U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Chevrolet CAVALIER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

212 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

64,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 65 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 212 complaints (8.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	54	25.5%
Steering behavior	30	14.2%
Electrical and battery issues	18	8.5%
Transmission and shifting	13	6.1%
Engine operation	13	6.1%
Fuel system concerns	7	3.3%

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.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Air Bags:Frontal

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Steering

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	18
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	14
Air Bags:Frontal	13
Electrical System	13
Engine And Engine Cooling	11
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	11
Steering	11
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	8

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 18; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 14; Air Bags:Frontal: 13; Electrical System: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 11; Steering: 11; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 8

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: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 10

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 147 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.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

2014

2016

2017

2019

2000: 42; 2001: 42; 2002: 21; 2003: 34; 2004: 24; 2005: 15; 2006: 7; 2007: 7; 2008: 4; 2009: 3; 2010: 3; 2011: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 54 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 30 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 18 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 10013805 · 2003-04-01 (April 1, 2003)

FRONT BRAKES LOCKING AT LOW SPEEDS DUE TO ABS FAILURE. CAR WAS TAKEN TO GM DEALERSHIP, THE FIRST MECHANIC SAID FRONT ROTORS MIGHT BE WARPED. I REPLACED FRONT BRAKES AND INSTALLED NEW ROTORS AND PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. WENT BACK TO DEALERSHIP THEN THEY ADVISED ME THAT SINCE MY TIRES WERE NOT ALL THE SAME BRAND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM....NEW TIRES DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. CAR IS NOT KICKING ANY CODES OUT TO THE COMPUTER AND NO ABS LIGHT IS ON. DEALER SPOKE TO GM TECH'S AND AT THAT POINT REPLACED BOTH FRONT ABS WIRING HARNESSES. PROBLEM STILL …

Owner-reported narrative. 64,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013805 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10024227 · 2003-06-17 (June 17, 2003)

WHEN DRIVING, CONSUMER DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL TWICE SUCCESSIVELY AND ENGINE SHUDDERED, THEN STALLED.. 1999, CHEVROLET, CAVALIER Z24.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10024227 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000229 · 2002-12-18 (December 18, 2002)

WHEN DRIVING CAR IT FEELS LIKE WHOLE FRONT END IS FALLING OUT. STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND WOBBLES

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000229 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006196 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT WITH THE STEERING RACK AND PINION AS STATED IN RECALL NUMBER 02 V 286 000, BUT THERE VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. PH

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006196 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005486 · 2003-02-07 (February 7, 2003)

HEADLIGHT FAILURE, NOT BULB. CALLED DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM, THAT IT IS VERY COMMON ON 1999 CHEVY CAVALIERS (WHAT I HAVE), BUT REFUSED TO WARRANTY IT. IF IT IS SO COMMON THAT THE HARNESS FAILS WHY DOES CHEVY NOT RECALL IT?

Owner-reported narrative. 38,744 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005486 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056729 · 2004-02-07 (February 7, 2004)

THE SHIFTING LEVER FREEZES AND YOUR UNABLE TO PULL CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE ALSO THE LINKAGE HAS TENDANCY TO FREEZE AND NOT REGISTER . *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10056729 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10136720 · 2005-09-16 (September 16, 2005)

TWO ISSUES LEFT CONSUMER STRANDED IN 1999 2.2L CHEVROLET CAVALIER CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF INPUT SHAFT/INPUT DRUM ASSEMBLY ON 3T40 TRANSMISSION, LEFT OPERATOR WITHOUT ANY FORWARD OR REVERSE DRIVE GEARS WHILE DRIVE WAS ENGAGED AND ROLLING. MANAGED TO AVOID CRASH. REMEDY WAS REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION WITH REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. INCIPIENT WORSENING OF STARTING TIMES. POOR FACTORY ECM CALIBRATION IN ALL OR MOST 1999 2.2L CAVALIERS CAN LEAVE OPERATOR STRANDED IN WARM STARTING CONDITION. RESULTS IN POOR INITIAL RUNNING AND LARGE AMOUNT…

Owner-reported narrative. 137,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136720 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10011136 · 2003-03-07 (March 7, 2003)

WHEN THE CONSUMER SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A TURN, THE ENGINE STALLED.*JB ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS CONSUMER SLOWS DOWN VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WILL STALL. *MR

Owner-reported narrative. 25,078 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011136 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022174 · 2003-09-15 (September 15, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. *AK WATER DRIPPED FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO ADD ANTIFREEZE. THIS COOLED THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THERE HE FOUND OUT THE MOTOR MOUNT WAS BAD AND THE ENGINE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH. THIS CAUSED THE BOLT ON THE COMPRESSOR TO PENETRATE A HOLE IN THE HOSE. THE MOTOR MOUNT AND HOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *PH *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022174 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10119019 · 2005-05-23 (May 23, 2005)

GAS ODOR AROUND THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, WHO INDICATED THAT THE GAS TANK HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK, CAUSED BY THE STRAPS AROUND THE TANK. STRAPS AND LEAK WERE REPAIRED. *NM NEW GAS TANK WAS INSTALLED. *BF

Owner-reported narrative. 95,365 miles reported. Look up ODI 10119019 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10127801 · 2005-07-07 (July 7, 2005)

WHEN EXITING THE FREEWAY AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, THE CAVALIER QUIT RUNNING AT THE TOP OF THE RAMP. THIS WAS AT EVENING RUSH HOUR AND SEVERAL CARS WERE BEHIND, TRYING TO EXIT. I COULD NOT RESTART THE VEHICLE. CARS WERE HONKING AS I WAS IN THE LANE AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE WAY. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. WE HAD THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP/SENDER UNIT REPLACED. VEHICLE THEN SEEMED TO OPERATE OKAY, BUT TWO DAYS LATER AFTER DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AGAIN, THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THIS WAS MORNING RUSH HOUR AND THE EXIT LANE…

Owner-reported narrative. 87,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127801 at NHTSA ↗