AT ABOUT 40K MILES, THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER STARTED ACTING ERRATICALLY. SPEEDOMETER CONSTANTLY AT 60 EVEN WHEN AT A STOP. TACH NO LONGER WORKS AT ALL. WILL HAVE TO REPLACE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ESTIMATE IS ABOUT $450.00. *TR
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.
What owners actually said
330 reportsI STARTED LOOKING FOR A FIX FOR MY WIFE'S CAR AND I HAVE FOUND THAT ACROSS THE NATION THERE ARE PEOPLE DRIVING WITH NO SPEEDO, TACH, DASH LIGHTS, OR HORN. THIS IS A DIFFERENT MIX OF PRBS FOR EACH BUT THEY ALL COME BACK TO THE DASH OF THE CHEVY CAVALIER. *TR
MY SPEEDOMETER HAS STOPPED WORKING. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED ONCE AND HAS STARTED NOT FUNCTIONING AGAIN. IT OCCASIONALLY WORKS CORRECTLY, BUT MOSTLY IT GOES UP TO A HIGH READING AND STICKS THERE. *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT READ ACCURATELY. SOMETIMES IT READS TOO FAST AND SOMETIMES TOO SLOW. NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED, BUT THE POTENTIAL IS THERE. THE PROBLEM IS SPORADIC, HAPPENING OVER THE COURSE OF A DAY, SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED. *TR
MY 2004 CAVALIER HAS HAD TWO MASTER/SLAVE CYLINDERS TO FAIL. CLUTCH GOES TO THE FLOOR FAILING TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH PEDAL. DEALER TRIED TO CHARGE ME $800 WHEN I HAD WARRANTY. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL SERVICE ADVISORS. WILL NEVER RECOMMEND A GM- CHEVROLET VEHICLE TO ANYONE EVER. GM = NIGHTM…
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MY 2004 CAVALIER HAS HAD TWO MASTER/SLAVE CYLINDERS TO FAIL. CLUTCH GOES TO THE FLOOR FAILING TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH PEDAL. DEALER TRIED TO CHARGE ME $800 WHEN I HAD WARRANTY. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL SERVICE ADVISORS. WILL NEVER RECOMMEND A GM- CHEVROLET VEHICLE TO ANYONE EVER. GM = NIGHTMARE. DON'T BUY GM EVER!!!! *TR
I STARTED THE CAR WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE WENT ABOVE THE FULL MARK EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AT A HALF TANK, AFTER SHUTTING IT OFF AND RESTARTING IT A COUPLE TIMES IT EVENTUALLY CORRECTED ITSELF. A WEEK LATER THIS HAPPENED AGAIN BUT IT WOULD NOT CORRECT ITSELF THOUGH. THEN WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER STARTED TO GIVE BAD R…
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I STARTED THE CAR WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE WENT ABOVE THE FULL MARK EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AT A HALF TANK, AFTER SHUTTING IT OFF AND RESTARTING IT A COUPLE TIMES IT EVENTUALLY CORRECTED ITSELF. A WEEK LATER THIS HAPPENED AGAIN BUT IT WOULD NOT CORRECT ITSELF THOUGH. THEN WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER STARTED TO GIVE BAD READINGS. THE TACHOMETER WAS READING AT BELOW ZERO RPMS WHILE AT IDLE AND IT WOULD GO UP TO ABOUT 6,000 RPM WHILE DRIVING, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD READ ABOUT 30-40 MPH OVER THE SPEED LIMIT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND WOULD SIT AT ABOUT 20 MPH WHEN I WAS AT IDLE. THE DEALERSHIPS SAID THAT REPLACING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR
MY SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER HAS STOPPED WORKING I HAVE NOTICED ALOT IF 2000 MODELS WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER LS SPORT. WELL LETS FIRST START OFF WITH MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW MOTOR. IT WENT OUT ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND WE FIXED IT THIS SUMMER. APPARENTLY IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM BUT OF COURSE NO RECALL ON IT SO PAID ALMOST 300 DOLLARS MYSELF TO FIX IT. THEN AFTER THAT WHEN I WOULD START MY CAR AND PUT IT INT…
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I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER LS SPORT. WELL LETS FIRST START OFF WITH MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW MOTOR. IT WENT OUT ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND WE FIXED IT THIS SUMMER. APPARENTLY IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM BUT OF COURSE NO RECALL ON IT SO PAID ALMOST 300 DOLLARS MYSELF TO FIX IT. THEN AFTER THAT WHEN I WOULD START MY CAR AND PUT IT INTO DRIVE, THE CAR WOULD SPUTTER AND THE ABS AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. NEXT ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO I NOTICED THAT MY GAS GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING A LITTLE. DIDN'T GIVE IT MUCH THOUGHT BUT THEN 2 MONTHS AGO MY TEMP GAUGE WAS GOING HAYWIRE. CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. WELL WE ALL KNOW MONEY IS TIGHT SO I HAVE LEFT IT. LOW AND BEHOLD LATE LAST WEEK, THE MPH GAUGE SAID I WAS GOING 100 MPH IN A 35 ZONE. I HAD TO TAKE A DOUBLE LOOK. DEALER AGAIN SAYS NO RECALLS. AFTER SPEAKING TO A FRIEND, HE SAID THAT HIS TRUCK DID THE SAME THING ALONG WITH ANOTHER CO-WORKERS TRUCK (GM TRUCKS) AND THAT THEY TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT HAD A RECALL ON THE "INSTRUMENT CLUSTER" AND THERE WAS NO CHARGE. HOW COME CAVALIERS ARE HAVING THE PROBLEM AND NOTHING, BUT THERE TRUCKS HAVE IT AND THERE IS A RECALL. I CANT TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING. NOW I AM PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO JUST GO WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC SINCE I CANT AFFORD TO FIX IT. COME ON GM OWN UP TO ALL OF YOUR MISTAKES PLEASE..........THERE ARE TONS OF LOGGED COMPLAINTS ON HERE ABOUT IT, OBVIOUSLY IT IS A REAL PROBLEM GM. THIS IS WHY WE ARE GOING FOREIGN WITH OUR CARS NOW. *TR
SO, THE PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER IN MY CAVALIER WOULD RANDOMLY FREEZE AND STOP WORKING. I NOTICED THAT ONCE I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON IT WOULD BE FINE, AND IT WOULD WORK PROPERLY FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF IT FREEZING UP LIKE THIS, I WAS REALLY G…
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SO, THE PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER IN MY CAVALIER WOULD RANDOMLY FREEZE AND STOP WORKING. I NOTICED THAT ONCE I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON IT WOULD BE FINE, AND IT WOULD WORK PROPERLY FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF IT FREEZING UP LIKE THIS, I WAS REALLY GETTING TICKED OFF. ONE DAY IT STARTED WORKING FINE AND FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR SO IT WORKED PERFECT WITH NO ISSUES AT ALL. THEN ABOUT A WEEK AGO IT REALLY STARTED FREAKING OUT. IT SAID I WAS GOING 110 WHEN I WAS ONLY GOING LIKE 40, AND TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF DOES NOTHING. IT STAYS FROZEN NO MATTER WHAT IT DO. IF I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, IT ACTUALLY GOES PAST THE GAUGE LIMIT AND POINTS STRAIGHT DOWN WHERE MY ODOMETER IS AND STAYS THERE. IT IS SO ANNOYING! I DECIDED OVER THE WEEKEND I WOULD TAKE IT INTO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY TOLD ME? THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $675 TO FIX IT, B/C THE WHOLE SPEEDOMETER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM GOING TO PAY ALMOST $700 TO TAKE CARE OF A PROBLEM THAT CHEVY CREATED. *TR
MY SPEEDOMETER IS MALFUNCTIONING. IT IS SETTING ON 65 WHEN STOPPED. THEN WHEN DRIVING IT SETS ON 110+. THEN FOR NO REASON IT STARTS WORKING AGAIN. I TOOK IT IN TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, I AM STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I ONLY HAVE ONE CAR, I HAVE TO DRIVE TO WORK. BUT THIS IS SCARY AND DANGEROUS. NOT TO MENTI…
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MY SPEEDOMETER IS MALFUNCTIONING. IT IS SETTING ON 65 WHEN STOPPED. THEN WHEN DRIVING IT SETS ON 110+. THEN FOR NO REASON IT STARTS WORKING AGAIN. I TOOK IT IN TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, I AM STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I ONLY HAVE ONE CAR, I HAVE TO DRIVE TO WORK. BUT THIS IS SCARY AND DANGEROUS. NOT TO MENTION I COULD GET A TICKET. *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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