1999 Chevrolet Cavalier: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 337 complaints
337
Total Complaints
62,000mi
Median Mileage
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Top Issue
37
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

44,203 25th Percentile
62,000 Median Mileage
99,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
27
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
19
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
18
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
11
STEERING
11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
11
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
9
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
8

Severity Assessment

37
Crashes
5
Fires
23
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT IT FELT LIKE IT WAS LOCKED AND IT WOULD NOT GO DOWN, CAUSING THE CAR TO REAR END THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF IT . *AK"
"VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. HIT A GUARDRAIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO SENSOR AND THE COMPUTER MODULE. BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INSPECTED COMPUTER WHICH REVEALED THAT THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED; BUT, IN REALITY, DID NOT. ALSO THE SEAT BELT DID NOT SECURE PROPERLY, CAUSI..."
"VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. HIT A GUARDRAIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO SENSOR AND THE COMPUTER MODULE. BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INSPECTED COMPUTER WHICH REVEALED THAT THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED; BUT, IN REALITY, DID NOT. ALSO THE SEAT BELT DID NOT SECURE PROPERLY, CAUSI..."

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