no report yet
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk. IN A SEVERE CRASH, THE UPPER SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE MAY SEPARATE.
2004 Chevrolet CavalierProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 330 owner complaints about the 2004 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 May 17, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier has problems
330 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
185Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
27Vehicle speed control
23Visibility
23Power train
16Steering
15Air bags
15Engine and engine cooling
13Structure
13Service brakes, hydraulic
7416 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 185 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 27 | 0 |
| Visibility | 23 | 1 |
| Power train | 23 | 2 |
| Steering | 16 | 1 |
| Air bags | 15 | 10 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 15 | 1 |
| Structure | 13 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 13 | 1 |
| 16 other systems | 74 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2004 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?
54kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 145 electrical system complaints. 84% were reported before 100,000 miles.
21under 30k miles122under 100k miles23100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Electrical system
20 owners mentioned a cost$465median
Middle half: $338 – $500
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2004 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
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier safety ratings
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier 4-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
In owners' words
What Cavalier owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I HAVE HAD MY USED CHEVY CAVALIER 2004 CAR FOR ALMOST A YEAR. AS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE ENGINE HAS JUST STOPPED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN THE TIME SPAN OF 5 MONTHS. NO ONE ( AUTO SHOPS) CAN FIND THE ISSUE. THEY HAVE ZERO ANSWERS. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS. I WOULD BE BANNED…
CLUSTER PANEL TEMP GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING NOW THE GAUGE IS STAYING IN ONE SPOT SO HAVE NO IDEA IF TEMP IS GOOD OR NOT. WHAT IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE I WILL NOT KNOW WITHOUT THIS WORKING. HAVE TAKEN TO TWO GARAGES THEY BOTH SAY ITS THE CLUSTER PANEL. STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING,GAGE…
MY CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING A WHILE AGO. SINCE I DIDN'T GET A RECALL ON IT I WAS UNAWARE OF PEOPLE DID COMPLAIN ABOUT IT UNTIL MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHERE THE CLUSTER IS AND ALL THE WIRES ARE TOTALLY BURNED UP. I AM FURIOUS. I READ OTHER COMPLAINTS AND SOME PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I COULD NOT…
Own a 2004 Cavalier?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.