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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.

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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.

17 crash reports6 fire reports15 injury reports

Steering complaints

16 reports
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178,000 miles · Nov 26, 2012
Steering

DOING MY MORNING PAPER ROUTE. WENT TO TURN LEFT IN A CUL-DE-SAC AND THE STEERING TILT BROKE. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS GOING ALL KIND OF DIRECTIONS. I HAVE TWO NEWSPAPERS WEDGED INTO THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE BOTTOM SO I CAN DRIVE IT UNTIL I CAN SOMEHOW GET IT FIXED. I HAVE THREE OR FOUR PARTS THAT FELL INTO THE FLOORBOARD. ALL …

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DOING MY MORNING PAPER ROUTE. WENT TO TURN LEFT IN A CUL-DE-SAC AND THE STEERING TILT BROKE. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS GOING ALL KIND OF DIRECTIONS. I HAVE TWO NEWSPAPERS WEDGED INTO THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE BOTTOM SO I CAN DRIVE IT UNTIL I CAN SOMEHOW GET IT FIXED. I HAVE THREE OR FOUR PARTS THAT FELL INTO THE FLOORBOARD. ALL I WAS DOING WAS TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT WHEN I BROKE AND THE PARTS FELL OFF. THIS IS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. I BOUGHT IT IN 2009. THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR PROBLEM I'VE HAD WITH THE CAR. IT SEEMS THAT THIS SHOULDN'T EVER HAPPEN TO ANY CAR. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS IN THIS CAR. I CAN STILL STEER, BUT THE TILT IS BROKEN AND THE WHEEL IS HARD TO KEEP STILL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10486035

Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2012
Electrical SystemSteering

THERE IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE HORN AFTER TIME/WEAR WITH THE 2003-2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THERE IS A ISSUE WITH THE CONTACT IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO ACTIVE THE VEHICLES HORN. THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY THE ROTATING RIBBON CIRCUIT CONTACT UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL HAVING A BROKEN FILAMENT FOR THE HORN CIRCUIT, THE PART IS…

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THERE IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE HORN AFTER TIME/WEAR WITH THE 2003-2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THERE IS A ISSUE WITH THE CONTACT IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO ACTIVE THE VEHICLES HORN. THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY THE ROTATING RIBBON CIRCUIT CONTACT UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL HAVING A BROKEN FILAMENT FOR THE HORN CIRCUIT, THE PART IS KNOWN AS A CLOCK SPRING CONTACT. THE HORN WILL NOT WORK BY PRESSING EITHER BUTTON ON STEERING WHEEL, BUT WILL SOUND AS PART OF VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM BY PRESSING KEY FOB. THIS ISSUE CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS, AND INJURY. THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM REPORTED BY MANY VEHICLE OWNERS ON DIFFERENT FORUMS, DATABASES, AND SEARCHES. PLEASE FIX OR RECALL THIS PART CHEVROLET, TO PREVENT ACCIDENT, INJURY, AND DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10461976

130,012 miles · May 14, 2010
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT SPEEDS OF 8 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FELL INTO THE CONTACTS LAP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE SCR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT SPEEDS OF 8 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FELL INTO THE CONTACTS LAP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE SCREWS MISSING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,012.

NHTSA ODI #10330483

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2010
Steering

I CURRENTLY DRIVE A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER LS, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE POWER STEERING FOR A FEW YEARS. THE VEHICLE WILL DRIVE AND STEER FINE FOR A WHILE, THEN IT WILL BEGIN TO MAKE A LOW GRUMBLING NOISE WHEN I SLOW DOWN AND TURN. THE STEERING BECOMES STEADILY MORE DIFFICULT. I EVENTUALLY TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME THAT…

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I CURRENTLY DRIVE A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER LS, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE POWER STEERING FOR A FEW YEARS. THE VEHICLE WILL DRIVE AND STEER FINE FOR A WHILE, THEN IT WILL BEGIN TO MAKE A LOW GRUMBLING NOISE WHEN I SLOW DOWN AND TURN. THE STEERING BECOMES STEADILY MORE DIFFICULT. I EVENTUALLY TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A SLOW LEAK IN MY STEERING FLUID AND INSTEAD OF PAYING TO FIX IT, TO KEEP FILLING IT WITH FLUID WHENEVER I START HEARING THE NOISE. SO FAR, I'VE ONLY LOST THE POWER STEERING ONCE - LUCKILY I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY. FILLING THE POWER STEERING WORKS AS A QUICK FIX FOR A FEW WEEKS. I'VE ALSO NOTICE THAT WHEN I GOT TO OPEN THE POWER STEERING FLUID CAP - IT APPEARS THAT THE FLUID HAS BEEN "BOILING" OR FOAMING FOR A WHILE. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT HELPS, BUT IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING I'VE NOTICED. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10315775

70,455 miles · Sep 22, 2006
Steering

2004 CHEVY CAV. NEEDS NEW RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY. WAS TOLD BY MECH THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE 3 OTHER CAV'S RACK AND PINION SYSTEMS DUE TO MALFUNCTIONS. WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THESE RACK SYSTEMS. I HAVE 70555 MILES ON MY CAR. WAS TOLD BY MECH THAT CAV'S WITH LESSER MILEAGE NEEDED REPLACING. MECH SAID THIS SYSTEM NEEDS TO B…

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2004 CHEVY CAV. NEEDS NEW RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY. WAS TOLD BY MECH THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE 3 OTHER CAV'S RACK AND PINION SYSTEMS DUE TO MALFUNCTIONS. WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THESE RACK SYSTEMS. I HAVE 70555 MILES ON MY CAR. WAS TOLD BY MECH THAT CAV'S WITH LESSER MILEAGE NEEDED REPLACING. MECH SAID THIS SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY CHEVY. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10168991

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2004
Steering

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH CONSUMER FOUND IT HARD TO STEER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER SLOWLY DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND FOUND THAT STEERING FLUID WAS COVERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ALSO, THE HOSE CONNECTING THE STEERING FLUID PUMP WAS NOT CONNECTED PROPERLY. THE CLAMP WAS ON THE HOSE, BUT NOT CLAMPED ONTO …

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WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH CONSUMER FOUND IT HARD TO STEER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER SLOWLY DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND FOUND THAT STEERING FLUID WAS COVERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ALSO, THE HOSE CONNECTING THE STEERING FLUID PUMP WAS NOT CONNECTED PROPERLY. THE CLAMP WAS ON THE HOSE, BUT NOT CLAMPED ONTO THE CONNECTOR. *AK DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10065047

Official recalls

1

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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.