U.S. public vehicle records

1996 Chevrolet CAVALIER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

273 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

87,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 56 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 273 complaints (11.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	38	13.9%
Braking behavior	32	11.7%
Engine operation	24	8.8%
Transmission and shifting	23	8.4%
Electrical and battery issues	13	4.8%
Fuel system concerns	8	2.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Air Bags:Frontal

Steering:Rack And Pinion

Unknown Or Other

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	30
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	21
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	20
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	18
Air Bags:Frontal	16
Steering:Rack And Pinion	14
Unknown Or Other	14
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	13

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 30; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 21; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 18; Air Bags:Frontal: 16; Steering:Rack And Pinion: 14; Unknown Or Other: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 13

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 13; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 9

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (14). 217 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

2014

2017

1995: 4; 1996: 19; 2000: 57; 2001: 46; 2002: 53; 2003: 41; 2004: 19; 2005: 10; 2006: 3; 2007: 3; 2008: 6; 2009: 1; 2010: 4; 2011: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 2; 2017: 2

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 24 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10002856 · 2003-01-17 (January 17, 2003)

I HAVE A 1996 CHEVY CAVALIER VIN # [XXX] THAT HAD SOME VERY SERIOUS STEERING PROBLEMS 1 YEAR AGO. THE CAR ACTED LIKE THE POWER STEERING UNIT QUIT OR WOULD ONLY ALLOW YOU TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE ANYMORE. WE HAD IT REPAIRED AT A COST OF $1500. I THEN LEARNED OF A CAMPAIGN, #02V286000, THAT LISTED THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT MY CAR WAS HAVING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU COULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR THAT VEHICLE OR IF MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY COVERED FOR THIS POSSIBLE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUAN…

Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002856 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006741 · 2003-02-07 (February 7, 2003)

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO HAVE IT SERVICED FOR THE STEERING COLUMN RECALL 02 V 286 000 . AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE APART INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WEREN'T AVAILABLE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006741 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031733 · 2003-07-31 (July 31, 2003)

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55MPH, IT SHUT OFF. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. TWO DEALERS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031733 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031830 · 2004-01-06 (January 6, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE DIED. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES AND THE CONSUMER WAS TO PULL OVER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031830 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017812 · 2003-04-29 (April 29, 2003)

THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017812 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000904 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)

1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ETS OFF LIGHT CAME ON DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, OFF AGAIN BY THE TIME WE GOT TO HE DEALER. HAPPENED AGAIN DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING A WEEK LATER. DEALER FOUND THAT COMPUTER CODE INDICATED FAILURE OF A PUMP SEAL IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (4-SPD OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION). COST TO REPAIR WILL BE AT LEAST $1,305. OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE NHTSA SITE SHOW PROBLEMS WITH PUMPS INSTALLED IN TRANSMISSIONS PRIOR TO JUNE, 1996. CAR HAS ONLY 37,000 MILES.

Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000904 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10024385 · 2003-06-18 (June 18, 2003)

WHILE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION, THE CLUTCH GAVE OUT ON THE THIRD GEAR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10024385 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053046 · 2004-01-13 (January 13, 2004)

REAR TAIL/BRAKE LIGHT SOCKETS FAILED, CAUSING REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS TO MALFUNCTION. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND BAD ELECTRICAL CORROSION INSIDE THE BULB SOCKETS, PREVENTING A PROPER ELECTRICAL CONTACT. I WAS ABLE TO FIX THE LEFT SIDE BY CLEANING THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS, WHILE THE RIGHT SIDE IS UNREPAIRABLE. MALFUNCTION OF BOTH REAR BRAKE/TURN SIGNALS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD.

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053046 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066842 · 2004-04-08 (April 8, 2004)

HEAD LAMP WIRING HARNESS WAS CORRODED. AS A RESULT, THE HIGH AND LOW BEAMS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066842 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005013 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)

WHEN CAR FUEL TANK IS READING BELOW 1/4 TANK, CAR WILL NOT START. CAR BACKFIRES, WHILE TRYING TO START AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH THIS SINCE I [URCHASED THE CAR IN 1997. EVERYTIME THAT I TAKE THE CAR IN, I AM BEING TOLD IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS ITEM DEFINATELY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT CUASE I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NUMEROUS CHEVY CAVELIER OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005013 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006248 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)

FUEL INJECTION HOSE IS LEAKING GASOLINE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH FUEL INJECTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 84,651 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006248 at NHTSA ↗