2004 Chevrolet Cavalier: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 428 complaints
428
Total Complaints
51,862mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Top Issue
21
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

30,300 25th Percentile
51,862 Median Mileage
85,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
109
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
67
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
24
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
13
STEERING
13
AIR BAGS
11
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
8
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
8
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
8

Severity Assessment

21
Crashes
7
Fires
25
Injuries
2
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"ON INTERMITTENT SETTING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY MOVE ACROSS WINDSHIELD IN SPURTS, STOPING EVERY SECOND. WORKS NORMALLY ON HIGH SETTINGS. ON PREVIOUS REPAIR, WIPER LINKAGES FAILED RESULTING IN ONE WIPER REMAINING PARKED AT ALL TIMES. *AK"
"CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE TO WARM IT UP AND WENT BACK INTO THE OFFICE. VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES WITHIN 10 MINUTES. THE FLAMES WERE UNDER THE HOOD. *AK"
"I PURCHASED MY 2004 CAVALIER LS WITH ONLY 4 MILES ON THE OD. I NOTICED THE VERY SAME DAY ON THE WAY HOME THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VIBRATING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 & 75, AND DIDDNT TAKE IT IN RIGHT AWAY CAUSE I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL AND THERE COULDNT POSSIBLY BE ANYTHING WRONG CAUSE THE CAR ..."

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