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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 →
134Owner complaints

Model-year median: 140

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
43
198955
199055
1991134
1992146
1993212
1994270
1995
Compare all Cavalier years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
48Electrical System
21Engine And Engine Cooling
15Seats
12Seat Belts
10
All reported categories
Visibility
10Steering
8Power Train
7Vehicle Speed Control
7Structure
6Fuel System, Gasoline
5Tires
3Exterior Lighting
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes, Air
2Suspension
2Parking Brake
1Unknown Or Other
1Wheels
1

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

What owners actually said

134 reports
Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS BRAKES ARE SUBJECT TO INTERMITTENT FAILURE, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BRAKES MAKE GRINDING SOUND WHILE MAKING A TURN AND APPLYING BRAKES. THE PEDAL STICKS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, WHICH MEANS THAT THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, AND NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIM…

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ABS BRAKES ARE SUBJECT TO INTERMITTENT FAILURE, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BRAKES MAKE GRINDING SOUND WHILE MAKING A TURN AND APPLYING BRAKES. THE PEDAL STICKS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, WHICH MEANS THAT THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, AND NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #817933

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 1997
Wheels

WHEEL HOUSING RUSTED OUT AT THE SHOCK CONNECTION.

NHTSA ODI #524370

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE ABS BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE TIRES TO LOCKUP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID. *AK

NHTSA ODI #815829

Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 1997
Seat Belts

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE. THE UPPER RETRACTOR BROKE, AND IT NO LONGER RETRACTS AND WILL NOT RESTRAIN OCCUPANT IN VEHICLE CRASH.*AK

NHTSA ODI #814131

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 1997
Seat Belts

FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED AT LATCH.

NHTSA ODI #522499

Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN IN SNOW OR ICE THE ABS DOES NOT FUNCTION . OWNER HAS BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, THEY SEE NO PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #813989

Mileage unknown · May 30, 1997
Electrical SystemFire

ELECTRICAL: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A BEEPING SOUND AND THEN IT STOPPED. ENTERING NEXT TOWN AND IT STARTED MAKING THE SOUND AGAIN, PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TOOK KEYS OUT, VEHICLE MADE AN EVEN LOUDER NOISE, SMOKE CAME FROM DASH, GOT OUT ,FIRE ENGINE HAPPENED TO BE PASSING BY,…

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ELECTRICAL: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A BEEPING SOUND AND THEN IT STOPPED. ENTERING NEXT TOWN AND IT STARTED MAKING THE SOUND AGAIN, PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TOOK KEYS OUT, VEHICLE MADE AN EVEN LOUDER NOISE, SMOKE CAME FROM DASH, GOT OUT ,FIRE ENGINE HAPPENED TO BE PASSING BY, CAME AT TIME VEHICLE SEEMED LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO START ON IT'S OWN. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE GOING/HORN BEEPING AND LIGHTS FLASHING ON AND OFF. VEHICLE WAS COVERED WITH SMOKE. FIREMAN SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #812596

Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 1997
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #516197

Mileage unknown · Mar 19, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DRIVER SAID THAT SHE TRIED TO STOP THE CAR AND THE ABS BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #810195

Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 1997
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TWICE BY ITSELF.

NHTSA ODI #514273

Official recalls

1

91V166000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.