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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

    Unknown Or Other complaints

    7 reports
    Clear category filter
    Mileage unknown · Jun 7, 2023
    Air BagsUnknown Or Other

    Horn doesn't work..replaced fuse still not working..so I wonder if my air bag will work...how do I fix it no body know not even the dealer

    NHTSA ODI #11525935

    63,543 miles · Sep 14, 2014
    Unknown Or Other

    THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED AND WOULD NOT OPERATE. FIRST THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION TURNING ON AND SHUTTING OFF. THEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE IGNITION WOULD NOT SWITCH ON. JUST LIKE THE INFORMATION DISSEMINATED ABOUT THE CHEVY COBALT, BUT A YEAR BEFORE THE ANNOUNCED RECALL. I CONTACTED GM BUT THEY INDICA…

    Read full complaint

    THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED AND WOULD NOT OPERATE. FIRST THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION TURNING ON AND SHUTTING OFF. THEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE IGNITION WOULD NOT SWITCH ON. JUST LIKE THE INFORMATION DISSEMINATED ABOUT THE CHEVY COBALT, BUT A YEAR BEFORE THE ANNOUNCED RECALL. I CONTACTED GM BUT THEY INDICATED THAT MY MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. HOWEVER, I HAD TO INSTALL A IGNITION CYLINDER AND KEY KIT ACCORDING TO MY REPAIR INVOICE. I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD A TOTAL REVIEW OF GM VEHICLES OF THE IGNITION PART AS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10633036

    Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2009
    Unknown Or Other

    HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING WHEN THEY FLICKER THE HEATER LOSES PRESSURE. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10254998

    100,545 miles · Apr 7, 2008
    Unknown Or Other

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AS IS WITHOUT A WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EMITTING STRONG FUMES REGARDLESS IF THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT. SHE STATED THAT THE FUMES MAKE HER ILL. SHE NOTIFIED THE DEALER ABOUT THE FUMES AND THEY STATED THAT THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY, BUT IT…

    Read full complaint

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AS IS WITHOUT A WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EMITTING STRONG FUMES REGARDLESS IF THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT. SHE STATED THAT THE FUMES MAKE HER ILL. SHE NOTIFIED THE DEALER ABOUT THE FUMES AND THEY STATED THAT THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY, BUT IT STILL PERSISTS. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,788 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,545.

    NHTSA ODI #10223577

    Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
    SteeringUnknown Or Other

    HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING, NOTICED IT BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT. WHAT THEY DID WAS INSTALL RACK AND RESET ALIGNMENT. THE CAR WAS FINE AFTER THIS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THE DEALER IS SAYING NOW IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM, BUT I AM STILL HAVING THE SA…

    Read full complaint

    HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING, NOTICED IT BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT. WHAT THEY DID WAS INSTALL RACK AND RESET ALIGNMENT. THE CAR WAS FINE AFTER THIS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THE DEALER IS SAYING NOW IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM, BUT I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME KIND OF STEERING PROBLEM. AND SO THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN\\'T FIXED THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM.

    NHTSA ODI #10069716

    Mileage unknown · May 5, 2003
    Unknown Or Other

    DUST ON DASH ACCUMULATING IN A PINKISH COLOR..WOULD LIKE TO SEND SAMPLE OF IT TO YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT I AM BREATHING. *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10017069

    Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2003
    Unknown Or Other

    THE OIL DIPSTICK WAS MISMARKED. WHEN OIL IS FILLED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED CAPACITY, THE DIPSTICK READS 5/8 OF AN INCH HIGHER. *NLM

    NHTSA ODI #10012220

    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.