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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.

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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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

22 reports
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104,000 miles · Jun 28, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND SUDDENLY THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT DOWNSHIFT AND ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AND WAS DRIVEN TO HIS RESIDENCE WITH CAUTION. THE CONTACT DETECTED THAT THE REAR BRAKE L…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND SUDDENLY THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT DOWNSHIFT AND ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AND WAS DRIVEN TO HIS RESIDENCE WITH CAUTION. THE CONTACT DETECTED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10409164

65,000 miles · Jan 21, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS FRONT BRAKES WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AFTER 10,000 MILES. IN ADDITION, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES CONTINUED TO LOCK ON THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS THAT INDICATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. IT WAS…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS FRONT BRAKES WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AFTER 10,000 MILES. IN ADDITION, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES CONTINUED TO LOCK ON THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS THAT INDICATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM ALSO FAILED. THE DEALER INSTALLED AN ATS LIGHTING SYSTEM TO ENSURE THE WARNING PANEL WOULD ILLUMINATE IF THERE WERE ANY FURTHER FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 65,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,500. UPDATED 02/10/09. *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT. UPDATED 02/11/09. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10255848

76,000 miles · Jan 12, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE BRAKES LOCK WHEN THE CONTACT DRIVES OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. HE WOULD HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO UNLOCK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SPRING IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE THAT …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE BRAKES LOCK WHEN THE CONTACT DRIVES OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. HE WOULD HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO UNLOCK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SPRING IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE THAT CAUSED THE BRAKES TO LOCK. THE SPRING WOULD TRIP A SENSOR ON THE DASH AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. THE DEALER IS REPAIRING THE FAILURE AND IS ALSO INSTALLING AN ABS SENSOR LIGHT FOR THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. UPDATED 02/05/09 *BF UPDATED 02/0909. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10254715

Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

AT APPROXIMATELY 30000 MILES MY CAR WOULD SHAKE OR BOUNCE, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE CHECKED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, THOUGH THE PADS WERE OK. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL THE PROBLEM RETURNED. A…

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AT APPROXIMATELY 30000 MILES MY CAR WOULD SHAKE OR BOUNCE, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE CHECKED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, THOUGH THE PADS WERE OK. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL THE PROBLEM RETURNED. AGAIN THE ROTORS WERE TURNED, AND THIS TIME THE PADS REPLACED. BUT A FEW MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM RETURNED YET AGAIN. NOW THE ROTORS HAVE TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE PADS. A CO-WORKER SAID HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON HIS 2002 CAVALIER. HE WAS TOLD AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THAT THE ROTORS WERE TOO SMALL ON THE CAR AND WARPED EASILY DUE TO THIS DEFECT. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE ROTORS THAT ARE TOO SMALL MAY CAUSE A BRAKE FAILURE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10161943

12,000 miles · Apr 18, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS DUE TO DEFECT.*AK *BF *NM

NHTSA ODI #10115106

17,350 miles · Feb 26, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 CAVALIER I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY ROTORS TURNED (2) TIMES AND THEY ARE IN NEED OF IT AGAIN (THIRD TIME). I HAVE ONLY PUT 39450 MILES ON MY CAR AND AFTER THE SECOND TIME I BEGAN TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT BRAKING FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. I HAVE BEEN DOWNSHIFTING WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS INSTEAD OF APPLYING MY BRAK…

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SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 CAVALIER I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY ROTORS TURNED (2) TIMES AND THEY ARE IN NEED OF IT AGAIN (THIRD TIME). I HAVE ONLY PUT 39450 MILES ON MY CAR AND AFTER THE SECOND TIME I BEGAN TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT BRAKING FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. I HAVE BEEN DOWNSHIFTING WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS INSTEAD OF APPLYING MY BRAKES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS IS OCCURRING SO FREQUENTLY. I HAVE ONLY HAD TO REPLACE MY DISC BRAKES ONE TIME. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE IN WHICH I HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS TURNED SO FREQUENTLY. ESPECIALLY SINCE APPROX 10000 MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES WHERE VERY LITTLE BRAKING OCCURS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10112223

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO ALREADY PUT A NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW TIRES (ACCEPTABLE) TWO SETS OF BRAKES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL IS ON AND NO ONE CAN FIND OUT WHY SO THEREFORE I CAN'T GET AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL LIGHT IS OFF. HELP. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10104712

6,000 miles · Dec 6, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN BRAKING CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10103162

46,000 miles · Apr 8, 2004
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES STEERING BECAME HARD TO CONTROL. AS RESULT, VEHICLE SLED INTO A POLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE DAMAGE. ALSO, DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10066797

Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2004
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED A COMPLAINT TO GENERAL MOTORS AND HAVE A FILE #. I WARNED THEM AND EXPERIENCED MYSELF THAT THE ABS WERE DANGEROUS AND I WAS EXPOSED TO NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES FREEZING AND SKIDDING WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR PATCH OF ICE. THE BRAKES SKID AND DO NOT STOP. THIS COMPLAINT WAS PUT IN OVER SIX MON…

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I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED A COMPLAINT TO GENERAL MOTORS AND HAVE A FILE #. I WARNED THEM AND EXPERIENCED MYSELF THAT THE ABS WERE DANGEROUS AND I WAS EXPOSED TO NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES FREEZING AND SKIDDING WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR PATCH OF ICE. THE BRAKES SKID AND DO NOT STOP. THIS COMPLAINT WAS PUT IN OVER SIX MONTHS AGO. NOW MY DAUGHTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THE BRAKES SKIDDING AND NOT STOPPING. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10060489

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.