1997 Chevrolet Cavalier problems
Owners have filed 751 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 16% of complaints. Next are engine (14%) and steering (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 751 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 16% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 86 and 33
- Injuries and deaths
- 98 and 5
- Typical mileage
- 84,000 miles 113 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 13 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 15 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 20 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 19 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 17 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 16 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 4 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 6 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 113 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 84,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 94,000 miles (18 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 86 complaints mention a crash; 33 complaints mention a fire; 98 injuries reported; 5 deaths reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 87% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 16 model years of the Chevrolet Cavalier with enough data (425 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 7 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Inadvertent driver side air bag deployment killed driver by causing loss of control. While traveling the speed limit in the center lane of the interstate the driver side air bag suddenly deployed for no apparent reason, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The car slid sideways through the median and was struck on the broadside by oncoming traffic killing the driver and injuring three occupants of the other vehicle.
1997 chevrolet cavalier with a steering column recall. Consumer states that they never received the first recall and by the time they received the second one their daughter had died in that vehicle due to an accident.
When driving 80-85 MPH vehicle suddenly drifted to left, consumer lost control of vehicle, causing vehicle to flip and roll over four times, resulting in injuries to driver side occupant, and killing the passenger's side occupant.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet cavalier. While attempting to make a left turn from a stop, the power steering failed. The power steering works when driving forward and making a right turn, but fails only when turning left. GMC stated that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 02v286000 (steering:rack and pinion). The vehicle is currently at a chevrolet dealer awaiting repair. The current and failure mileages were 61,000. * updated 12/12/07 updated 12/12/07
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 of notice from dealership/ manufacture regarding this issue! Upon googling found many are experiencing same problem!!