IllustrationSTARTER/HORN/COMPUTER/TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK
1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier do not stand out strongly from 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
Limited mileage data: 5 of 134 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports8 fire reports9 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
21 reportsDUE TO A DEFECT IN THE COMPUTER, WHEN DRIVING OVER 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE BRAKING ABILITY. *AK
MOMENTS AFTER PARKING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM DASH AND FRONT DOORS, DUE TO SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYS. FUSE AND RECEPTICLE. *AK
ENGINE MISSES, SURGES, OR STALLS INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *DSH
WHILE DRIVING NOTICED GAUGE LIGHTS CAME ON, WHEN LOOKED UP SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYS. WIRING HARNESS FIRE, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
THREE TIME CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THE WHEN DRIVING CAR CUT OFF ENGINE LOST POWER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT FOR THE FOUR TIME CAR CUT OFF . TT
WHEN ACCELERATING IT DIES OUT AND BLOWS THE FUSE TO THE ELECTRONIC FUSE SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
REPLACED CRACKED BELT.
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARK FOR A PERIOD OF 9 HRS AND CAUGHT FIRE, UNDER THE DASH FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. TT
WHILE DRIVING LOW TO HIGH SPEEDS ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, JUST PRIOR TO SHUTTING DOWN VEHICLE STARTS HESITATING. TT
Official recalls
191V166000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Sep 23, 1991
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING IS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR MISSING, LEADING TO A CONDITION WHERE THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH DOES NOT ENGAGE THE SECONDARY STRIKER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH IS NOT ENGAGED, AND THEPRIMARY HOOD LATCH WAS ALSO NOT ENGAGED, THE HOOD COULD OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY. IFTHIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE HOOD MAY CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD,REDUCING THE FORWARD VISION AREA OF THE DRIVER AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: INSPECT HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLIES AND, WHERE NECESSARY, INSTALL A NEW SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING.
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.