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2002 Chevrolet Cavalier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 140.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
196Owner complaints

Model-year median: 140

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2002 Chevrolet Cavalier

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 196 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Electrical System: 35 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 22 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 22 reports
  • Steering: 16 reports
  • Visibility: 16 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    240
    1999    315
    2000    243
    2001    196
    2002    678
    2003    330
    2004    287
    2005
    Compare all Cavalier years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Electrical System
    35    Engine And Engine Cooling
    22    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    22    Steering
    16    Visibility
    16
    All reported categories
    Air Bags
    14    Exterior Lighting
    14    Fuel System, Gasoline
    13    Power Train
    13    Vehicle Speed Control
    11    Suspension
    10    Seat Belts
    9    Structure
    9    Unknown Or Other
    7    Seats
    6    Tires
    6    Equipment
    5    Fuel System, Other
    3    Service Brakes
    3    Wheels
    3    Fuel/propulsion System
    2    Latches/locks/linkages
    2    Parking Brake
    2    Service Brakes, Air
    2    Child Seat
    1    Electronic Stability Control
    1    Traction Control System
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    102 reports with mileage · 94 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    24 crash reports4 fire reports19 injury reports

    Air Bags complaints

    14 reports
    Clear category filter
    Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2003
    Air Bags

    DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT REPAIR SHOP TWICE, AIR BAGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED . *NLM. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #10002437

    Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2002
    Air BagsInjury

    WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF BEING CUT OFF BY AN SUV, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUFFERED INJURIES. THE INJURIES INCLUDED UNCONSIOUSNESS, BROKEN STERNUM, SEAT BELT ABRASIONS, CONTUSIONS, CONCUSSION TO NAM…

    Read full complaint

    WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF BEING CUT OFF BY AN SUV, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUFFERED INJURIES. THE INJURIES INCLUDED UNCONSIOUSNESS, BROKEN STERNUM, SEAT BELT ABRASIONS, CONTUSIONS, CONCUSSION TO NAME A FEW. THE CRASH WAS CONSIDERED A FULL FRONTAL IMPACT TO THE SIDE OF THE SUV INVOLVED. *JG

    NHTSA ODI #8018421

    Mileage unknown · May 2, 2002
    Air BagsCrashInjury

    AT A SPEED OF 35-40 MPH HITTING A FIREBIRD IN THE REAR, MY AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY CAUSING ME TO HIT MY HEAD. EITHER MY BUMPER IS DESIGNED TO LOW FOR A STRAIGHT ON IMPACT CAUSING THE HIT TO SLIDE UP OVER THE SENSOR AND CRUSH THE HOOD OR THE SENSOR IS POSITIONED POORLY OR MALFUNCTIONED ENTIRELY. MY RADIATOR WAS PUSHED INTO THE …

    Read full complaint

    AT A SPEED OF 35-40 MPH HITTING A FIREBIRD IN THE REAR, MY AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY CAUSING ME TO HIT MY HEAD. EITHER MY BUMPER IS DESIGNED TO LOW FOR A STRAIGHT ON IMPACT CAUSING THE HIT TO SLIDE UP OVER THE SENSOR AND CRUSH THE HOOD OR THE SENSOR IS POSITIONED POORLY OR MALFUNCTIONED ENTIRELY. MY RADIATOR WAS PUSHED INTO THE ENGINE, IF THE BUMPER WAS NOT HIT HOW COULD THE RADIATOR GO INTO THE ENGINE.

    NHTSA ODI #761463

    Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2002
    Air BagsSuspensionTiresCrashInjury

    CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 55MPH ON HIGHWAY, THERE WAS VIBRATION AND PULSATION ON DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. VEHICLE SLID AND THE AXLE BROKE. WHEEL AND RIM CAME OFF, VEHICLE HIT MEDIAN, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *AK *TT

    NHTSA ODI #8003912

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.