IllustrationI AM AWARE THAT THE '92 & '93 MODELS ARE COVERED FOR THE SAME ENGINE, SAME PROBLEM. SHOULDN'T THE '94 MODELS BE COVERED SINCE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM? *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 reportsUPON START UP IN COLD WEATHER: WIPERS INOP, HEATER FAN INOP, AUTO DOOR LOCKS INOP, HEAD LAMPS INOP. AFTER 20 MIN WARM UP ALL SEEMS TO FUNCTION OKAY. START UP IN WARMER PART OF DAY THESE DISCREPANCIES DO NOT MATERIALIZE.
WHILE VEHICLE WAS HAVING AN OIL CHANGE, ETC. AT A REPAIR SHOP, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A LEAKAGES FROM HEAD GASKET. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FIRST STARTED IT WAS WINDING VERY SLOWLY AND THEN IT JUST CAME OFF. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, TIMING CHAIN BROKE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THERE WASN'T ANY WARNING. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN & BECOME INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE PLASTIC PART THAT ROTATES THE TIMING CHAIN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
GM WILL NOT EXTEND WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THEY DO SO WITH 92/93 WITH SAME PROBLEM.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS GOING UP. CONSUMER STOPPED CAR, AND CALLED A TOW COMPANY. CONSUMER TOWED CAR TO A CHEVROLET DEALER. DEALER SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD GASKET AND WATER PUMP BECAUSE ONE ENGINE HEAD CYLINDER BOLT BROKE. *AK
ENGINE GASKET PROBLEMS: THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 12, 000 MILES. ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AT 30,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 57,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
REPLACE HEAD GASKET 10/96, WATER PUMP AND HOSES 07/99 AND STILL LOOSES COOLANT
ERRATIC OPERATION OF ABS SYSTEM ; SOUND WOULD COME FROM THE WHEEL WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ALSO, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
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