crashtest

1994 / Chevrolet

1994 Chevrolet Cavalier

Safety ratings

1994 Chevrolet Cavaler 4-DR.

Not ratedOverall
Not ratedFrontal crash
Not ratedSide crash
Not ratedSide pole
Not ratedRollover
Frontal, driver: 4★Frontal, passenger: 5★Rollover risk: 0.0%
  • Lane departure warningNo
  • Forward collision warningNo
  • Electronic stability controlNo

Crash test videos & photos

No public crash-test footage is available for this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

  • STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARMCampaign 94V115000 · 24/06/1994

    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.

    Risk: THIS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

    Fix: 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.

  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORNCampaign 96I001000 · 23/01/1996

    THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH INSUFFICIENT RETENTION OF THE HORN PAD.

    Risk: THE HORN PAD CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL FALLING BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL SPOKES. THE HORN PAD COULD BECOME JAMMED BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL SPOKES AND THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER, HORN PAD, AND HORN WIRING.

    Fix: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE HORN PAD RETENTION CLIPS, INSTALL HORN PAD RETENTION BRACKETS TO THE STEERING WHEEL, REINSTALL THE HORN PAD AND ASSURE THAT THE HORN PAD IS PROPERLY RETAINED.

Owner complaints

226
Complaints
28
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
15
Injuries
1
Deaths

Most-reported areas

  • SERVICE BRAKES61
  • HYDRAULIC57
  • ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING52
  • SEAT BELTS21
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM18
  • POWER TRAIN15
  • VISIBILITY13
  • STRUCTURE10
Read individual complaints (50 most recent)

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

  • 12/30/2008· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

    TURN SIGNAL/HORN PAD FAILURE. CALLED CHEVROLET HOTLINE ON 12/30/2008, AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL. REFERRED ME TO DEALERSHIP AND SAID THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR

  • 12/30/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    WHENEVER BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT APPROX. 35-40MPH, THE ABS BRAKES WOULD FAIL TO STOP VEHICLE, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

  • 12/28/1995· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

    ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE,ELECTRICAL SHORT. TT

  • 12/27/2000· SEAT BELTS

    DRIVER SEAT BELT IS NOT ROLLING BACK AND THEREFORE IT GET STOCK IN THE DOOR AND TEARS UP. *AK

  • 12/21/1994· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

    ECM FAILED, CAUSING FAST IDLE. *AK

  • 12/17/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED TWICE.

  • 12/17/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

    ABS FAILURE; ON DRY PAVEMENT LET GO WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP, TWO ACCIDENTS HAD OCCURRED BECAUSE OF ABS FAILURE. THE SERVICE SHOP SAID THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES,THE BRAKES HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. PLEASE EXPLAIN. *AK

  • 12/15/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    I AM AWARE THAT THE '92 & '93 MODELS ARE COVERED FOR THE SAME ENGINE, SAME PROBLEM. SHOULDN'T THE '94 MODELS BE COVERED SINCE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM? *AK

  • 12/15/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    ABS BRAKING PROBLEMS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

  • 12/14/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    DURING HARD BRAKING EFFORT BRAKES SLIDE. NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. TT

  • 12/12/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    WILL CONTACT DEALER SERVICE AND MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

  • 12/09/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    WHILE CHANGING THE OIL I NOTICED A RUST LINE DOWN THE ENGINE BLOCK WHERE THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND ENGINE BLOCK MEET. THERE IS A DISTINCT LEAK AT THAT SECTION OF THE HEAD/BLOCK WHERE THEY MEET. *AK

  • 12/08/1995· VISIBILITY

    POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER, WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT WORK CAN NOT SEE IN BAD WEATHER. TT

  • 12/07/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

    UPON START UP IN COLD WEATHER: WIPERS INOP, HEATER FAN INOP, AUTO DOOR LOCKS INOP, HEAD LAMPS INOP. AFTER 20 MIN WARM UP ALL SEEMS TO FUNCTION OKAY. START UP IN WARMER PART OF DAY THESE DISCREPANCIES DO NOT MATERIALIZE.

  • 11/30/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    WHILE VEHICLE WAS HAVING AN OIL CHANGE, ETC. AT A REPAIR SHOP, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A LEAKAGES FROM HEAD GASKET. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

  • 11/25/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED OF PREMATURE DESTRUCTION OF THE ABS BRAKES FRONT ROTORS DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED PADS AT 16,000 MILES. THE FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SLC

  • 11/20/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES SOMETIMES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE TAKES A WHILE TO STOP. DEALR HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

  • 11/17/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

    THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH HORN ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING THEIR HORN FELL OFF. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE DEFECTS ARE DESCRIBED IN RECALL NUMBER 96I001000. *AK

  • 11/16/1999· SEAT BELTS

    THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FIRST STARTED IT WAS WINDING VERY SLOWLY AND THEN IT JUST CAME OFF. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK

  • 11/07/1994· POWER TRAIN

    ODOMETER FAILED. *SKD

  • 11/06/1996· SUSPENSION

    WHEEL BEARING NOISE WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT OR MAKING RIGHT TURNS.

