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 1997 record →
WHENEVER CONSUMER HAS TO USE HEADLIGHTS HE MAY EXPERIENCE SOME TYPE OF FAILURE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THEY FIXED THE HEADLIGHTS, BUT THEN THE PARK LIGHTS FAILED, DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED AND THIS HAPPENED IN SPELLS, ONE OR THE OTHER. *AK
THE WIRING HARNESS HAS ROTTED OUT, CAUSING THE LIGHTING TO BE INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK
NOISY REAR DUE TO DEFECTIVE REAR STRUTS. IN ADDITION, ACCELERATOR STICKS AT STOP LIGHTS AND ROUGH IDLE. *AK
ROTORS WARPED.
VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 35-40 MPH AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN FOR AN APPROACHING CORNER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN AN UNRECOVERABLE FISHTAIL ON A WET ROAD AND SKIDDED THEN SIDE IMPACTED A TREE.
DRIVING DOWN A PAVED DIRT ROAD (LEVELED NO POT HOLES) AT 10-15 MPH THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER OCCUPANT A SIX YEAR OLD, SUSTAINED A BROKEN RIGHT RISK AND SCRATCHES ON HIS FACE. THE DRIVER JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. SHE HAS BROKEN TOOTH AND FACIAL LACERATIONS. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN SEATLE FOR REPAIRS, AND AN AGENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER IS GOING TO GO TO WASHINGTON STATE TO INVESTIGATE THE VEHICLE AS SOON AS IT ARIVES IN WASHINGTON STATE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, WITHOUT VEHICLE COLLISION OCCURRING, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TEETH INSIDE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ARE STRIPPED OUT . WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED, THE STEERING WHEEL POPS, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT MOVE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK
ABS BRAKES SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING CAR TO SKID, RESULTING IN A COLLISION/INJURIES.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP PRIOR TO RECALL.
THE DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT PANEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING INACCURATE READING OF THE ODOMETER/FUEL GAUGE, AND THEN THE ENGINE STALLED. ALSO THERE IS A TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER REPLACED PISTON RINGS AND RODS DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S INCORRECT SIZE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN A COLLISION.
ABS SYSTEM HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY, REPAIRS MADE TO MAIN COMPUTER HOWEVER BRAKES GRAB CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL.
WHENEVER CONSUMER DRIVES IN RAINY WEATHER ABS SYSTEMS FAILS. IF IT'S RAINING AND CONSUMER IS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, IF TRYING TO BRAKE AT APPROX. 5MPH THE ABS KICK IN AND THE VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO SKIP DOWN THE INCLINE . CONSUMER SAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENS SHE IS BARELY PRESSING THE BRAKES. THE DEALER TEST DROVE A NEW VEHICLE OF THAT MAME/MODEL/YEAR IN THE SAME SPOT AND THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED. *AK DEALERS TOLD HER BECAUSE OF THE SAME RESULTS THIS IS NORMAL AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN HER VEHICLE TO RICHARDSON BROS. INC. (830-393-2581) (830-216-4216) FIVE TIMES.
WHILE DRIVING, FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON WET PAVEMANTS THE VEHICLE SLIDES. OWNER STATES THAT THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES BY THE DEALER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 35 MPH.
WHEN MAKING MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE ANY DETAILS. *AK
WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT CAUSED THE DRIVER MAJOR INJURIES. *AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS AND CUTS OFF. OWNER HAS HAD VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE STALLING. *AK
BRIGHT LIGHTS HAMPER THE VISION IN THE WINDSHIELD OF THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. ALSO IT'S A BAD REFLECTION AND IT AFFECTS NORMAL VISION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC
WHENEVER CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE SENSOR GOING BAD IN THE VEHICLE. *AK
DASHBOARD RATTLES.
AIR BAG: DRIVNG APPROXIMATELY 65MPH DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE AIR BAG WENT OFF FOR NO REASON, AND CRACKED THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. DEALER SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANY REASON WHY THIS AIR BAG DEPLOYED.
BRAKES/ROTORS: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND DID NOT WORK. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR, AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THEY RESURFACED THE ROTORS AND REPLACED ONE LUG AND STUD WITH STRIP, CLEANED AND REAR OVERLAPPING OPERATION. TOOK VEHICLE HOME AND DROVE VEHICLE ON 07-JUL-97, AND ON THE WAY HOME THE BRAKES WERE DRAGGING/GRINDING AND PULLING LIKE THE BRAKES ARE LOCKED. *AK
SPEEDOMETER CABLE FAILED.
INTERMITTENT STALLING/HESITATION. *AK
THE ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
FAULTY STRUTS CAUSED VIBRATION AND LOUD NOISES.
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG WHILE CAR WAS IN PARK.
WHILE DRIVING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THREE WEEK AFTER BEINGPURCHASED, BRAKE CABLE BROKE, THEN CAME OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO WOBBLE ALL OVER ROAD AND MAKE LOAD NOISE. *AK
DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL, WANDERING AND UNABLE TO STEER, RAN INTO BORDER, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN VEHICLE IS STILL IN THE DRIVE POSITION WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, THE VEHICLE LEAPS FORWARD AND SHUTS OFF AND THERE IS A LOUD CRASHING SOUND.. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE 12/96. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO SHOP TODAY. *AK
ENGINE FIRE.
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT SPEEDS OF 55MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, TRANSMISSION WOULD REV UP, PUT FOOT ON BRAKES, SHIFTED INTO GEAR, VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO ANYWHERE. DEALERSHIP HAS VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN DRIVING WITH DOORS LOCKED, THE DOOR COME AJAR . *AK
THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT CORNER SUPPORTS, THAT HOLD UP THE ROOF AND WINDSHIELD, OBSTRUCT THE DRIVER'S VIEW.
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK UNLESS SEATS ARE ALL THE WAY FORWARD OR ALL THE WAY BACK. PASSENGER'S SIDE OCCUPANT HIT HEAD ON WINDSHIELD WHEN A SUDDEN STOP WAS MADE, SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN OCCUPANT, RESULTING IN AN INJURY. *AK
A FAULTY ASSEMBLY ON THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE MODULATOR CAUSED BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT AND THERE WAS NO BRAKING ABILITY. THE SYSTEM HAS ABS. *AK *SLC
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 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier → · Every Cavalier year → · How the figures are calculated →