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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

What owners actually said

287 reports
148,000 miles · Jan 7, 2013
Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper

1ST ISSUE WAS THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED MALFUNCTIONING OFF & ON. IT SHOWS GOING MUCH FASTER THAN CAR REALLY IS GOING. DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. 2ND ISSUE WAS WARNING LIGHT WHICH A STATION TOLD ME THAT THE CODE IS FOR A MALFUNCTION IN THE FUEL LINE, IT SHOWS A MAJOR LEAK, BUT REPAIRMEN COULD FIND NO REAL LEAK. WARNING LIGHT …

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1ST ISSUE WAS THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED MALFUNCTIONING OFF & ON. IT SHOWS GOING MUCH FASTER THAN CAR REALLY IS GOING. DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. 2ND ISSUE WAS WARNING LIGHT WHICH A STATION TOLD ME THAT THE CODE IS FOR A MALFUNCTION IN THE FUEL LINE, IT SHOWS A MAJOR LEAK, BUT REPAIRMEN COULD FIND NO REAL LEAK. WARNING LIGHT DOES GO OFF & ON, SO NOT ON ALL THE TIME. 3RD ISSUE WAS OFF & ON THE FRONT DRIVER & PASSENGER WINDOWS START ROLLING DOWN OR UP AND THEN JUST QUIT, BUT START WORKING AGAIN AFTER SHUTTING OFF ENGINE A COUPLE TIMES. 4TH ISSUE WAS THE RPM METER STARTED DOING WHAT THE SPEEDOMETER HAD BEEN DOING. 5TH ISSUE IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER STOPPED WORKING. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT HASN'T "FIXED" ITSELF. ALL THE OTHERS ARE OFF & ON WORKING OR NOT WORKING. THE WIPER WAS THE LATEST INCIDENT WITH ALL OF THEM STARTING IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10491647

75,000 miles · Dec 26, 2012
Electrical System

AS MANY OF OTHER HAVE ALREADY REPORTED. OUT OF NO WHERE, MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED GOING HAY-WIRE. ALL THE NEEDLES READ INACCURATE INFORMATION BY SHAKING, BOUNCING OR SAYING IN KING 110 MPH IN PARK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10490167

63,100 miles · Dec 17, 2012
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET CAVILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND BECAME DARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET CAVILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND BECAME DARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,100.

NHTSA ODI #10489029

60,000 miles · Nov 30, 2012
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS PROVIDING INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL READINGS AND CAUSED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS PROVIDING INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL READINGS AND CAUSED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #10486525

40,000 miles · Nov 26, 2012
Electrical System

ALL THE GAUGES ON MY 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE FUEL GAGE WAS THE FIRST TO STOP WORKING, FOLLOWED BY THE REST OF THE GAUGES. THE SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKS AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SPEED I AM GOING, HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE, IF THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING, ETC. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE…

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ALL THE GAUGES ON MY 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE FUEL GAGE WAS THE FIRST TO STOP WORKING, FOLLOWED BY THE REST OF THE GAUGES. THE SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKS AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SPEED I AM GOING, HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE, IF THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING, ETC. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. CHEVROLET HAS RECALLED OTHER VEHICLES FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, SO OBVIOUSLY IT IS AN ISSUE THEY CAN CORRECT. I HAVE WAITED TO HEAR ABOUT A RECALL, BUT NOW THAT MY SPEEDOMETER HAS FAILED I CAN NOT WAIT ANY LONGER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10486072

80,000 miles · Nov 13, 2012
Electrical System

FUEL GAUGE, TEMP GAUGE, TACH, AND SPEEDOMETER ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THESE ARE COMMON PROBLEMS ON THESE CARS AS YOU ARE SURELY AWARE OF. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPAIR THEM. THESE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ODI #10484548

135,000 miles · Oct 24, 2012
Electrical System

THE VEHICLE DASH BOARD GAUGES STARTED TO RAPIDLY FLUCTUATE FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM VALUES AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 MILES/HOUR. THE TACHOMETER WAS THE FIRST GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION AND DOES NOT WORK 95% OF THE TIME. THE SECOND GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION, LATER ON IN THE WEEK, WAS THE FUEL GAUGE. THE NEEDLE WILL DISPLAY A FUL…

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THE VEHICLE DASH BOARD GAUGES STARTED TO RAPIDLY FLUCTUATE FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM VALUES AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 MILES/HOUR. THE TACHOMETER WAS THE FIRST GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION AND DOES NOT WORK 95% OF THE TIME. THE SECOND GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION, LATER ON IN THE WEEK, WAS THE FUEL GAUGE. THE NEEDLE WILL DISPLAY A FULL TANK OF GAS AT ONE MOMENT AND A NEAR EMPTY TANK MINUTES LATER, PROVING TO BE UNRELIABLE TO ESTIMATE THE FUEL LEVEL. SHORTLY AFTER, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED AND MOVED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT NEVER SETTLING AT A STATIONARY TEMPERATURE. I FEAR, THROUGH PERSONAL RESEARCH, THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WILL BE THE NEXT GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION, MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DETERMINE SPEED SINCE THE TACHOMETER IS ALREADY NOT WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10482127

70,000 miles · Sep 22, 2012
Electrical System

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAS STOPPED WORKING AS WELL AS THE SPEEDOMETER AND RPM GAUGE. THE GAS GAUGE IS THE ONLY ONE STILL WORKING RELIABLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10476733

145,000 miles · Aug 9, 2012
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

THE GAUGES HAVE STOPPED WORKING THE, FUEL GAUGE, THE SPEEDOMETER,THE TEMP GAUGES ALL STOP WORKING. I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY CAVALIER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10470018

270,000 miles · Jul 30, 2012
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS PROVIDING ERRONEOUS READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS PROVIDING ERRONEOUS READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 270,000.

NHTSA ODI #10468341

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.