1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cavalier years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 503 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier. That ranks 3rd out of 11 Cavalier model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (117 complaints, 23%), typically at around 94,000 miles. Complaints mention 58 crashes, 10 fires, 61 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 503owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 58complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 117 | 23% | 94,000 | “head gasket” (28%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 100 | 20% | 60,714 | “ignition switch” (13%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 73 | 15% | 89,000 | “air bag” (48%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 54 | 11% | 78,000 | “transmission failed” (9%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 54 | 11% | 69,995 | “abs brakes” (20%) | — |
| Steering | 49 | 10% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 27 | 5% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 27 | 5% | 63,871 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 24 | 5% | 132,875 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 21 | 4% | 63,871 | — | — |
| Equipment | 19 | 4% | 63,871 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 17 | 3% | 101,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 15 | 3% | 84,651 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 14 | 3% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 3% | 106,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 12 | 2% | 39,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 4 | 1% | 100 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 1% | 51,686 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | 100 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 17,035 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 0% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | 195,450 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Chevrolet Cavalier recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began january 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Risk: If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
Fix: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, buick at 1-800-521-7300, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. One of the rear suspension trailing arm bolts can fatigue and break.
Risk: If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a loss of vehicle control can occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear suspension trailing arm fasteners.
Air bags
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Because of certain calibrations in the air bag's sensing and diagnostic module, an inadvertent air bag deployment could occur in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.
Risk: Air bags deploy with great force and can seriously injure unrestrained occupants who are too close to them.
Fix: Dealers will recalibrate the air bag sensing and diagnostic module.
Interior lighting
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 101, "controls and displays."
Risk: The interior lamps coming on unexpectedly could startle a driver causing a momentary loss of control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.
Exterior lighting:hazard flashing warning lights
Problem: The front and/or rear hazard warning lamps (four-way flashers) do not flash when the hazard switch is activated. This fails to comply with fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If these lamps were not flashing, other vehicles would not be aware that this vehicle was stopped increasing the risk of an accident.
Fix: Dealers or vehicle owners will inspect for proper function of the hazard warning lamps. If necessary, dealers will replace the hazard lamp switch.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: The accelerator control cable could have been kinked during assembly causing high accelerator pedal effort, sticking accelerator control cable, or a broken accelerator control cable.
Risk: If the accelerator control cable sticks or breaks, unwanted acceleration and/or loss of throttle control can result increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will replace the accelerator control cable assembly.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Unintended vehicle acceleration (DP03007) — opened Oct 14, 2003, closed Jan 30, 2004.
- Fire in steering column area (PE02001) — opened Jan 3, 2002, closed Mar 15, 2002, led to recall 02V070000.
- Oversensitive air bag deployments (EA98001) — opened Jan 23, 1998, closed Jul 31, 1998, led to recall 98V146000.
- Inadvertent air bag deployments (PE97041) — opened Sep 9, 1997, closed Jan 23, 1998.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owned a 1996 chevrolet cavalier. While the contact was making a u turn, another vehicle crashed into the driver side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained injuries to the head, right shoulder, and left knee. The passenger…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 chevrolet cavalier. While driving approximately 25 mph, the contact's vehicle was struck on the driver's side by another vehicle. The driver side air bag did not deploy during the crash; however, it suddenly deployed while the contact attempted to exit the vehicle. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 chevrolet cavalier. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a stop sign and the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed and no…
This car shuts off while driving like the gm cars being mentioned in the news today. Started in 2005 and was evaluated by multiple mechanics including a chevrolet dealership that kept it over a month. It doesn't show a code when it happens. It randomly shuts off while you are driving (varied…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 chevrolet cavalier. The contact stated that the interior lights would sporadically illuminate. The failure occurred numerous times over the course of sixteen years. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis numerous times but the contact was told that there were no…
Other Chevrolet Cavalier years
← 1995 Cavalier · 1997 Cavalier →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Cavalier | 287 | 0 |
| 2004 Cavalier | 330 | 1 |
| 2003 Cavalier | 678 | 1 |
| 2002 Cavalier | 196 | 0 |
| 2001 Cavalier | 243 | 1 |
| 2000 Cavalier | 315 | 2 |
| 1999 Cavalier | 240 | 2 |
| 1998 Cavalier | 345 | 4 |
| 1997 Cavalier | 540 | 7 |
| 1996 | 503 | 7 |
| 1995 Cavalier | 270 | 4 |
See all Chevrolet Cavalier problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, air bags problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 117 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cavalier model years, the 1996 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.