IllustrationGAUGES GO OUT OR GET STUCK SOMETIMES. *TR
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.
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
180–25K
4825–50K
7350–75K
4675–100K
37100–150K
8150K+
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
What owners actually said
287 reportsTHE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER STARTED TO STICK IN RANDOM POSITIONS. THE TACHOMETER HAD DEMONSTRATED SIMILAR BEHAVIOR FOR SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. THE GAS GAGE ALSO DEMONSTRATED UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR PRIOR TO THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. *TR
ONE DAY THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED READING HIGH. TOOK IT IN FOR A TEST AND THE MECHANIC THE CAR WAS NOT OVERHEATING. MUST BE THE GAUGE. WHEN WE WENT TO PICK IT UP THE SPEEDOMETER WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY. THIS MORNING TAKING IT TO THE SHOP TO BE REPAIRED THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. *TR
I OWN A 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH A FAULTY CLUSTER THAT CONTROLS INSTRUMENT PANEL. I NOW CAN SMELL WHAT SEEMS TO BE ELECTRICAL BURNING. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM ALSO. GM NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. MY GAS & TEMP GAUAGES NEVER WORK & SPEEDOMETER IS ONLY WORKING PART TIME. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN 2004 &…
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I OWN A 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH A FAULTY CLUSTER THAT CONTROLS INSTRUMENT PANEL. I NOW CAN SMELL WHAT SEEMS TO BE ELECTRICAL BURNING. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM ALSO. GM NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. MY GAS & TEMP GAUAGES NEVER WORK & SPEEDOMETER IS ONLY WORKING PART TIME. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN 2004 & WITHIN 3 MONTHS THE MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FACTORY DEFECT. 6 MONTHS LATER, THE CLUTCH. THIS VEHICLE HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS! I WAS COMPLETELY SURPRISED TO FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR GAUAGE & IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING COSTS BETWEEN 600 TO 800 DOLLARS TO FIX! MY CAR ONLY HAS 46,000 MILES ON IT. YES, IT IS A HEADACHE TO DEAL WITH TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR GAS MILEAGE BUT NOW I FEAR THAT SOMETHING IS ALWAYS BURNING IN MY CAR! GM, AS I UNDERSTAND, FIXED A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH SOME PICK UP TRUCKS BUT WON'T TOUCH THE CAVALIER. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR FEAR IT COULD BURST INTO FLAMES!! I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE MAKE GM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS TRULY A FACTORY DEFECT ON THEIR PART. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES!! *TW
REAR DIRECTIONAL TURN SIGNALS HAVE STOPPED OPERATING ( LEFT REAR SIGNAL LAMP) FRONT LEFT SIGNAL LAMP OPERATES AT A RAPID RATE, LEFT REAR SIGNAL LAMP WILL NOT FLASH, BUT BOTH REAR LAMP BULBS ARE ILLUMINATED. *TR
2005 CHEVY CAVALIER, RE: ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER. LOCAL DEALER HEALEY CHEVY SAYS THROW AWAY ENTIRE CLUSTER, COST OF PART @ $300.00 LOCAL VINJO OIL CHANGE EXPRESS SAYS, TEST SENSORS BY TRANNY FOR @ 1 HOUR AND CHANGE INDIVIDUAL ONES, AS NEEDED. 180 DEGREES APART !! MAKES SENSE SINCE GAUGES ARE GETTING FALSE PULSE. SPEEDO DOES STICK TO…
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2005 CHEVY CAVALIER, RE: ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER. LOCAL DEALER HEALEY CHEVY SAYS THROW AWAY ENTIRE CLUSTER, COST OF PART @ $300.00 LOCAL VINJO OIL CHANGE EXPRESS SAYS, TEST SENSORS BY TRANNY FOR @ 1 HOUR AND CHANGE INDIVIDUAL ONES, AS NEEDED. 180 DEGREES APART !! MAKES SENSE SINCE GAUGES ARE GETTING FALSE PULSE. SPEEDO DOES STICK TOO, OTHERWISE REST OF CLUSTER FUNCTIONS, ODOMETER AND ALL OTHER GAUGES(THEY CAN'T SPELL AT CHEVY) OK. *TR
2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LS SPORT COUPE, SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK (DOES NOT SHOW CORRECT M.P.H.). I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST I'M GOING AND BASED OFF OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING ONLINE ABOUT THIS MODEL VEHICLE THE REST OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MIGHT ALSO FAIL. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER CAVALIERS THAT HAVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED…
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2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER LS SPORT COUPE, SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK (DOES NOT SHOW CORRECT M.P.H.). I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST I'M GOING AND BASED OFF OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING ONLINE ABOUT THIS MODEL VEHICLE THE REST OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MIGHT ALSO FAIL. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER CAVALIERS THAT HAVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *TR
SPEEDOMETER IS INOPERATIVE. STARTED BY BEING INTERMITTENT WITH A RANDOM ZERO SPEED (50 MPH WHEN CAR STOPPED). WOULD GO UP FROM THERE WHEN CAR MOVED. INTERMITTENTLY IT WOULD WORK OK. NOW IT IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE. BEEN OUT OF ORDER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. APPARENTLY IF THIS IS FIXED BY A DEALER IT IS $500-800. *TR
SPEEDOMETER FAILS TO INDICATE CORRECT SPEED AT UNPREDICTABLE VARIANCES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT WHENEVER FUEL WAS DISPENSED INTO THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS AT ANY GIVEN FUEL LEVEL CAPACITY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY RISK…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT WHENEVER FUEL WAS DISPENSED INTO THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS AT ANY GIVEN FUEL LEVEL CAPACITY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
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.