2005 Chevrolet CavalierProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 287 owner complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier, most often about the electrical system. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 26, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Where the 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier has problems
287 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 211 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 18 | 0 |
| Power train | 16 | 0 |
| Structure | 14 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 13 | 0 |
| Visibility | 10 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 8 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 0 |
| Air bags | 6 | 4 |
| 19 other systems | 47 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2005 Chevrolet Cavalier recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
When do electrical system problems start?
70kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 176 electrical system complaints. 79% were reported before 100,000 miles.
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
31 owners mentioned a cost$500median
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.
2005 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
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2005 Chevrolet Cavalier safety ratings
2005 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
What Cavalier owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
MY MOM WAS DRIVING THE CAR AS NORMAL DOWN THE ROAD ONE DAY AND ALL THE GUAGES IN THE ENTIRE DASH SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. SOME CAME BACK ON AND OFF A COUPLE WEEKS. SOME NEVER DID. BUT AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS ALL STOPPED WORKING AND NOW NOTHING WORKS. NO HEAT GUAGE, NO FUEL GUAGE, NO TEMP GUAGE, NO…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE, ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, AND TACHOMETER WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE…
GAUGES FOR TEMPERATURE DO NOT WORK, SOMETIMES READS BELOW ZERO, SOMETIMES SLIGHTLY ABOVE THERE IS NO CHANGE IN READING WHETHER COLD, OR RUNNING FOR SEVERAL HOURS - AT ANY SPEED SPEED GAUGE WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, SOMETIMES RECORDING 100 MPH, WHEN THE CAR IS DOING NO MORE THAT 20-30 MPH. AT OTHER…
Own a 2005 Cavalier?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.