Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1994 record →
WAS COMING TO A STOP & STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES (ABS), AND THEY FAILED TO HOLD OR STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED INTO THE INTERSECTION. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE PROBLEM IS SPORADIC, AT BEST. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC NOTHING SHOWED ON COMPUTER. THE TRUNK FILLS WITH WATER & CAN NOT LOCATE WHERE ITS COMING FROM. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH CAUSED A COLLISION TO OCCUR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELT FAILED DURING COLLISION CAUSING BACK INJURY.
DURING COLLISION SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD CONSUMER RESULTING IN INJURY TO NECK AND BACK.
HEAD GASKET WAS DAMAGED & LEAKED FLUID. MECHANIC TOLD OWNER ANTI-FREEZE ENTERED AFTER MATERIALS USED & WOULD SWELL WHEN OVERHEATED. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER IN THE CAVALIER WAS GOING ABOUT 60 MPH. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS MAKING AN ILLEGAL TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED ALMOST RESULTING IN A COLLISION.
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. HAD HEARD A CLINKING SOUND AT THE TIME. ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK. CHECKED CARPETING TO SEE IF PART OF PROBLEM,WAS NOT PROBLEM. TOOK TO DEALER AFTERWARDS TO HAVE IT CHECKED. *AK
BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED TWICE.
HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED OF PREMATURE DESTRUCTION OF THE ABS BRAKES FRONT ROTORS DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED PADS AT 16,000 MILES. THE FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SLC
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES SOMETIMES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE TAKES A WHILE TO STOP. DEALR HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
STARTER FAILED TWO TIMES.
REAR ENGINE MOUNT FAILED. NLM
HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE.
STRANGE NOISE, REPLACE ROTORS/PAD TWICE WITHIN 7 MONTHS.
ABS PROBLEMS; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS THERE IS NO BRAKING ACTION, AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP IN TIME. THIS CONDITION CAUSED DRIVER TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE ON 9/12/97. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT COMES. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. *AK WITH LIGHT BLINKING - RETURNED TO DEALER- I DICATING LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING, THEN LOST SIGNAL- NEXT TIME WENT TO AAA GARAGE AND INDICATE OR FOR COMPUTER REPLACEMENT WAS READ SIGNAL DE-CIPHERED BY GM GARAGE. WHAT ABIG RUN-AROUND. COMPUTER ORDERED AND REPLACED BY THE DEALER, ALSO NEXT READING BY AAA AFTER NEW WHEEL BEARING WAS INSTALLED GAVE THE SIGNAL FOR COMPUTER REPLACEMENT AT THIS TIME. *YD
BRAKES, ROTORS: BRAKES AND ROTORS REPALCED AT 17000 MILES. WHEN DRIVING BRAKES WEREN'T HOLDING MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND PULLING TO THE RIGHT. PUSH BRAKES COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND THEY DON'T WORK.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. THE ALTERNATOR BLEW AT 32,000 MILES. THE IGNITION SYSTEN HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND THE ENGINE BELT IS WORN OUT. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN MIDDLE OF A SNOW STORM. *AK
WHEN DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON, THE WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING FOR ABOUT 60 SECONDS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
UNSPECIFIED.
RECEIVE RECALL NOTICE FROM MANUFACTURER. DEALER SAID NO RECORD OF RECALL NOTICES , HE CALLED MANUFACTURER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE RECORD OF RECALL. HE CHECKED INTERNET, SAW THE LISTING AND CALLED AUTO SAFETY HOT LINE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES WHILE GOING ABOUT 15 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. UPON IMPACT THE SEATBELT ON BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE WENT FORWARD AND DID NOT LOCK. OWNER WAS HOSPITALIZED. MANF. NOT CONTACTED
RECALL # 961001000. WHEN REPAIRING HORN THE WIRING ON THE HORN WAS DAMAGED. DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE OWNER FOR HAVING THE WIRING REPLACED. HORN PAD IS NOT WORKING. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT HIS REAR MOUNTED STOP LAMP MELTS AND THAT ONCE IT HAS MELTED, THE BULB CANNOT BE REPLACED, DEALER CANNOT FIND OUT WHY IT MELTS. *AK
CONSUMER HAS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES PULSATING WHICH CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT THEY LOCKED UP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH CAUSED A COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING MALFUNCTION. WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES, THEY FAILED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, THE PEDAL WILL ALSO TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR. DEALER STATES THAT THE FRONT LEFT SENSOR WAS BAD. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED, CAUSING VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE GUAGE STARTS TO FLUCTUATE PRIOR TO LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE PROBLEM AREA. *AK
ABS FAILURE; ON DRY PAVEMENT LET GO WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP, TWO ACCIDENTS HAD OCCURRED BECAUSE OF ABS FAILURE. THE SERVICE SHOP SAID THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES,THE BRAKES HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. PLEASE EXPLAIN. *AK
WHEEL BEARING NOISE WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT OR MAKING RIGHT TURNS.
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT WORK PROPERLY AND FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE HIT A POLE AND DRIVER SUSTAINED BRAIN INJURIES. THE ROAD WAS ICY AND SANDY AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE SYSTEM HAS ABS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE THE DOOR TO FALL OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ON THE FRONT END HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE OWNING VEHICLE, THIS IS (3) SETS WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES AND WHEN YOU BRAKE THE WHOLE FRONT END SHIMMIES, THE SYSTEM HAS ABS. DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN WITH THE REAR BRAKES NOT ADJUSTING THEMSELVES WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT BRAKES TO WORK ALONE AND HEATING THE ROTORS TO THE POINT OF WARPING. *SLC
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS JAMMED WHERE THE CONSUMER HAD TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND USE THE KEY TO GET HERSELF OUT OF THE CAR. PLEASE EXPLAIN. *AK
INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FAILED TWO TIMES.
FAILURE ON THE REAR FENDER, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE IS RUBBING AGAINST THE FENDER. WHEN YOU TURN THE IGNITION ON THE VEHICLE CAN SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE WITHOUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE.*AK
ADJUSTING COLLAR ON TIE ROD END STRIPPED, POSSIBILITY OF BREAKAGE AND A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.*AK
ALTERNATOR INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN.
VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DUE TO WARPED BRAKE ROTORS.
WHEN DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE LEAKS IN THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
SEAT BACKS DON'T LOCK.
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH, AT APPROX. 20MPH, 12:00 ON FRONT BUMPER, AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
VEHICLE GIVES ROUGH RIDE DUE TO SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. *DSH
LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT OUT OFF GEAR WHILE DRIVING.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
ABS, BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN APPLIED ABS WOULD KICK IN, BRAKE LOCKED UP AND CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, IMPACT 12:00, SPEED 40 MPH. *AK
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOESN'T RETRACT. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier → · Every Cavalier year → · How the figures are calculated →