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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

Visibility complaints

16 reports
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48,500 miles · Sep 13, 2011
Visibility

MULTIPLE TIMES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WOULD NOT FLOW ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. I WOULD FILL THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID TANK SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH. FINALLY, I NOTICED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUIDS TUBING INTO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WAS FLAWED. THE TUBING IS ROUTED SO THAT IT PASSES THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TANK AND…

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MULTIPLE TIMES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WOULD NOT FLOW ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. I WOULD FILL THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID TANK SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH. FINALLY, I NOTICED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUIDS TUBING INTO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WAS FLAWED. THE TUBING IS ROUTED SO THAT IT PASSES THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TANK AND SEATS UP AGAINST THE HOT CAR BATTERY. AT THIS JUNCTURE, THE TUBING APPARENTLY HAD ROTTED AND MELTED, AND IT CREATED A HUGE HOLE IN THE TUBING. I DO NOT KNOW WHY GENERAL MOTORS DECIDED TO PASS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TANK, AND SEAT THIS TUBING UP AGAINST THE BATTERY, AND THEN GO DOWN AGAIN, AND FINALLY FIT INTO THE BOTTOM VALVE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TANK, BUT IT SEEMS POINTLESS AND STUPID AND A DEFINITE DESIGN FLAW!!! NOW, I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS TUBING REPAIRED AND PROBABLY REROUTED THE SIMPLER ROUTE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW IT TO BYPASS THE BATTERY, COMPLETELY, INSTEAD OF PRACTICALLY WRAPPING IT AROUND THE BATTERY!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10425297

58,000 miles · Mar 19, 2008
Visibility

THE WINDOW MOTORS HAVE BURNED OUT ON BOTH OF MY AUTOMATIC WINDOWS AT A LOW MILEAGE. THE PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 35,000 MILES AND NOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE MUST BE REPLACED AT 60,000. I RARELY USE THE AUTOMATIC WINDOWS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY HAVE BOTH FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10221746

20,000 miles · Apr 30, 2007
VisibilityInjury

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW NO LONGER WORKS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10189233

50,000 miles · Feb 15, 2007
Visibility

CHEVROLET CAVALIER, 4D SED....WHICH I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF 1.) RIGHT FRONT WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP HAD TO HAVE RIGHT FRONT DOOR TRIM PANEL, MOVABLE GLASS R & I & REPLACE RIGHT FRONT DOOR POWER GLASS REGULATOR $399.48 (REPAIRED: 05/09/06) THEN 2.) LEFT RIGHT WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED SERVICE DEPT IS CHEVROLET AWARE OF THI…

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CHEVROLET CAVALIER, 4D SED....WHICH I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF 1.) RIGHT FRONT WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP HAD TO HAVE RIGHT FRONT DOOR TRIM PANEL, MOVABLE GLASS R & I & REPLACE RIGHT FRONT DOOR POWER GLASS REGULATOR $399.48 (REPAIRED: 05/09/06) THEN 2.) LEFT RIGHT WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP. ASKED SERVICE DEPT IS CHEVROLET AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE INTERNET SHOWING OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEMS - THEY SAY NO! "C/S WINDOW INOP LEFT REAR, 60005 LR POWER WINDOW MOTOR INTERNAL PROBLEM 1.0 REMOVE & REPLACE LR POWER WINDOW MOTOR" $356.95. (REPAIRED: 01/13/07). NOW 3.) (02/12/07) THE FLT WINDOW IS STARTING TO STOP AGAIN, JUST AS THE LAST TWO REPAIRS STARTED....I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM... GO ON LINE SEE OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS YET CHEVROLET SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.... WHY CAN'T MANUFACTURER'S STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. IF THIS WAS AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, I WOULD UNDERSTAND BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG SO THAT I CAN NOT TAKE THE CHANCE OF ROLLING DOWN MY WINDOW SINCE I CAN NOT AFFORD, AS A SINGLE PARENT WITH A DISABLED CHILD TO REPAIR ANOTHER WINDOW. PLEASE, DO SOMETHING. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10182624

4,000 miles · Sep 6, 2006
Visibility

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE POWER WINDOW MOTORS A TOTAL OF 5 TIMES. LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. ONE DRIVER. NO ABUSE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10167519

21,493 miles · Aug 15, 2006
Visibility

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE MOTORIZED WINDOWS DID NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED A NEW MOTOR WAS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE POWER WINDOWS. *NM UPDATED 8/29/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ODI #10165539

Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2005
Visibility

PURCHASED CAR IN MARCH 2003. IN NOV. 2003, FUEL PUMP AND HEAD GASKETS WENT OUT AND NEEDED REPLACING. IN SEPT. 2004 REPLACED DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR. IN DEC. 2004 REPLACED BOTH REAR WINDOW REGULATORS. NOW, IN JUNE 2005, FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATOR GONE BAD AND NEEDS REPLACING. SURE HAVE PUT A LOT OF WORK IN A CAR THA…

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PURCHASED CAR IN MARCH 2003. IN NOV. 2003, FUEL PUMP AND HEAD GASKETS WENT OUT AND NEEDED REPLACING. IN SEPT. 2004 REPLACED DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR. IN DEC. 2004 REPLACED BOTH REAR WINDOW REGULATORS. NOW, IN JUNE 2005, FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATOR GONE BAD AND NEEDS REPLACING. SURE HAVE PUT A LOT OF WORK IN A CAR THAT IS NOT VERY OLD. 4 BAD WINDOW REGULATORS IS JUST RIDICULOUS!!!

NHTSA ODI #10125658

40,000 miles · Apr 25, 2005
Electrical SystemSeat BeltsVisibility

I GOT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND I HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR. IT IS NOT EVERYTIME BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TRY 4 OR 5 TIMES JUST TO GET IT TO START. MY SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT. I'M NOT A FAT PERSON , AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE BIG ENOUGH TO RUIN MY SEAT BELT RETRACTORS. MY REAR DEFROSTER BARELY WORKS, AND MY PASS…

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I GOT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND I HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR. IT IS NOT EVERYTIME BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TRY 4 OR 5 TIMES JUST TO GET IT TO START. MY SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT. I'M NOT A FAT PERSON , AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE BIG ENOUGH TO RUIN MY SEAT BELT RETRACTORS. MY REAR DEFROSTER BARELY WORKS, AND MY PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR ALREADY WENT BAD. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS CAR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10118443

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2005
Visibility

THE WINDOWS FAILED TO GO UP OR DOWN ON THEIR OWN. DRIVER PRESSED THE REMOTE CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING INSIDE OF THE DOOR PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10111489

61,000 miles · Dec 19, 2004
Visibility

THE MOTOR IN THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW IS NOT WORKING. ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT, I DO NOT FEEL THAT AFTER 2 YEARS THE MOTOR SHOULD BE BAD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10104108

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.