REAR SHOES ONLY 50% WORN AFTER 153,000. HAND BRAKE STARTING GRABBING UNEVEN SO HAD TO HAVE REAR DRUMS TORCHED OFF. DRUMS WOULD NOT REMOVE THROUGH NORMAL MEANS. CONDITION OF HARDWARE WAS FOUND TO BE REUSABLE. DRUMS WARPED/FAILED BEFORE SHOES WORE OUT. *TR
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.
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
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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
13 reportsHORN CONTACT BEHIND AIRBAG WAS RECENTLY CRAZY GLUED, TO RESTORE HORN, AND SPEEDO & CLUSTER REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE CLUSTER BY CHEVY, OR REMOVAL & REBUILD OF GAUGE STEPPER MOTORS THROUGH EBAY MOTORS. USE FROOGLE.COM AND ENTER"REPAIR CAVALIER SPEEDOMETER" TO SEARCH. MY SPEEDO ONLY ON MY CLUSTER ERRATIC FOR 20K MILES. I USE …
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HORN CONTACT BEHIND AIRBAG WAS RECENTLY CRAZY GLUED, TO RESTORE HORN, AND SPEEDO & CLUSTER REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE CLUSTER BY CHEVY, OR REMOVAL & REBUILD OF GAUGE STEPPER MOTORS THROUGH EBAY MOTORS. USE FROOGLE.COM AND ENTER"REPAIR CAVALIER SPEEDOMETER" TO SEARCH. MY SPEEDO ONLY ON MY CLUSTER ERRATIC FOR 20K MILES. I USE MY TACHOMETER TO GUESTIMATE HIGHWAY SPEEDS,2,500 RPM IS 55. I HAVE 120K NOW ON THE CAR, OTHERWISE BULLETPROOF. JUST TOSSING OUT BRAKE ROTORS NOW, THAT'S IT. I USED SYNTHETIC OIL FROM THE START, VERY SMOOTH CAR, @ NORMAL SPEEDS.NEEDS INTAKE AND WHEELS FOR SPEEDING, OVER 65. ENGINE HAS PLENTY OF GO OVER THAT, BUT BASE BRAKES, WHEELS AND INTAKE AREN'T SPEEDWORTHY, BUT IT IS A BASE MODEL SO OK. KEEP THE TIE RODS GREASED, AIR FILTERS CHANGED AFTER WINTER AS THEY ARE EASILY SERVICEABLE UNLIKE MOST THAT AREN'T. *TR
FAULTY GAUGES CLUSTER. THE GAS, TEMPERATURE, SPEEDOMETER, AND RPM GAUGES STOP WORKING IN A WEEKLY BASIS FOR SEVERAL DAYS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO STOP. HE NOTICED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSE BETWEEN THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY AND CRASHED WAS INCREASED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MI…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO STOP. HE NOTICED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSE BETWEEN THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY AND CRASHED WAS INCREASED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58,000. UPDATED 05/06/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO CLUTCH TUBING AND IT RUBBED IN TWO PLACES. THE CONSUMER WIFE HAD NO CLUTCH AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. UPDATED 05/08/09.*JB
I WAS SOLD A CHEVY CAVALIER WITH BAD BRAKES AND BAD ROTORS AND IT MAKES A BIG NOISE WHEN YOU GO TO TURN TO THE RIGHT NO ACCIDENTS YET. *TR
I OWN A 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED PREMATURE BRAKE AND ROTOR FAILURE. AT 39,000 KM BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER SAID THE CAUSE WAS ROAD CONDITIONS ETC,,AND OFFERED NO HELP WHATSOEVER COMPLAINED TO GM SEVERAL TIMES,BUT HAVE NOT GOT ANY SATISFACTION YET! *JB
I TOO EXPERIENCED PREMATURE BRAKE AND ROTOR FAILURE AND HAD TO REPLACE BOTH BEFORE THE CAR WAS 2 YEARS OLD. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOTHING TO SATISFY ME. I HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED RIGHT AWAY AND COULD NOT WAIT FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP SO I DID JUST THAT. LATER, WHEN DISCUSSING IT WITH A SERVICE ADVISOR, I WAS TOL…
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I TOO EXPERIENCED PREMATURE BRAKE AND ROTOR FAILURE AND HAD TO REPLACE BOTH BEFORE THE CAR WAS 2 YEARS OLD. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOTHING TO SATISFY ME. I HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED RIGHT AWAY AND COULD NOT WAIT FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP SO I DID JUST THAT. LATER, WHEN DISCUSSING IT WITH A SERVICE ADVISOR, I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TRAFFIC IN MY AREA. YEAH, SURE. JUST BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN HE EXPECTED ME TO BUY INTO THAT? I HAD 20,000 +/- MILES ON THE CAR AT THE TIME! I DON'T AT THIS MOMENT HAVE EXACT MILEAGE AND DATE INFORMATION ON ME. *AK
I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER. IT HAD 49,000 MILES. I NOTICED A SQUEALING SOUND FROM BY BRAKES. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT IN THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKE PADS. WELL, MY WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS LEAKING. MY BRAKES SYSTEM WAS ALSO WEARING UNEVENLY CAUSING HALF OF THE PARTS TO BE DESTROYED. ONE SIDE OF THE BRAKE PAD WAS NORMAL AND THE …
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I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER. IT HAD 49,000 MILES. I NOTICED A SQUEALING SOUND FROM BY BRAKES. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT IN THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKE PADS. WELL, MY WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS LEAKING. MY BRAKES SYSTEM WAS ALSO WEARING UNEVENLY CAUSING HALF OF THE PARTS TO BE DESTROYED. ONE SIDE OF THE BRAKE PAD WAS NORMAL AND THE OTHER SIDE WAS THIN AS A WIRE. THE GUY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNSAFE AND PROBABLY A RESULT OF A DEFECT IN MY BRAKE SYSTEM. I KNEW OF A FRIEND OF MINE THAT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AT 20,000 MILES. I CONTACTED CHEVY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING BUT I TRADED IT IN. (I TRADED IT IN FOR A TOYOTA BECAUSE AT THIS POINT REGARDLESS IF THE BRAKE SYSTEM GOT FIXED, I WAS SCARED FOR MY LIFE TO DRIVE A CAR THAT ALMOST THE WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM WENT OUT AFTER 2 YEARS.) THE CAR RECEIVED ALL PROPER MAINTENANCE AND I STILL HAVE THE RECEIPT FROM THE BRAKE PLACE. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS A NOISE WAS HEARD AND WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, EXCESSIVE PRESSURE WAS NEEDED TO STOP. THE VEHICLE JERKED BEFORE STOPPING. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RUSTED. THE DEALER MACHINED THE ROTORS TO REMOVE THE RUST.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SINCE PURCHASE THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES DUE TO THE ROTORS WARPING AND A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. THE FIRST BRAKE REPLACEMENT WAS AT 3,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ON MAY 23, 2006 WHILE MAKING TURNS AT 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO FREE THE STEERING, …
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SINCE PURCHASE THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES DUE TO THE ROTORS WARPING AND A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. THE FIRST BRAKE REPLACEMENT WAS AT 3,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ON MAY 23, 2006 WHILE MAKING TURNS AT 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO FREE THE STEERING, THE CONTACT PULLED THE WHEEL SO HARD THAT SOMETHING BROKE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP THEREFORE, IT IS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHAT REPAIRS ARE NECESSARY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SWAY BAR INSULATOR. UPDATED 06/16/06. *JB
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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