"How reliable is the 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier?"

"Based on 77 NHTSA complaints, the 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier has a median complaint mileage of 90000 miles. The most common issue is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE."

"What are common problems with the 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, accounting for a significant portion of the 77 total complaints filed."

1991 Chevrolet Cavalier: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 77 complaints

Total Complaints

90,000mi

Median Mileage

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

90,000 25th Percentile

90,000 Median Mileage

112,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

SEATS

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

STEERING:LINKAGES

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"DISTRIBUTOR BECOMES WET AND FAILS. TT"

"TIE RODS CAME COMPLETELY OFF AT 46,000 MILES. TT"

"ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT, CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE. TT"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28