1998 Chevrolet Cavalier Steering Problems
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 78,484 miles. The words owners use most often: “rack pinion” (46% of reports).
- 54steering complaints
- 78,484median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 0%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 25 of 54 complaints (46%)
- Steering gear: mentioned in 6 of 54 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 20 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 54 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Chevrolet Cavalier steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Cavalier | 8 | 3% | 45,000 |
| 2004 Cavalier | 16 | 5% | 130,012 |
| 2003 Cavalier | 19 | 3% | 65,000 |
| 2002 Cavalier | 16 | 8% | 72,810 |
| 2001 Cavalier | 26 | 11% | 37,000 |
| 2000 Cavalier | 28 | 9% | 40,578 |
| 1999 Cavalier | 31 | 13% | 62,500 |
| 1998 Cavalier | 54 | 16% | 78,484 |
| 1997 Cavalier | 83 | 15% | 84,005 |
| 1996 Cavalier | 49 | 10% | 52,000 |
| 1995 Cavalier | 19 | 7% | 179,850 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Steering does not turn going at a rate of 5 mph. *tt
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet cavalier. While driving in reverse approximately 5 mph, the contact attempted several times to turn the steering wheel but the steering wheel would not respond. The failure was a continuous occurrence in any selected gear. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign…
Ever since i bought my car brand new, i have had issues with the engine stalling on hills or inclines. My car will start to feel as if it's going to stall, and the rpm's jump up as if i am accelerating the gas, but since this normally only happens on hills, when i apply the brakes, my car will not…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Chevrolet Cavaliers have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about steering for the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier (16% of the 345 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 78,484 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier?
The most frequent phrase is “rack pinion”, in 25 of 54 complaints, followed by “steering gear” (6).
Other 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier problems
See all 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier problems or steering problems across all Cavalier years.