IllustrationREAR WINDOW GETS A CLOUDY YELLOW FILM ON IT THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT OF THAT WINDOW.*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
What owners actually said
134 reportsDURING VEHICLE OPERATION ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND EXPERIENCED A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT STOPPED COMPLETELY TWICE.*AK
AUTO-TRANS: TURNED ON IGNITION, SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE, ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARDS WITH FOOT ON BRAKES, NO WARNING, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, HAPPENS IN ANY GEAR, NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENT, DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM*A.
STARTER/HORN/COMPUTER/TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK
DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE COMPUTER, WHEN DRIVING OVER 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE BRAKING ABILITY. *AK
STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, CONSTRUCTION WAS OCCURRING, STREET WAS DRY, ANOTHER CAR REARENDED CAVALIER, DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK SNAP, SEAT WENT FORWARD/TURNED SIDEWAYS. *AK THREE INJURIES OCCURRED IN THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
BUILDUP ON WINDSHIELD FROM SUNS U.V. RAYS CAUSES GLARE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN HIT DIRECTLY BY SUN OR OTHER VEHICLES HEAD LIGHTS. *DH
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, DRIVER'S BACK REST CAME FORWARD WITH SHOULDER/LAP BELT; DRIVER'S CHEST HIT STEERING WHEEL. *AK
MOMENTS AFTER PARKING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM DASH AND FRONT DOORS, DUE TO SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYS. FUSE AND RECEPTICLE. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO FUNCTION WHEN MIST SETTING IS USED. *DSH
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.