CarBrief

Owners filed 330 complaints about the 2004 Cavalier with NHTSA, and 185 of them name the electrical system[1][2]. The car has one recall, for a seat belt anchor bolt[3].

330owner complaints[1]
1recalls[4]
24–27MPG combined (EPA)[5]

Most reported problems

NHTSA has 330 owner complaints on file for this car[1]. Of those, 17 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 19 injuries and 1 a death[1]. These are unverified reports from owners, and one complaint can name several parts.

The electrical system group is the largest by a wide margin. It has 185 complaints, with 2 crashes, 5 fires and 2 injuries[2]. The median mileage at failure is 54,450[2]. In the sample of complaints we read, owners describe the car stalling or being hard to start, sometimes while driving, and a speedometer or dash cluster that misreads or stops working[2].

The next groups are much smaller:

In the sample we read, the clutch reports describe manual cars[8]. If you test drive a manual Cavalier, pay attention to how the clutch pedal feels.

Recalls

NHTSA lists one recall for this model year[3].

You can check a specific car by VIN on the NHTSA recall site.

Fuel economy

The EPA lists three versions, all with a 2.2L 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive[13][5][14].

Version City Highway Combined Annual fuel cost
Manual 5-speed, regular gas[5] 23 33 27 $2,500
Automatic 4-speed, regular gas[13] 21 31 25 $2,700
Dual-fuel automatic 4-speed, gasoline or natural gas[14] 21 29 24 $2,800

MPG figures are miles per gallon. The annual cost uses the EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices from when the car was new[13][5][14].

Safety ratings

NHTSA lists no 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 4-door or the 2-door 2004 Cavalier[15][16]. Both are shown as not rated[15][16]. That means there is no crash test score to compare.

Engine and size

The EPA fuel economy listings show a 2.2L 4-cylinder engine for all three versions[13][5][14].

The sizes below are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada.

Variant Length Width Height Wheelbase Curb weight
2-door coupe VL/VLX[17] 183 in 69 in 53 in 104 in 2,619 lb
2-door coupe Z24[18] 183 in 69 in 53 in 104 in 2,749 lb
4-door sedan VL/VLX[19] 183 in 68 in 55 in 104 in 2,676 lb
4-door sedan Z24[20] 183 in 68 in 55 in 104 in 2,729 lb

How 2004 compares with other years

1995: 270 complaints, 4 recalls19951996: 503 complaints, 7 recalls19961997: 540 complaints, 7 recalls19971998: 345 complaints, 4 recalls19981999: 240 complaints, 2 recalls19992000: 315 complaints, 2 recalls20002001: 243 complaints, 1 recalls20012002: 196 complaints, 0 recalls20022003: 678 complaints, 1 recalls20032004: 330 complaints, 1 recalls33020042005: 287 complaints, 0 recalls2005
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Cavalier model year. The 2004 is highlighted[4].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
19952704
19965037
19975407
19983454
19992402
20003152
20012431
20021960
20036781
20043301
20052870

NHTSA data for the Cavalier covers model years 1995 to 2005[4]. The 2004 year has 330 complaints and 1 recall[4].

Four years have more complaints: 2003 (678), 1997 (540), 1996 (503) and 1998 (345)[4]. The other six have fewer: 2000 (315), 2005 (287), 1995 (270), 2001 (243), 1999 (240) and 2002 (196)[4]. That puts 2004 fifth highest of the 11 years[4].

For recalls, 2004 and 2003 and 2001 each have 1[4]. The years 1995 to 2000 have between 2 and 7, and 2002 and 2005 have none[4]. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so treat the comparison as a rough guide.

Should you buy a used 2004 Cavalier?

The record is mixed. The complaint total of 330 is in the middle of the Cavalier years, and the recall is small[4][3]. The weak spot in the data is the electrical system, with 185 complaints and 5 fires, and owners in our sample also describe stalling and repeated clutch problems on manual cars[2][8]. The air bag group is small, but its crash and injury counts are high for its size, while fuel economy of 24 to 27 MPG combined is a plus[11][13][5][14]. If you are looking at one, a pre-purchase inspection that covers the electrical system and clutch makes sense, and so does a VIN recall check.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Electrical system complaints lead with 185 of 330 on file[1][2]. Speed control has 27, visibility 23 and power train 23[6][7][8].
Does the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier have any recalls?
NHTSA lists one, 04V300, for a possibly wrong nut and bolt on the passenger-side rear seat belt anchor. Dealers inspect it and replace the parts if needed[3].
What gas mileage does a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier get?
The EPA rates the manual at 27 MPG combined[5] and the automatic at 25[13]. The dual-fuel automatic is rated 24 combined[14].
Is the 2004 Cavalier a good year compared with others?
It has 330 complaints, fifth highest of the 11 model years listed[4]. 2003 has 678 and 2002 has 196[4].
How safe is the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier?
NHTSA shows it as not rated in its 5-Star program for both body styles[15][16].

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 330 owner complaints on file for the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier (17 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 19 injuries, 1 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. 185 complaints name the electrical system component group (2 crashes, 5 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 54,450). NHTSA vehicle records
  3. Recall 04V300, filed June 23, 2004: Seat Belts › Rear / Other. NHTSA recall database
  4. Owner complaints and recalls for every Chevrolet Cavalier model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  5. EPA rating for Cavalier, 2.2L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 33 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  6. 27 complaints name the speed control component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 58,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 23 complaints name the visibility component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 39,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 23 complaints name the power train component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 43,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 22 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 50,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 16 complaints name the steering component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 130,012). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 15 complaints name the air bags component group (10 crashes, 0 fires, 12 injuries, median mileage at failure 50,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. 14 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 40,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  13. EPA rating for Cavalier, 2.2L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 31 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  14. EPA rating for Cavalier Dual-fuel, 2.2L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Gasoline or natural gas, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  15. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR None: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
  16. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 2 DR None: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
  17. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CAVALIER 2DR COUPE VL/VLX: length 183 in, width 69 in, height 53 in, wheelbase 104 in, curb weight 2,619 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  18. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CAVALIER 2DR COUPE Z24: length 183 in, width 69 in, height 53 in, wheelbase 104 in, curb weight 2,749 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  19. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CAVALIER 4DR SEDAN VL/VLX: length 183 in, width 68 in, height 55 in, wheelbase 104 in, curb weight 2,676 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  20. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CAVALIER 4DR SEDAN Z24: length 183 in, width 68 in, height 55 in, wheelbase 104 in, curb weight 2,729 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.