  • 11/05/1995· SUSPENSION

    FRONT END IS NOISY. *DSH

  • 11/04/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

    VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT WORK PROPERLY AND FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE HIT A POLE AND DRIVER SUSTAINED BRAIN INJURIES. THE ROAD WAS ICY AND SANDY AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE SYSTEM HAS ABS. *AK

  • 11/03/1998· SEAT BELTS

    DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE AND LOCK. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATES NO WARRANTY, REPAIRS WOULD BE MADE AT CONSUMER'S COSTS. *AK

  • 11/02/1995· EQUIPMENT

    AIR COMPRESSOR FAILURE IN VEHICLE. TT

  • 11/01/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, TIMING CHAIN BROKE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THERE WASN'T ANY WARNING. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN & BECOME INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE PLASTIC PART THAT ROTATES THE TIMING CHAIN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

  • 11/01/1996· STRUCTURE

    WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE THE DOOR TO FALL OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

  • 10/30/1994· SUSPENSIONCrash

    FRONT END NOISE FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURY.

  • 10/26/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    ABS SYSTEM WOULD ONLY LOCK UP ON REAR WHEEL. REPAIRMAN WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, REAR BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN WEATHER GETS COLD. *AK

  • 10/25/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    GM WILL NOT EXTEND WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THEY DO SO WITH 92/93 WITH SAME PROBLEM.

  • 10/24/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED.

  • 10/22/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    WHEN CONSUMER GETS INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND TRIES TO START ENGINE, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE BATTERY IS DEAD. CONSUMER SAID HAD HAPPENED A FEW TIMES. PARKED VEHICLE ANY PLACE, AND STILL SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE THAT WON'T CRANK. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

  • 10/22/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ON THE FRONT END HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE OWNING VEHICLE, THIS IS (3) SETS WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES AND WHEN YOU BRAKE THE WHOLE FRONT END SHIMMIES, THE SYSTEM HAS ABS. DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN WITH THE REAR BRAKES NOT ADJUSTING THEMSELVES WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT BRAKES TO WORK ALONE AND HEATING THE ROTORS TO THE POINT OF WARPING. *SLC

  • 10/21/1998· PARKING BRAKE

    EMERGENCY BRAKE CONSTANLY GO OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE UNSTABLE WHEN PARKED ON ANY INCLINE.

  • 10/18/1996· STRUCTURE

    AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS JAMMED WHERE THE CONSUMER HAD TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND USE THE KEY TO GET HERSELF OUT OF THE CAR. PLEASE EXPLAIN. *AK

  • 10/16/1996· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

    INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FAILED TWO TIMES.

  • 10/15/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS GOING UP. CONSUMER STOPPED CAR, AND CALLED A TOW COMPANY. CONSUMER TOWED CAR TO A CHEVROLET DEALER. DEALER SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD GASKET AND WATER PUMP BECAUSE ONE ENGINE HEAD CYLINDER BOLT BROKE. *AK

  • 10/14/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    ENGINE GASKET PROBLEMS: THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 12, 000 MILES. ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AT 30,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 57,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

  • 10/14/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    REAR ENGINE MOUNT FAILED. NLM

  • 10/12/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

    BRAKES FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING ON SNOW PACKED ROADS AT NIGHT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

  • 10/11/2000· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

    FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. NEEDLE WOULD GO ALL THE WAY PAST FULL WHEN IT'S FILLED. BUT WHEN DRIVING, CANNOT TELL IF TANK IS BEING EMPTY DUE TO NEEDLE NOT MOVING DOWNWARD. WAS NO INDICATION OF WHETHER FUEL WAS IN TANK OR NOT. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT A NEW PART, FUEL SENDER MODULE, WAS NEEDED & WOULD REPLACE IT WHEN IT CAME IN.*AK

  • 10/09/1996· POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE

    FAILURE ON THE REAR FENDER, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE IS RUBBING AGAINST THE FENDER. WHEN YOU TURN THE IGNITION ON THE VEHICLE CAN SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE WITHOUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE.*AK

  • 10/04/2005· SEATS

    DRIVER SEAT BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE AND HAS TO BE HELD UP BY SOME THING SO IT DON'T FALL BACK. *NM

  • 10/04/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE.

  • 10/02/2012· SEAT BELTSCrash

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1994 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. THE DRIVER BECAME INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SIX TIMES. THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE POLICE OFFICER STATED THERE WAS NO PIN IN THE SEAT BELT THAT PROPERLY SECURED IT TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT WAS SECURED AROUND THE DRIVER'S ARM AND WAS CONNECTED TO THE LATCH, BUT NOT TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

  • 09/29/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    TIMING BELT BROKE, RESULTING IN 1200.00 REPAIRS. *AK

  • 09/29/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

    HIT BRAKE PEDAL TO KNOCK OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED ABS DID NOT WORK AND ACCIDENT OCCURRED. TT

  • 09/28/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    REPLACE HEAD GASKET 10/96, WATER PUMP AND HOSES 07/99 AND STILL LOOSES COOLANT

  • 09/23/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

    HEAD GASKET LEAKING NEEDED REPLACED IN1998 AT 43445, THEN STARTED LEAKING IN 2002 AT 74847.

  • 09/23/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

    STRANGE NOISE, REPLACE ROTORS/PAD TWICE WITHIN 7 MONTHS.