1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cavalier years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 540 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier. That ranks 2nd out of 11 Cavalier model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (107 complaints, 20%), typically at around 93,500 miles. Complaints mention 70 crashes, 25 fires, 78 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 540owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 70complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 107 | 20% | 93,500 | “ignition switch” (22%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 106 | 20% | 75,000 | “head gasket” (11%) | — |
| Steering problems | 83 | 15% | 84,005 | “rack pinion” (35%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 78 | 14% | 100,000 | “air bag” (41%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 58 | 11% | 80,650 | “applying brakes” (14%) | — |
| Visibility | 40 | 7% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 27 | 5% | 92,817 | — | — |
| Power Train | 26 | 5% | 47,513 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 26 | 5% | 105,502 | — | — |
| Structure | 20 | 4% | 127,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 19 | 4% | 56,200 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 3% | 118,761 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 2% | 119 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 13 | 2% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 11 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 2% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 1% | 68,800 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 7 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 1% | 58,560 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 1% | 77,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 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.
Structure:body
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with mis-located welds at the joint between the left rocker panel inner reinforcement and the body side ring. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 214, "side door strength."
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the sheet metal structure would not perform as desired increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the welds and, if necessary, place five welds between the involved panels and apply primer and topcoat finish materials.
Wheels:space saver wheel
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The compact spare tire assemblies were assembled with incorrect rims. If the spare tire is underinflated, the bead can separate from the rim causing a rapid loss of air. This does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Risk: A rapid loss of air can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rim on the compact spare tire assembly. Owners are requested not to use the spare tire until the rim has been replaced.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer
Problem: These vehicles were built with an incorrect wiper blade assembly (17" long instead of 22" long) on the driver's side. This does not comply with fmvss no. 104, "windshield wiping and washing systems."
Risk: The area and pattern wiped on the windshield will be reduced and could affect the driver's view in wet weather increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for the correct wiper blade assembly and install a correct length wiper blade 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.
Car radiator fan won't kick on cause car to get very dangerously hot causing car to become a bomb
Air bags deflated september 9, 2012 while in motion turning a 90 degree bend then braking into road bank on a the side of a country dirt road. An early inspection was handed down from the commonwealth state of pennsylvania on july, 01, 2016. Shortly after the vehicle was involved in auto accident…
While driving my horn stopped working without any kind of indicator!! 3 time this has occurred while driving !! Major safety issue! Was unable warn car backing out and had to swerve to avoid accident! Replaced fuse 3 times!! Someone may die as a result of this malfunction!! Never received any kind…
The safety device light came on. It won't go off, can't start my car. *js
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet cavalier. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start on the first attempt. The contact also stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was repaired. The contact was not…
Other Chevrolet Cavalier years
← 1996 Cavalier · 1998 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 | 540 | 7 |
| 1996 Cavalier | 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 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, steering problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 107 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 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 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.