IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND DIE . AFTER INSPECTION OF VEHICLE, DEALER DETERMINED THAT SPACES BEHIND FIREWALL WERE OMITTED DURING MANFACTURING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cavalier years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
280–25K
1625–50K
3150–75K
1275–100K
9100–150K
6150K+
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
What owners actually said
196 reportsWHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP. AFTER INSPECTIING VEHICLE, DEAELR DETERMINED THAT SPACE BEHIND THE FIREWALL WAS OMITTED DURING MANUFACTURING. *AK
WHEN NOT PUTTING VEHICLE INTO PARK,VEHICLE IS STILL IN GEAR. CONSUMER IS ABLE TO REMOVE KEY AND VEHICLE IS ABLE TO ROLL.*AK
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
ON ABOVE TIME AND DATE, I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A STREET AT 25 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND COME FROM MY DRIVER SEAT. IT CAUSED ME TO SHIFT TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SEAT, CAUSING ME TO BRIEFLY SWERVE ON THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD AT THAT TIME. SINCE I WAS NEAR MY HOME, I THEN PARKED MY CAR A…
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ON ABOVE TIME AND DATE, I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A STREET AT 25 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND COME FROM MY DRIVER SEAT. IT CAUSED ME TO SHIFT TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SEAT, CAUSING ME TO BRIEFLY SWERVE ON THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD AT THAT TIME. SINCE I WAS NEAR MY HOME, I THEN PARKED MY CAR AND INSPECTED THE SEAT. APPARENTLY, THE BACKING OF THE SEAT (UPPER PORTION) AND THE SPRING ASSEMBLY HAS SNAPPED. VISUALLY, YOU CAN SEE THE SPRINGS PUSHING OUT OF THE BACK. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR WITH 575 MILES, SEATS SHOULDN'T JUST BREAK LIKE THIS. WHAT WOULD OF HAPPENED IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT? I THOUGHT THE NHTSA SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET HURT.*AK
I WAS REAR ENDED. I WAS AT A FULL STOP. MY SEAT BROKE. I ENDED UP IN A RECLINING POSITION. THE ACCIDENT SCENE INVESTIGATOR-POLICE OFFICER TOLD ME THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE PART AND THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.THE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR SAID I SUSTAINED MORE INJURY BECAUSE THE SEAT BROKE AND IF I WAS HIT ANY HARDED, I COULD HAVE BEEN…
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I WAS REAR ENDED. I WAS AT A FULL STOP. MY SEAT BROKE. I ENDED UP IN A RECLINING POSITION. THE ACCIDENT SCENE INVESTIGATOR-POLICE OFFICER TOLD ME THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE PART AND THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.THE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR SAID I SUSTAINED MORE INJURY BECAUSE THE SEAT BROKE AND IF I WAS HIT ANY HARDED, I COULD HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT THE BACK WINDOW EVEN THOUGH I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT. I FEAR THAT OTHERS MAY END UP INJURED EVEN MORE SERIOUSLY.*AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.