no report yet
Ignition: switch
Risk. IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.
2001 Chevrolet CavalierProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 243 owner complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 18, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier has problems
243 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
56Electrical system10 crash/fire/injury
34Power train1 crash/fire/injury
32Service brakes, hydraulic6 crash/fire/injury
29Engine and engine cooling2 crash/fire/injury
26Steering4 crash/fire/injury
22Fuel system, gasoline1 crash/fire/injury
21Air bags13 crash/fire/injury
15Suspension
14Structure
8617 other systems19 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 56 | 10 |
| Power train | 34 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 32 | 6 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 29 | 2 |
| Steering | 26 | 4 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 22 | 1 |
| Air bags | 21 | 13 |
| Suspension | 15 | 1 |
| Structure | 14 | 0 |
| 17 other systems | 86 | 19 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2001 Chevrolet Cavalier recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
62kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 30 electrical system complaints. 73% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 43% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
7under 30k miles22under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2001 vs. every other Cavalier year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cavalier median. How we score
'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2001 Chevrolet Cavalier safety ratings
2001 Chevrolet Cavalier 2-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier, and the recalls they led to.
- ERRATIC FUEL GAUGENo recall
- ERRATIC FUEL GAUGENo recall
In owners' words
What Cavalier owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS DIFFICULT TO MOVE AND THE LEVER BECAME STUCK. OCCASIONALLY, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. ALSO, THE HOOD WAS HOT, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, AND THE VEHICLE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE AND CLOSING THE DOORS, THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE LIGHT BULB WIRING IN THE ROOF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR…
IGNITION SWITCH AND THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER MALFUNCTIONED IN 2009, ROUGHLY FIVE YEARS AFTER GM'S RECALL. THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH'S SERVICE. IN ADDITION TO THE RECALL, GM INSTALLED AN IGNITION WIRING HARNESS. BACK IN 2009, THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION…
Own a 2001 Cavalier?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.