2004 Chevrolet Cavalier Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cavalier years
- About as many complaints as other years 5th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 330 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier. That ranks 5th out of 11 Cavalier model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (185 complaints, 56%), typically at around 54,100 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 6 fires, 19 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 330owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 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 | 185 | 56% | 54,100 | “temperature gauge” (14%) | $750 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 | 8% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 7% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 23 | 7% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 5% | 130,012 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 15 | 5% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 15 | 5% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 4% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 4% | 51,544 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 13 | 4% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 3% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 2% | 89,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 8 | 2% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 2% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 6 | 2% | 51,750 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 2% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 2% | 115,693 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 1% | 100,120 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 1% | 5,086 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 1% | 2,491 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 1% | 301,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | 104,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Chevrolet Cavalier recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, 'seat belt assembly anchorages.' the passenger-side rear safety belt may have been installed with an incorrect nut and bolt.
Risk: In a severe crash, the upper seat belt anchorage may separate. The effectiveness of the seat belt could then be reduced and the occupant could receive greater injuries.
Fix: Dealers are to inspect the safety belt anchorage and install a new nut and bolt, if necessary. The recall began on august 23, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The whole steering column is loose The pins are all backed out Iâm afraid to drive it I think this is a manufactured design flaw
The vehicle failed to pass pa. state inspection due to a severely rusted frame over the rear axles. The estimate to repair the frame was @$3000.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the front driverâs side tire had detached. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. An independent mechanic went to the contact's residence and diagnosed that the lower control arm rusted and detached…
In the parking lot where i work my car would not start. When moving the automatic transmission lever it did not catch on to anything. The car just rolled backwards and i had to immediately press on the brakes preventing an accident. My car had to be towed to the auto shop. Diagnosis: shifter cable…
Can't safely install a car seat because the safety belts do not properly retract. Therefore the car seat is not stable. The vehicle was stationary.
Other Chevrolet Cavalier years
← 2003 Cavalier · 2005 Cavalier →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Cavalier | 287 | 0 |
| 2004 | 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 Cavalier | 503 | 7 |
| 1995 Cavalier | 270 | 4 |
See all Chevrolet Cavalier problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Owners most often report electrical system, vehicle speed control, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 185 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 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 2004 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.