The whole steering column is loose The pins are all backed out I’m afraid to drive it I think this is a manufactured design flaw
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.
Steering complaints
16 reportsEVERY TIME I GO TO MY JOB MY POWER STEERING RESERVOIR BECOMES EMPTY AFTER I PUT ONE OR MORE QUARTS IN THE RESERVOIR. ANYTIME I DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I SWAY BACK AND FORTH NO MATTER HOW MUCH CONTROL I HAVE OVER THE VEHICLE. MY STEERING GETS SO HARD TO THE POINT WHERE I ALMOST CRASH EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR ANYWHERE BECAUSE I H…
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EVERY TIME I GO TO MY JOB MY POWER STEERING RESERVOIR BECOMES EMPTY AFTER I PUT ONE OR MORE QUARTS IN THE RESERVOIR. ANYTIME I DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I SWAY BACK AND FORTH NO MATTER HOW MUCH CONTROL I HAVE OVER THE VEHICLE. MY STEERING GETS SO HARD TO THE POINT WHERE I ALMOST CRASH EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR ANYWHERE BECAUSE I HAVE NO POWER STEERING OR DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER THE STEERING BECAUSE IT BECOMES SO TIGHT.
LOST PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE STEERING BECAUSE SHEER PEN RELEASED AND ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER-( INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE )
I'VE OWNED THE 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SINCE IT HAD 2000 MILES. IT CURRENTLY HAS AROUND 85000. WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2017 A GREASY BOLT CAME FLYING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AREA. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I'VE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS AND ACCIDENTS DUE TO FAULTY "PINS" THAT HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT. NOW MY 2004 CH…
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I'VE OWNED THE 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SINCE IT HAD 2000 MILES. IT CURRENTLY HAS AROUND 85000. WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2017 A GREASY BOLT CAME FLYING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AREA. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I'VE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS AND ACCIDENTS DUE TO FAULTY "PINS" THAT HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT. NOW MY 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER STEERING WHEEL MOVES TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT. THIS CONDITION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS OCCURRED IN MANY GM/ CHEVROLET CARS. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND BEING CHECKED OUT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND MAKING A TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAVNUEVER. THE FAILURE WAS PERMANENT. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E063000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND MAKING A TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAVNUEVER. THE FAILURE WAS PERMANENT. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E063000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
THE VEHICLE STEERING IS NOT TIGHT AND I AM NOT ABLE TO TIGHTLY CONTROL THE MOVEMENT COMPLETELY WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS OR MAKING TURNS. THE WHEEL STEERING FEELS LOOSE AND UNSECURED. WHEN DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE DRIFTS REGARDLESS IF I HAVE CONTROL.
AROUND 4:00PM AFTER GETTING OFF WORK. I WAS DRIVING HOME AND I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, MY STEERING WHEEL MOVED UP THEN DOWN DIAGONALLY ABOUT A INCH; INCH AND A HALF. IT DOES IT EVERY TIME NOW WHEN ANY KIND OF UPWARD PRESSURE IS PUT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I DON'T KNOW HOW SERIOUS OF A PROBLEM THIS IS, BUT IT DOES SEEM IF IT GET…
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AROUND 4:00PM AFTER GETTING OFF WORK. I WAS DRIVING HOME AND I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, MY STEERING WHEEL MOVED UP THEN DOWN DIAGONALLY ABOUT A INCH; INCH AND A HALF. IT DOES IT EVERY TIME NOW WHEN ANY KIND OF UPWARD PRESSURE IS PUT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I DON'T KNOW HOW SERIOUS OF A PROBLEM THIS IS, BUT IT DOES SEEM IF IT GETS ANY WORSE IT COULD EFFECT YOUR DRIVING ABILITY OF THE CAR.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, THE INTERIOR LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. LAST YEAR I WENT SHOPPING, GOT BACK INTO MY CAR & STARTED IT, OR RATHER TRIED TO START IT, BUT IT SHUT DOWN QUITE QUICKLY. THINKING IT WAS A FLUKE, I TRIED TO START IT SEVERAL MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULTS. NOT EVEN PUSH…
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FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, THE INTERIOR LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. LAST YEAR I WENT SHOPPING, GOT BACK INTO MY CAR & STARTED IT, OR RATHER TRIED TO START IT, BUT IT SHUT DOWN QUITE QUICKLY. THINKING IT WAS A FLUKE, I TRIED TO START IT SEVERAL MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULTS. NOT EVEN PUSHING ON THE GAS COULD KEEP IT GOING. AFTER TOWING THE CAR & HAVING IT SIT AROUND FOR A WHILE BEFORE SOMEONE COULD FINALLY FIND THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE, IT WAS 'REPAIRED'. THE ISSUE WAS THE WIRING FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE REPAIR COMPLETED WAS A CHEAPER ROUTE THAN REPLACING THE ACTUAL SWITCH. WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL TOO LATE LAST YEAR WAS THE 'SERVICE W/WRENCH' AND 'THEFT SYSTEM' LIGHTS WERE THE WARNING THAT THE SWITCH WAS ABOUT TO GO OUT. THE INTERIOR LIGHT HAS BEEN DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN & THE THEFT & SERVICE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN LAST WEDNESDAY, 7/15/15, AND NOW I KNOW I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SEITCH. LAST YEAR I CONTACTED GM BUT THEY ONLY WANTED TO MAKE A NOTE ABOUT IT. I'M SURE THAT AS TIME GOES ON OTHERS WILL HAVE ISSUES TOO. HOW CAN WIRES COME LOOSE OR BREAK BEHIND A STEERING WHEEL? PLUGS, HOSES & THINGS LIKE THAT I CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND, BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT IS HIDDEN & SUPPOSEDLY SAFE BEHIND A STEERING WHEEL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT AND CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT AND CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
CAR SHUT OFF NO POWER STEERING GAUGES SHUT OFF EVERYTHING TURNED OFF BUT LIGHTS STAYED ON AND FLASHERS WORKED. *TR
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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