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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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
287Owner complaints

Model-year median: 140

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2005 Chevrolet Cavalier

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 287 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Electrical System: 211 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 18 reports
  • Power Train: 16 reports
  • Structure: 14 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 13 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    196
    2002    678
    2003    330
    2004    287
    2005
    Compare all Cavalier years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Electrical System
    211    Vehicle Speed Control
    18    Power Train
    16    Structure
    14    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    13
    All reported categories
    Visibility
    10    Fuel System, Gasoline
    8    Steering
    8    Air Bags
    6    Engine And Engine Cooling
    6    Fuel/propulsion System
    6    Seats
    6    Exterior Lighting
    5    Latches/locks/linkages
    4    Equipment
    3    Unknown Or Other
    3    Fuel System, Other
    2    Seat Belts
    2    Service Brakes
    2    Suspension
    2    Child Seat
    1    Electronic Stability Control (esc)
    1    Engine
    1    Equipment Adaptive/mobility
    1    Interior Lighting
    1    Service Brakes, Electric
    1    Tires
    1    Traction Control System
    1    Visibility/wiper
    1

    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.

    7 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports

    Unknown Or Other complaints

    3 reports
    Clear category filter
    Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2016
    SeatsStructureUnknown Or Other

    ON OCTOBER 1ST 2015 WE WERE STOPPED FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION ON THE HIGHWAY. AT THAT TIME WE WERE REAR ENDED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER. IMPACT WAS ON THE BUMPER, PASSENGER SIDE. ON IMPACT THE PASSENGER SEAT BROKE AND SLAMMED ME FORWARD THEN BACK INTO A RECLINING POSITION. I WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE.I WAS IN PT FOR 6 WEEKS…

    Read full complaint

    ON OCTOBER 1ST 2015 WE WERE STOPPED FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION ON THE HIGHWAY. AT THAT TIME WE WERE REAR ENDED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER. IMPACT WAS ON THE BUMPER, PASSENGER SIDE. ON IMPACT THE PASSENGER SEAT BROKE AND SLAMMED ME FORWARD THEN BACK INTO A RECLINING POSITION. I WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE.I WAS IN PT FOR 6 WEEKS. ALSO AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

    NHTSA ODI #10837372

    Mileage unknown · May 13, 2011
    Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

    I HAVE A 2005 CAVALIER WHICH I PURCHASED WITH 17,000 MILES ON IT. I AM CURRENTLY AT 28,500 APPROXIMATELY. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, GAS GAUGE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT ALSO APPEARS TO BE ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. I HAVE CHECKED SEVERAL WEBSITES AND FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO …

    Read full complaint

    I HAVE A 2005 CAVALIER WHICH I PURCHASED WITH 17,000 MILES ON IT. I AM CURRENTLY AT 28,500 APPROXIMATELY. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, GAS GAUGE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT ALSO APPEARS TO BE ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. I HAVE CHECKED SEVERAL WEBSITES AND FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER ISSUES, I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY HORN (I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE RELATIONSHIP THEY COMPONENTS OF A CAR HAVE WITH EACH OTHER). MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT CHEVY DID A RECALL DO TO DEFECTS WITH STEERING PROBLEMS IN THE 2005 CAVALIERS. COULD THE PROBLEMS THAT I AND OTHER ARE EXPERIENCING BE A PART OF THAT RECALL, SINCE IT IS ALL APART OF THE DASHBOARD BE COMMON FOR THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF MY CAR?

    NHTSA ODI #10401848

    Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2010
    Unknown Or OtherCrash

    TL*THE DRIVER RENTED A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE DRIVER WAS HIT HEAD ON BY AN OUT OF CONTROL 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. BOTH VEHICLES WERE DESTROYED. THERE WERE FOUR FATALITIES AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. THE HIGHLANDER SPEED INCREASED UP TO 85 MILES PER HOUR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE MILEAGE…

    Read full complaint

    TL*THE DRIVER RENTED A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE DRIVER WAS HIT HEAD ON BY AN OUT OF CONTROL 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. BOTH VEHICLES WERE DESTROYED. THERE WERE FOUR FATALITIES AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. THE HIGHLANDER SPEED INCREASED UP TO 85 MILES PER HOUR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE MILEAGE WAS ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THE CRASH OCCURRED. UPDATED 04/07/10. UPDATED 06/18/10

    NHTSA ODI #10314238

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.