U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Chevrolet CAVALIER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

196 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

53,503 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 102 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 196 complaints (10.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	41	20.9%
Electrical and battery issues	18	9.2%
Fuel system concerns	16	8.2%
Steering behavior	14	7.1%
Engine operation	9	4.6%
Transmission and shifting	8	4.1%

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.

Electrical System

Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls

Steering

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor

Exterior Lighting

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	20
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls	11
Steering	10
Air Bags	8
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor	8
Exterior Lighting	7
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump	7

Electrical System: 20; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 11; Steering: 10; Air Bags: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 8; Exterior Lighting: 7; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 7

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: 28; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 31; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 6

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 94 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.

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2020

2021

2023

2001: 2; 2002: 30; 2003: 43; 2004: 30; 2005: 27; 2006: 15; 2007: 11; 2008: 3; 2009: 10; 2010: 4; 2011: 6; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 6; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2023: 2

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 18 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 16 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 10002526 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ANY SPEED REAR BRAKES SQUEAL. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB...*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002526 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003279 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)

DURING FIRST SNOW IN DEC 02, THE ABS IN MY 2MO OLD CAR ACTIVATED FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE NORMAL PEDAL VIBS OCCURED, BUT THERE WAS A PATTERNED PINGING OF A SPRING AT THE PEDALS LOCATION. ALL BRAKING POWER WAS LOST DURING THIS, AND I HAD TO RUN A RED LIGHT BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP, EVEN AFTER PRESSING THE BRAKE AGAIN, WITH THE SAME EFFECT (THIS ALSO OCCURED WHILE PULLING INTO MY GARAGE ON A DRY SURFACE, SO I HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO KEEP FROM RUNNING INTO THE BACK WALL). I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY CHECKED IT TWICE ON …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,721 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003279 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004901 · 2003-01-29 (January 29, 2003)

TRANSMISSION NOISE/IDLE PROBLEM. I HAVE TWO MAJOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT MY CAVALIER FIRST: THE 5SP MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION 5 TIMES, AND THE IDEL 4 TIMES. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IT HAD A HIGH PITCHED NOISE IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. I TOOK THE CAR BACK THE FIRST WEEKEND I OWNED IT TO HAVE IT CHECKED. DEALER COULDN'T DIAGNOSE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER. THEY HEARD THE NOISE AND SAID IT WAS THE EXHAUST. THEY PUT A NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM ON IT. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT DID NOT FIX IT. I TOOK THE CAR BACK AGAIN …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004901 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10026887 · 2003-08-07 (August 7, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE, AND REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. *AK *CB. THE FUEL FILTER AND OXYGEN SENOR WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS ELECTRICAL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 5,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10026887 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10032245 · 2003-08-06 (August 6, 2003)

FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, READS FULL WHEN FUEL TANK IS ON EMPTY. THIS RESULTS IN VEHICLE STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032245 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049686 · 2003-12-13 (December 13, 2003)

FRONT ROTORS WARPED PREMATURELY, ABOUT EVERY 10000 MILES. GRINDING NOISE HEARD AT LOW SPEEDS, WHETHER IN GEAR OR COASTING & NOT BRAKE RELATED. PREMATURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE, CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049686 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013650 · 2003-03-29 (March 29, 2003)

I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ROAD BENDS TO THE LEFT (SLIGHTLY) THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 30 MPH I PROCEEDED TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN AT 20-25 MPH WHICH I HAVE DONE THOUSANDS OF TIMES THE CAR CAME OUT OF THE TURN AND WOULD NOT RECOVER THE STEERING WENT OUT AND THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL STRIKING A TREE AND INJURING MYSELF THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013650 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031177 · 2003-08-09 (August 9, 2003)

BOUGHT MY 2002 CHEVROLET LS SPORT CAVAILER ON 5/27/02. SINCE THEN THE RACK AND PINION WENT IN MARCH 2003--WHICH THEY DID NOT DISCOVER UNTIL MAY, AND WHEN DRIVING I GET A LOUD GRINDING NOISE STILL WHICH IS METAL ON METAL. I ASKED ANOTHER MECHANIC NOT AFFILIATED W/ THE AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP (THAT TOLD ME AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS THIS CAN NOT BE FIXED-AND THAT THEY HAVE A PI OUT ON IT), IF THIS COULD POSE A PROBLEM. HE SAID THE CONTINUOUS GRINDING W/ METAL ON METAL WHEN STEERING, CAN CAUSE TOO MUCH FRICTION AND HEAT UP AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE, ETC. I…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,677 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031177 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020600 · 2003-05-27 (May 27, 2003)

WE BOUGHT THIS CAVALIER IN JULY OF 2002, AT ABOUT 3500 MILES WE STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME THE COMPUTER CRASHED ON IT TWICE. THEY HAD TO FIX IT TWICE. THEY FINALLY GOT THE TRANSMISSION FIXED AND THEN AT THE END OF APRIL 2003 THE TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING FLUID. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY GOT IT FIX. MAKES 6 TIMES THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020600 at NHTSA ↗