Your vehicle report
1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 212
- Received Jan 1995 to Oct 2012
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up38 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract26 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Head gasket leaks coolant into engine25 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #94V115000These vehicles were built with overtorqued drive axle spindle nuts. This condition can cause excessive loads on the spindle nut and drive axle resulting in failure of the drive axle or the spindle nut. Failure of either of these components can result in separation of the steering knuckle tire-wheel assembly from the drive axle.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 28 crashes, 3 fires, 14 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
- Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail
- Water leaks into cabin during rain
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 51 |
| 1996 | 30 |
| 1997 | 23 |
| 1998 | 20 |
| 1999 | 28 |
| 2000 | 20 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 212 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 38 | 18% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 26 | 12% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 25 | 12% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 10 | 4.7% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 9 | 4.3% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 9 | 4.3% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 6 | 2.8% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 6 | 2.8% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 2.8% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 2.4% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #94V115000June 24, 199465 vehicles affected
steering: linkages: knuckle: spindle: arm
These vehicles were built with overtorqued drive axle spindle nuts. This condition Can cause excessive loads on the spindle nut and drive axle resulting in failure of the drive axle or the spindle nut. Failure of either of these components Can result in separation of the steering knuckle tire-wheel assembly from the drive axle.
This Can result in loss of vehicle control and a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the left-hand and right-hand drive axles, bearing-hub assemblies, spindle nuts, and washers on all involved vehicles. Corrective action: dealers will replace left-hand and right-hand drive axles, bearing-hub assemblies, spindle nuts, and washers on all involved vehicles.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN