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2005 Chevrolet Cavalier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Cavalier years

Owner complaints for the 2005 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

230 reports with mileage · 57 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 211 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

6 reports
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Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2016
Air BagsSeatsCrashInjury

TAKATA RECALL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A REAR END COLLISION THAT TOTALLED CAR. ALSO PASSENGERS SEAT BROKE CAUSING NECK AND RIB INJURY.VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WAITING FOR CONSTRUCTION FLAGMAN.

NHTSA ODI #10925924

40,000 miles · Feb 20, 2015
Air BagsFuel/propulsion System

PLEASE CALL ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH THESE CARS, [XXX] IS HOW I THINK ANYTHING WILL GET DONE, JUST CALLED TODAY 02-20-15. GAS GAUGE WENT OUT 02-07-15 ( MILEAGE 40000) AND IS HITTING AGAINST MY TEMP GAUGE SO I DON'T KNOW HOW HIT MY CAR IS GETTING. I REPLACED MY TEMP GAUGE BACK IN 01-07-12 MILEAGE(29111) CAUSE IT WAS HITTING AGAI…

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PLEASE CALL ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH THESE CARS, [XXX] IS HOW I THINK ANYTHING WILL GET DONE, JUST CALLED TODAY 02-20-15. GAS GAUGE WENT OUT 02-07-15 ( MILEAGE 40000) AND IS HITTING AGAINST MY TEMP GAUGE SO I DON'T KNOW HOW HIT MY CAR IS GETTING. I REPLACED MY TEMP GAUGE BACK IN 01-07-12 MILEAGE(29111) CAUSE IT WAS HITTING AGAINST MY SPEEDOMETER<--- THIS WAS NOT REPLACED BUT I DONT THINK TILL THIS DAY IT SHOWS THE RIGHT SPEED. AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK BACK IN 2006 CRASH NO FAULT OF THE CAR THEN, SOMEONE HIT ME, SO DONT EVEN KNOW IF THEY WILL. CALLED GM ABOUT THAT IN 2012 AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. FORGOT TO TELL KIMMY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM TODAY. GOOD LUCK GETTING THESE PROBLEMS FIXED. I HAVE TO DRIVE MY KIDS AND FAMILY AROUND ONLY CAR I HAVE SO I HOPE SOMETHING IS FIXED BEFORE WE GET HURT. AND I HOPE FOR THE ONES THAT FIXED THESE REPAIRS GET THERE MONEY BACK IF THEY FIND IT TO BE A ISSUE.. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10689630

112,000 miles · Dec 2, 2014
Air BagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES OR IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES OR IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

NHTSA ODI #10661648

91,000 miles · May 19, 2014
Air BagsCrashInjury

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION WHEN STOPPED FOR LIGHT. LIGHT TURNED GREEN HAD SOME ONE IN FRONT OF HER AND SINCE IT IS A STICK SHIFT SHE JUST LET THE CAR ROLL. SHE PANICKED I THINK AND HIT CLUTCH INSTEAD OF BRAKE. SHE ROLLED INTO THE BACK OF THE SUV AHEAD OF HER AND THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED IN THE CAR. SHE WAS ONLY G…

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DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION WHEN STOPPED FOR LIGHT. LIGHT TURNED GREEN HAD SOME ONE IN FRONT OF HER AND SINCE IT IS A STICK SHIFT SHE JUST LET THE CAR ROLL. SHE PANICKED I THINK AND HIT CLUTCH INSTEAD OF BRAKE. SHE ROLLED INTO THE BACK OF THE SUV AHEAD OF HER AND THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED IN THE CAR. SHE WAS ONLY GOING 4 MILES AN HOUR. NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER NO FRONT DAMAGE TO OUR CAR EXCEPT THE AIR BAGS AND BREAKAGE OF FRONT WINDOW. DAUGHTER WAS HIT IN FACE BY AIRBAG AND THE FINGERS CUT WITH WITH THE WINDOW BREAKING. SHE HAS RECEIVED 2 BLACK EYES AND SAID SHE WAS VERY DISORIENTED WHEN THE AIRBAG HIT HER. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS FONTAL WISE. I WENT THROUGH TO SEE IF WE HAD A CARFAX ON THIS CAR. THE COMPANY TOLD THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF I WAS DRIVING THE CAR I AM SHORT AND WITH IT BEING A CLUTCH I HAVE TO SIT CLOSE. SO I REALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT. WHY WOULD THE AIRBAGS EXPLODE AT ONLY 4 MILES AN HOUR? PLEASE RESPOND SOON AS THIS HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF FOR THE INSURANCE. THANK YOU. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10592552

42,000 miles · Nov 18, 2008
Air BagsCrash

MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. SHE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE ON A RAIN SLICK ROAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ALTHOUGH SHE IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING HER SORE NECK EVALUATED BY A DOCTOR. SHE WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN HER VEHICLE (2005 CHEVY CAVALIER). THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BREAK THE WIN…

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MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. SHE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE ON A RAIN SLICK ROAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ALTHOUGH SHE IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING HER SORE NECK EVALUATED BY A DOCTOR. SHE WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN HER VEHICLE (2005 CHEVY CAVALIER). THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BREAK THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT DID NOT INFLATE PROPERLY. UPON INSPECTION, IT IS APPARENT THAT A HOLE IN THE AIRBAG (ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER) IS THE REASON THE AIRBAG DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. OBVIOUSLY, THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG IS THE REASON FOR THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10249085

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2005
Air Bags

THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE AIR BAGS IN HER 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER BE DISCONNECTED. *NM THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A DOCTOR NOT TO HAVE THE AIR BAG REMOVED. THE CONSUMER PRESENTED THE NOTE TO THE DEALER WHO IN TURN FAXED THE NOTE TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STILL REFUSED TO ALLOW THE DEALER TO DISCONNECT THE AIR BAG.…

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THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE AIR BAGS IN HER 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER BE DISCONNECTED. *NM THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A DOCTOR NOT TO HAVE THE AIR BAG REMOVED. THE CONSUMER PRESENTED THE NOTE TO THE DEALER WHO IN TURN FAXED THE NOTE TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STILL REFUSED TO ALLOW THE DEALER TO DISCONNECT THE AIR BAG. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10113756

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.