1993 Chevrolet Cavalier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 140.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

146Owner complaints

Model-year median: 140

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1993 Chevrolet Cavalier

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 146 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 53 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 41 reports
Electrical System: 26 reports
Power Train: 10 reports
Seat Belts: 9 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

93V121000 — Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Cavalier years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

53 Engine And Engine Cooling

41 Electrical System

26 Power Train

10 Seat Belts

All reported categories

7 Vehicle Speed Control

6 Exterior Lighting

5 Fuel System, Gasoline

3 Latches/locks/linkages

2 Unknown Or Other

2 Wheels

2 Air Bags

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: 3 of 146 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 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports7 fire reports8 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

6 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2001

Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ROUGH VIBRATION/ SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON. THESE THINGS WERE WORKING WHEN TEST DRIVEN. DEALER IS NOT ASSITING CONSUMER WITH PROBLEM.*AK CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER DRIVING 5-6 MILES. CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. WHILE SLOWING, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #881840

Mileage unknown · May 28, 1999

Vehicle Speed Control

VACUUM LINE BROKE, HEARD A "POP" NOISE, AND CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO BE IN A OPEN POSITION WHILE IN THE REVERSE POSITION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY,AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. HAD TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838633

Mileage unknown · Aug 17, 1998

Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 55MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 80MPH. THE DRIVER TURNED THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE DRIVER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE IN PARK TO STOP. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826763

Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 1997

Electrical SystemSteeringVehicle Speed ControlFire

ENGINE COMPARTMENT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE CABLE/POWER STEERING FLUID HOSE/PRESSURE HOSES/WIRING/CRUISE CONTROL, OTHER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #815659

Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 1995

Vehicle Speed Control

SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *SD

NHTSA ODI #490684

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 1995

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

RADIATOR REPLACED. *SD

NHTSA ODI #488417

Recall campaigns

93V121000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Jul 21, 1993

THE BRAKE HOSES WERE MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, AND DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 106, "BRAKE HOSES."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED BRAKE HOSES CAN CAUSEREDUCED BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS AND/OR UNEVEN BRAKING, WHICH COULD RESULT IN ANACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HOSE ASSEMBLY ON CIERA AND CENTURY MODELS, AND BOTH REAR BRAKE HOSES ON CAVALIER AND SUNBIRD MODELS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

EA94033 · Horn Pad Falls Off

Opened Sep 29, 1994 · Closed Mar 29, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:horn

THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.GM WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS RAISED BY THE DETACHMENT OF THE HORN PAD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FOR A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM SEE EA94-033 ENGINEERING TECHNICAL REPORT.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.