IllustrationENGINE MOUNTS HAVE PREMATURELY BROKEN, CAUSING ENGINE TO RISE WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 13 of 212 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 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports3 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
212 reportsTHE HEAD GASKET CYLINDER IS LEAKING. YH
COOLANT LEAKS CONSTANTLY.*AK.
REPLACED DRIVER-SIDE BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLY ONCE AND PASS.- SIDE 3 TIMES IN 2 1/2 YEARS. ENGINE OVERHEATS VERY EASILY AND STALLS WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/BRAKING, ETC. ABS BRAKES ARE NOT ENGAGING 3/4 OF THE TIME. REAR PASS.-SIDE LOCK WILL NOT ENGAGE AUTOMATICALLY.
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH AND SLOWING DOWN, TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKS UP AND VEHICLE STALLS. *AK *ML
EXCESSIVE FRONT BRAKE PAD WEAR, REPLACED A MINIMUM OF 10 TIMES WITHIN 70,000 MILES ROTORS REPLACED ALSO - DRIVERS SEAT DOES NOT ALWAYS LOCK INTO PLACE SOMETIMES SLIDES FOR/BACKWARDS - HARD TO USE RELEASE BUTTON ON FRONT PASSENGER BELT NOW THE CASING FELL OFF - WIPERS AREN'T PLACED CORRECTLY HAS CHIPPED OFF PAINT ON HOOD - DRIVER…
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EXCESSIVE FRONT BRAKE PAD WEAR, REPLACED A MINIMUM OF 10 TIMES WITHIN 70,000 MILES ROTORS REPLACED ALSO - DRIVERS SEAT DOES NOT ALWAYS LOCK INTO PLACE SOMETIMES SLIDES FOR/BACKWARDS - HARD TO USE RELEASE BUTTON ON FRONT PASSENGER BELT NOW THE CASING FELL OFF - WIPERS AREN'T PLACED CORRECTLY HAS CHIPPED OFF PAINT ON HOOD - DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS HARD TO ROLL FEELS AS IF IT GETS OFF TRACK CAR GIVES SQUEKING/RATTLING SOUND WHILE DRIVING - BLACK METAL PARTS ON WIPERS HAS FADED TO BLOTCHY GRAY EARLY IN CARS LIFE - I HAVE NOT HAD PROBLEMS LIKE THESE IN ANY CAR I'VE OWNED, THEY ARE PREMATURE, ESPECIALLY THE EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR.
HEAD GASKET FAILED AND REPLACED 3 TIMES. *ET
VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING OVERHEATING DUE TO LOSS OF COOLANT LEAKAGE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
CONSUMER WAS AT THE STOP LIGHT. WHEN HE APPLIED BRAKES VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. *AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO AVOID ACCIDENTS CAR GOES INTO SKID ON DRY AND WET PAVEMENT. STEERING WHEEL WILL OCCASIONALLY TURN WHEN BRAKES LOCK UP. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR. PURCHASED VEHICLE FROM ZIMBRICK BUICK EAST. DRUMS HAVE BEEN CLEANED. DRUMS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED DUE TO WARPING. SHOES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN CLEANE…
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WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO AVOID ACCIDENTS CAR GOES INTO SKID ON DRY AND WET PAVEMENT. STEERING WHEEL WILL OCCASIONALLY TURN WHEN BRAKES LOCK UP. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR. PURCHASED VEHICLE FROM ZIMBRICK BUICK EAST. DRUMS HAVE BEEN CLEANED. DRUMS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED DUE TO WARPING. SHOES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN CLEANED. BRAKE PEDAL IS GOING ALL MOST TO THE FLOOR BEFORE SLOWING CAR. PEDAL HAS SAME PULSING ACTION AS IT DID WHEN DRUMS WARPED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
Official recalls
194V115000 · Steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm
Jun 24, 1994
THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH OVERTORQUED DRIVE AXLE SPINDLE NUTS. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE EXCESSIVE LOADS ON THE SPINDLE NUT AND DRIVE AXLE RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE DRIVE AXLE OR THE SPINDLE NUT. FAILURE OF EITHER OF THESE COMPONENTS CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE TIRE-WHEEL ASSEMBLY FROM THE DRIVE AXLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND DRIVE AXLES, BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLIES, SPINDLE NUTS, AND WASHERS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES. CORRECTIVE ACTION: DEALERS WILL REPLACE LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND DRIVE AXLES, BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLIES, SPINDLE NUTS, AND WASHERS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES.
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
2EA94033 · 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.
PE94042 · Horn Button Falling Off
Opened May 23, 1994 · Closed Sep 29, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
There is no summary currently available