ON FREEWAY MY HEART DROPPED I IMMEDIATELY LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO REDUCE SPEED. I BEGAN TO OBSERVE THAT OTHERS WERE PASSING ME SO I GOT OFF ON THE NEXT EXIT. WHEN I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE SPEEDOMETER READ 55 MPH. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT HOPING THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT DIDN'T. SINCE THEN MY GAS GAUGE AND TEMP GAUGE HAS BEEN READING IMPROPERLY. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT A FEW TIMES TO TRY TO GET IT BACK TO NORMAL BUT SEEMS TO MAKE IT WORSE. WHAT CAB I DO TO FIX THIS SINCE ITS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND CHEVY WON'T FIX IT EVEN THOUGH IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I'M A PARENT AND I AM SUPPOSED TO PUT TRUST IN THIS CAR AND COMPANY TO KEEP MY CHILDREN SAFE?!?! PLEASE RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503545

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.