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.

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 →

330Owner complaints

Model-year median: 140

1Recall 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

2004 Chevrolet Cavalier

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 330 owner complaints · 1 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: 185 reports
Vehicle Speed Control: 27 reports
Power Train: 23 reports
Visibility: 23 reports
Steering: 16 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

04V300000 — Seat Belts:rear/other

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

Compare all Cavalier years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System

185Vehicle Speed Control

27 Power Train

23 Visibility

23 Steering

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

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

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.

17 crash reports6 fire reports15 injury reports

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

3 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2015

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

Read full complaint

AT TIMES, DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN HARD TO START. HAD THE FUEL PUMP AND IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED, BUT DID NOT SEEM TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY, THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING AND TOOK 15 MINUTES TO FINALLY RE-START. I HAVE READ ONLINE WHERE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR OTHER OWNERS OF CHEVY CAVALIERS- HARD TO START AND STALLS OUT SOMETIMES. NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON AND THERE IS NO CODE TO DIAGNOSIS/READ. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712311

152,000 miles · May 17, 2014

Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

Read full complaint

2004 CAVALIER, 2.2L DOHC, 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH VEHICLE FELT AS IF CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. RPMS WOULD NOT FALL OFF AS FAST AS USUAL WHEN FOOT TAKEN OFF GAS, AND WHEN I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH (WHICH WAS JUST REPLACED LAST WEEK DUE TO ANOTHER KNOWN ISSUE THAT CHEVY REFUSES TO RECALL) RPMS WENT ABOVE 4,000. TAPPED GAS PEDAL THINKING MAYBE IT WAS STUCK AND IT ONLY REVVED HIGHER AND DID NOT COME DOWN ON ITS OWN. RPMS CONTINUED TO CLIMB AS I CAME TO A STOP, AROUND 6,000 BY THE TIME I PULLED OVER. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND IMMEDIATELY BACK ON, NO PROBLEMS FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP HOME (ANOTHER 8 MILES). I CANNOT RISK MY CAR REVVING AT 6,000 RPMS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHICH I'M IN EVERY WEEKDAY AND I CAN'T SHUT IT OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON TO FIX THE PROBLEM, SO I HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSES IT AND FIX IT ASAP. THANKS FOR ANOTHER SPENDY REPAIR, CHEVY. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10592115

450,000 miles · Jun 30, 2012

Fuel/propulsion System

SO WHEN MY GAS GAUGES GET DOWN BELOW THE HALF LINE THE CHECK GAUGES LIGHT COMES UP AND I KNOW FOR SURE THAT MY CAR ISN'T YET EMPTY. WHAT DO I DO? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10463660

Recall campaigns

04V300000 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

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.