IllustrationVEHICLE STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR TURNING. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM ON SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
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
What owners actually said
240 reportsVEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE OF PARKING LOT. WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO START VEHICLE, SHE APPLIED REVERSE GEAR, AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE AT ALL. ALSO, IT WAS LEAKING WATER, A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER INTERMITTENTLY STALLS, THIS CAN BE STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR SLOWING TO TURN A CORNER. HAPPENS WITH OUT WARNING , THIS HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES OR MORE. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN BY A YOUNGER DRIVER , DAUGHTER 19 AND IS UNSAFE NOT KNOWING WHEN IT WILL STALL. DEALER MIDWAY CHEVROLET SERVICE MANAGER JOHN DUNLAP STATES…
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1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER INTERMITTENTLY STALLS, THIS CAN BE STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR SLOWING TO TURN A CORNER. HAPPENS WITH OUT WARNING , THIS HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES OR MORE. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN BY A YOUNGER DRIVER , DAUGHTER 19 AND IS UNSAFE NOT KNOWING WHEN IT WILL STALL. DEALER MIDWAY CHEVROLET SERVICE MANAGER JOHN DUNLAP STATES HE CAN AND WILL NOT FIX THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CONDITION IS HARD IN AND WILL NOT RUN. MIDWAY HAS STATED THEY WILL NOT SPEND TIME TO TROUBLE SHOOT THIS CONDITION EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY. COMPLAINT FILED WITH CHEVROLET FILE # C00794773, CHEVROLET CUSTOMER REP. BONNIE HARRIS ALSO STATES CHEVROLET WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS CONDITION UNTIL IT IS A HARD FAILURE OR A CODE IS THROWN. WE CONSIDER THIS CHEVROLET APPROACH TO BE NOT ONLY A SAFETY HAZARD, BUT AN UNACCEPTABLE APPROACH TO A VALID WARRANTY CLAIM. THANK YOU
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE GOING DOWN HILL AND PEDAL BECOMES HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
BRAKES LOCK UP AND FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. YH
WHILE TRAVELING DID NOT NOTICE BIG TRASH VEHICLE AND HIT IT HEAD-ON . UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. DRIVER INJURED. *AK *ML
VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY SURGED AND ACCELERATED. DEALER HAS REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS, PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES. *AK
#1. AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT INTERMITTENTLY FLASH APPROX ONCE A SECOND, FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED OR MOVING. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. THEY DID A SCAN WITH TECH 2 AND FOUND NO CODES SET. THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING IN AN ACCIDENT GIVEN OTHER REPORTS OF NO A…
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#1. AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT INTERMITTENTLY FLASH APPROX ONCE A SECOND, FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED OR MOVING. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. THEY DID A SCAN WITH TECH 2 AND FOUND NO CODES SET. THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING IN AN ACCIDENT GIVEN OTHER REPORTS OF NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT LISTED ON YOUR WEB SITE. #2 IF TURN SIGNAL LEVER IS NOT MOVED TO THE PHYSICAL STOP FOR A FLASH TO PASS, ONLY THE REAR TURN SIGNALS WILL FLASH. THEY FLASH FAST JUST LIKE WHEN ONE BULB IS BURNED OUT. DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL. #3 THIS IS THE 2.4L ENGINE. UPON DECCELARATING FROM AT LEAST 2ND GEAR ALMOST TO A STOP AND THEN ACCELERATING, THE TRANS HESITATES SLIGHTLY AND THUMPS INTO GEAR. THEN THE UPSHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR IS NOT A SMOOTH SHIFT BUT VERY HARD. EVEN THOUGH MECHANIC ACKNOWLEDGED EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM DURING A TEST DRIVE WE BOTH MADE TOGETHER, HE STATES HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE COMPLAINT ON THE PAPERWORK. SCAN TEST OK, NO CODES, OK AT THIS TIME. IT SEEMS TO ME, IF THERE IS NO CODES SET IN THE CONTROL MODULE THEN THERE CAN NOT BE A PROBLEM. WHAT DID MECHANICS DO BEFORE CARS HAD COMPUTER CONTROL MODULES? DID THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO SOME WORK TO IDENTIFY WHAT WAS WRONG? BY THE WAY, I AM A COMPUTER ENGINEER AND HAVE BEEN ONE FOR 35 YEARS. I PLAN TO CONTINUE PERSUING THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO OWN A 1998 CAVALIER WITH THE 2.2L ENGINE AND A 1999 BUICK CENTURY WITH THE 3.1L ENGINE. THE 1998 CAVAILER HAS THE SAME TURN SIGNAL PROBLEM BUT NOT THE OTHER 2 PROBLEMS. THE CENTURY HAS NONE OF THESE PROBLEMS.
LEFT FRONT ELECTRIC WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. NLM
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.