Illustration1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND VEHICLE SOMETIMES EMITS WHITE SMOKE THROUGH THE VENTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. ALSO, A SERPENTINE BELT AND FUEL PAN WAS NEEDED.
1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
30–25K
1625–50K
1650–75K
1375–100K
7100–150K
10150K+
65 reports with mileage · 175 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 44 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 reports2 fire reports15 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
44 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SERVICE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. WHEN THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION FOR ONE HALF MILE UNTIL THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT REST…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SERVICE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. WHEN THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION FOR ONE HALF MILE UNTIL THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
I ALSO HAVE A 1999 CHEVY CAVALIER Z24 AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED AT THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD...ALSO DOORS FREEZE SHUT IN WINTER...PROBLEMS WITH WATER PUMP...IT SEIZED UP AND CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE TIMING CHAIN & SERPENTINE BELT...RESULTED IN A LOT OF EXPENSE TO FIX...REPAIRMAN STATED THE MOST OF THE PARTS ON THESE ENGINES SH…
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I ALSO HAVE A 1999 CHEVY CAVALIER Z24 AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED AT THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD...ALSO DOORS FREEZE SHUT IN WINTER...PROBLEMS WITH WATER PUMP...IT SEIZED UP AND CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE TIMING CHAIN & SERPENTINE BELT...RESULTED IN A LOT OF EXPENSE TO FIX...REPAIRMAN STATED THE MOST OF THE PARTS ON THESE ENGINES SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED...LOTS OF ISSUES WITH THEM....LOVE MY CAR BUT IT'S GETTING EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR NOW THAT IT'S OLDER... *TR
THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE WILL START IF TRANSMISSION IS PUT INTO NEUTRAL. THE EVENT HAPPENS WITH AND WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ON. IT HAPPENS AT STEADY HIGHWAY SPEED AND WHEN DECREASING SPEED. IT WENT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WITHOUT STALLING, BUT THEN STALLED TWICE IN ONE WEEK. 2.2L ENGINE WITH AUT…
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THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE WILL START IF TRANSMISSION IS PUT INTO NEUTRAL. THE EVENT HAPPENS WITH AND WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ON. IT HAPPENS AT STEADY HIGHWAY SPEED AND WHEN DECREASING SPEED. IT WENT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WITHOUT STALLING, BUT THEN STALLED TWICE IN ONE WEEK. 2.2L ENGINE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE IS SIMILAR TO…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE IS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 07E021000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES). THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.
DT: THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE FAILED THE EMISSIONS TEST. *JB
THE ENGINE MADE A TICKING SOUND, LATER THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE, AND IT WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER THE ENGINE WAS TICKING AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS NOT PUT ON CORRECTLY BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. *AK *SC *JB
CD WILL NOT PLAY. GET ERROR MESSAGE. KNOB ON MIRROR FELL OFF. BATTERY WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2000. BATTERY KEPT DYING ON ME.
WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. *AK WATER DRIPPED FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO ADD ANTIFREEZE. THIS COOLED THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THERE HE FOUND OUT THE MOTOR MOUNT WAS BAD AND THE ENGINE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH. THIS CAUSED THE BOLT ON THE …
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WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. *AK WATER DRIPPED FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO ADD ANTIFREEZE. THIS COOLED THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THERE HE FOUND OUT THE MOTOR MOUNT WAS BAD AND THE ENGINE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH. THIS CAUSED THE BOLT ON THE COMPRESSOR TO PENETRATE A HOLE IN THE HOSE. THE MOTOR MOUNT AND HOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *PH *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS LOW COOLANT LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. SERVICE MECHANIC INDICATED THIS WAS DUE TO WATER IN THE MOTOR CAUSED BY A BLOWEN HEAD GASKET.*AK
Official recalls
204V036000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Jan 27, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE FIRE COULD SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, WHICH COULD INJURE OCCUPANTS OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO ADJOINING STRUCTURES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND CHECK THAT YOUR CAR WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CHECK THEIR VEHICLE ONLINE BY GOING TO WWW.MYGMLINK.COM AND ENTERING THE VEHICLE'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
99V218000 · Interior Lighting
Aug 11, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROL LOCATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND ILLUMINATION." THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BACKLIGHTING MAY NOT FUNCTION AFTER ADJUSTING THE INTERIOR LIGHT INTENSITY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT LIT AT NIGHT, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT.
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.