Chevrolet Cavalier Fuel System, Gasoline Problems
Owners have filed 479 complaints with NHTSA about fuel system, gasoline problems on the Chevrolet Cavalier across 11 model years. The 2003 model year has the most (340). The words owners use most often: “fuel pump” (76% of reports).
- 479fuel system, gasoline complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%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.
- Fuel pump: mentioned in 364 of 479 complaints (76%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical fuel system, gasoline repair on the Chevrolet Cavalier at $1,100, and half of them between $930 and $1,350.
Based on 74 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2001–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do fuel system, gasoline problems happen?
Based on 385 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 479 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 4 an injury.
Chevrolet Cavalier fuel system, gasoline complaints by model year
| Model year | Fuel System, Gasoline complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Cavalier | 8 | 3% | 60,113 |
| 2004 Cavalier | 9 | 3% | 78,000 |
| 2003 Cavalier | 340 | 50% | 66,000 |
| 2002 Cavalier | 13 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 2001 Cavalier | 22 | 9% | 45,560 |
| 2000 Cavalier | 29 | 9% | 44,500 |
| 1999 Cavalier | 10 | 4% | 92,500 |
| 1998 Cavalier | 6 | 2% | 76,984 |
| 1997 Cavalier | 19 | 4% | 56,200 |
| 1996 Cavalier | 15 | 3% | 84,651 |
| 1995 Cavalier | 8 | 3% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists fuel system, gasoline for the Chevrolet Cavalier. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
All of the trouble lights come on including the service light with a wrench. Then, all of the gauges drop to nothing; you don't know how fast you're traveling, what your fuel capacity is, the temperature gauge drops to nothing along with the tachometer dropping to nothing. In the odometer and…
Went to start car to go to store and it would not start. Luckily it was at home when it decided to stop working. Towed to garage and they said it was the fuel pump. The garage replaced the fuel pump and it fixed the no start issue. I had no idea that this was the process to start a recall…
Was in the fast lane and car shut off and tried to restart but it would not. Was stuck in the road cars honking car would not restart. *tr
1999 chevrolet cavalier. Consumer writes in regards to transmission problems and vehicle sometimes emits white smoke through the vents. *smd the consumer stated the transmission and radiator needed to be serviced. Also, a serpentine belt and fuel pan was needed.
Coasting down hill on a dirt road, got to the bottom and engine had died. Rolled to a stop and would not restart. Towed to a mechanic, replaced fuel pump. This happened twice more and each time the fuel pump was bad. The last fuel pump only lasted 3 months and like the two previous pumps, it was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Cavaliers have fuel system, gasoline problems?
No. NHTSA has 479 owner complaints about fuel system, gasoline for the Chevrolet Cavalier. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Cavalier fuel system, gasoline?
No recall currently lists fuel system, gasoline for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix fuel system, gasoline problems on the Chevrolet Cavalier?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,100 (half paid between $930 and $1,350), from 74 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about fuel system, gasoline problems on the Chevrolet Cavalier?
The most frequent phrase is “fuel pump”, in 364 of 479 complaints.
Other Chevrolet Cavalier problems
- Electrical System problems (1,041)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (573)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (387)
- Steering problems (349)
- Air Bags problems (321)
- Power Train problems (261)
- Visibility problems (240)
- Exterior Lighting problems (169)
See all Chevrolet Cavalier problems.