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Chevrolet Cavalier Recalls by Year

NHTSA's files hold 9 recall campaigns for the Chevrolet Cavalier, across 6 model years from 2000 to 2005. The 2000 has the most (7); the fewest among years with a recall is 2005 (1).

No Chevrolet Cavalier model year reaches 2 times the median: the highest, 2003, is at 1.4×.

Model years
6

2000–2005, with a recall

Recall campaigns
9
Most recalls
2000

7 recalls

Owner complaints
2,049

all model years, NHTSA

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Owners have filed 2,049 complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Cavalier across 6 model years; the most, 678, concern the 2003.

Owners marked a crash on 127 of the Chevrolet Cavalier complaints (6%) and a fire on 32.

Across all Chevrolet Cavalier model years, owners name the electrical system most often (at least 662 complaints), then the fuel system, gasoline (391).

NHTSA received the most complaints about the Chevrolet Cavalier in 2008: 258, across all model years.

The component recalled most often on the Chevrolet Cavalier is exterior lighting, in 6 model-year listings.

The newest Chevrolet Cavalier recall, 04V524000, was reported on November 1, 2004 and concerns the exterior lighting: turn signal.

Chevrolet Cavalier years to avoid

The best-measured Chevrolet Cavalier years are 2005 (0.5×), 2004 (0.7×) and 2002 (0.9×).

The ranking uses owner complaints in each model year's first years on the road, adjusted for NHTSA's complaint volume for that model year. It is not adjusted for sales and is not a reliability rating. Method

Recalls and complaints by model year

NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the Chevrolet Cavalier, by model year
YearRecallsComplaintsFirst yearsvs median year
2005128752
0.5×
2004233082
0.7×
20032678168
1.4×
20025196132
0.9×
20016243158
1.1×
20007315173
1.1×

First years: complaints received from the year before the model year to three years after it.Chevrolet Cavalier years without a link have no recall page on this site.

What gets recalled most on the Chevrolet Cavalier

  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING6
  • STEERING6
  • FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES3
  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS3
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH2
  • INTERIOR LIGHTING1
  • SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER1
  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL1

Chevrolet Cavalier model-year listings per recall component; one campaign can cover several years.

Every Chevrolet Cavalier recall campaign (9)

NHTSA recall campaigns covering the Chevrolet Cavalier, newest first
CampaignComponentYearsRisk namedVehicles
04V524000November 1, 2004exterior lighting: turn signal2003crash256,025
04V300000June 23, 2004seat belts: rear/other2004crash and injury37
04V036000January 27, 2004electrical system: ignition: switch2000–2001fire and injury1,415,231
00V201000July 20, 2000interior lighting2000—28
06E026000exterior lighting2000–2002crash—
07E021000fuel system, other: storage: tank assembly: pressure relief devices2000–2002fire—
08E050000exterior lighting: headlights2000–2002crash—
08E063000steering2000–2005crash—
09E012000exterior lighting2000–2002crash—

Vehicles: NHTSA's count of potentially affected vehicles in the whole campaign, not only the Chevrolet Cavalier. Each campaign page has the defect, risk and fix in NHTSA's words.

Check your VIN on NHTSACall NHTSA 1-888-327-4236

Newest record on this page: July 7, 2025. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted

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