GAS GAUGE WENT HAYWIRE WHICH INTERFERED WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, WHICH INTERFERED WITH THE SPEEDOMETER. I HAVE SEEN OVER 1,000 COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE. GM NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. *LN
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Cavalier years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier are substantially higher than 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
264 reports with mileage · 66 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 185 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Equipment complaints
6 reportsTHE TRUNK LATCH ON MY CAVALIER WON'T LATCH. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS BROKE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE TRUNK LATCH ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO I RARELY USE MY TRUNK. ALSO THE DEFROST,VENT KNOB QUIT WORKING IT TURN BUT WON'T SWITCH TO DEFROST OR THE DIFFERENT VENT SETTINGS. THE CD PLAYER WON'T TAKE, OR PLAY CD'S. THERE …
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THE TRUNK LATCH ON MY CAVALIER WON'T LATCH. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS BROKE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE TRUNK LATCH ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO I RARELY USE MY TRUNK. ALSO THE DEFROST,VENT KNOB QUIT WORKING IT TURN BUT WON'T SWITCH TO DEFROST OR THE DIFFERENT VENT SETTINGS. THE CD PLAYER WON'T TAKE, OR PLAY CD'S. THERE WAS A FLY ON MY WINDSHIELD RIGHT AROUND A YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND I BARELY TAPPED THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL OVER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A TAPPING NOSE IN THE HEATER AND THE C…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A TAPPING NOSE IN THE HEATER AND THE CD PLAYER DOES NOT WORK. THERE WERE ALSO TWO MOTOR SWTICES REPAIRED IN THE WINDOWS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,000.
I BOUGHT MY CAR, A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH 21 MILES ON IT. SINCE THEN I HAVE TRIED TO RETURN IT AND NOW THE MINOR BUT FREQUENT ISSUES ARE MUCH BIGGER AND MORE FREQUENTLY! FIRST MY TRUNK LATCH BROKE A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE. THE CD BROKE THE NEXT WEEK, CIGARETTE LIGHTER BROKE, AND PASSENGER SEAT WOULDN'T MOVE. THIS WAS THE FIR…
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I BOUGHT MY CAR, A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER WITH 21 MILES ON IT. SINCE THEN I HAVE TRIED TO RETURN IT AND NOW THE MINOR BUT FREQUENT ISSUES ARE MUCH BIGGER AND MORE FREQUENTLY! FIRST MY TRUNK LATCH BROKE A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE. THE CD BROKE THE NEXT WEEK, CIGARETTE LIGHTER BROKE, AND PASSENGER SEAT WOULDN'T MOVE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. A FEW MONTHS AGO THE FUEL GAUGE BROKE, TEMP GAUGE AND AC. THEY COULDN'T VERIFY IT SO COULDN'T REPAIR, UNTIL IT COMPLETELY FAILED THIS MONTH. ALSO, I WAS LEFT STRANDED AT 2:30 AM WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD SON WHEN THE CLUTCH FELL THROUGH THE FLOOR. IT WAS REPAIRED AND NOW THE RPMS SHOOT UP TO 6000, IS UNRESPONSIVE TO ANY PEDALS, AND REQUIRES TURNING THE ENGINE OFF. THIS HAPPENED IN SAN FRANCISCO ON HIGHWAY 101, I AM TRULY AFRAID FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF. SON, AND OTHERS DRIVING THIS CAR OR NEAR ONE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER UNMENTIONED THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, TOO MANY TO TELL IN THIS SUMMARY. THEY OF COURSE CAN'T DUPLICATE THIS MAJOR PROBLEM AND THEREFORE CAN'T "CORRECT." ALSO THEY STATE IT DOESN'T FALL UNDER LEMON, BUT WHAT IS AT STAKE OUR LIVES. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE THREE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE AUTOMATIC WINDOWS FAILED TO ROLL EITHER UP OR DOWN. THE SECOND PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE TRUNK; WATER CONTINUALLY LEAKED INTO THE TRUNK. THE THIRD PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE BRAKES; THEY WERE NO LONGER WORKING AT ONLY 25000 MILES. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLU…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE THREE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE AUTOMATIC WINDOWS FAILED TO ROLL EITHER UP OR DOWN. THE SECOND PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE TRUNK; WATER CONTINUALLY LEAKED INTO THE TRUNK. THE THIRD PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE BRAKES; THEY WERE NO LONGER WORKING AT ONLY 25000 MILES. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND MADE A SQUEALING NOISE AS SOON AS BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRUNK WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER FIXED THE TRUNK, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. WHEN IT RAIN, WATER STILL LEAKS IN THE TRUNK. THE WATER LEAK HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE JULY 2003.
DT: CONSUMER STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD WENT BAD, AND THEN THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RADIO HAD TO REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND THE ALARM WENT OFF AT RANDOM. ALSO, DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BODY M…
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DT: CONSUMER STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD WENT BAD, AND THEN THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RADIO HAD TO REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND THE ALARM WENT OFF AT RANDOM. ALSO, DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BODY MODULE CONTROL UNIT. THE FRONT END HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE WHEEL COVERS AND THE CLICKING NOISE WAS A RESULT OF THIS. THEY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL COVERS TWICE. *AK
Official recalls
104V300000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Jun 23, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, 'SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES.' THE PASSENGER-SIDE REAR SAFETY BELT MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WITH AN INCORRECT NUT AND BOLT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN A SEVERE CRASH, THE UPPER SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE MAY SEPARATE. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SEAT BELT COULD THEN BE REDUCED AND THE OCCUPANT COULD RECEIVE GREATER INJURIES.
Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO INSPECT THE SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE AND INSTALL A NEW NUT AND BOLT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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.
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