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 reports

Mileage unknown · Jun 2, 2004

Electrical System

APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AFTER THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMED IGNITION SWITCH RECALL 04V036000 REPAIRS THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10075576

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2004

Unknown Or Other

CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *MR *NM

NHTSA ODI #10074017

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2004

Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE,THEN VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. UPON IMPACT, SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10073701

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2004

Electrical System

INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT ILLUMINATE ANYMORE. ALSO, FUSES DO NOT WORK , AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067318

28,000 miles · Mar 20, 2004

Steering

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SAME DEFECTIVE BEARING PROBLEM IN STEERING AS 2000 AND CHEVROLET CAVILIERS. BEARING IS NOISY WHEN WHEEL IS TURNED. COULD CAUSE STEERING WHEEL TO FREEZE OR LOCKUP UPON BINDING. BEARING IS A UNIVERSAL SWIVAL TYPE BEARING LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN, JUST IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL AND IS COVERED BY A RUBBER BOOT. THE BEARING MAKES A NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. THE NOISE GOES AWAY WHEN THE BEARING IS SPRAYED OVER AND OVER WITH WD-40, BUT COMES BACK AFTER A THOUSAND MILES OF DRIVING. OTHER 2000 - 2002 CAVALIERS WERE RECALLED BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE 1999 CAVALIERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM LIKE THIS ONE AND SHOULD ALSO BE BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION AND RECALLED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10062701

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2004

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ABS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10063137

32,000 miles · Mar 12, 2004

Electrical System

NHTSA RECALL 04V036000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. RECALL WAS NOT BEING HONORED BY THE DEALER, WHO INSTALLED THE WIRING HARNESS, USED TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FLOW. HOWEVER, DEALER DID NOT INSTALL THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DEALER ASKED CONSUMER TO PAY FOR DIAGNOSIS WHEN THEY WON'T CHANGE THE IGNITION SWITCH. CURRENTLY…

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NHTSA ODI #10063120

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2004

Electrical System

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CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM. SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE IN 1999 CONSUMER HAD THIS VEHICLE BACK AND FORTH IN THE REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANICS KEPT TELLING HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. ALSO, SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE 4 BATTERIES BURNED OUT. VEHICLE HAD LEFT CONSUMER STRANDED, AND SHE HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERS, AND ONCE TO HER HOME. ONCE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WAS SOLVED, BUT VEHICLE STILL NEEDED AN ALTERNATOR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10062907

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2004

Electrical System

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER, AND MECHANIC REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10057898

Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2004

Vehicle Speed Control

THE SHIFTING LEVER FREEZES AND YOUR UNABLE TO PULL CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE ALSO THE LINKAGE HAS TENDANCY TO FREEZE AND NOT REGISTER . *AK

NHTSA ODI #10056729

Official recalls

04V036000 · 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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.