Model Year Problem Record

Chevrolet Cavalier 2004 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

330Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints

1Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls

0Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations

28Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

For each system: what owners reported, matched against the recalls on file for this model year. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Electrical System192 complaints

192 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control27 complaints

27 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Visibility25 complaints

25 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train24 complaints

24 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine22 complaints

22 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering16 complaints

16 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Brakes16 complaints

16 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Air Bags15 complaints

15 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System15 complaints

15 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other13 complaints

13 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure13 complaints

13 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment7 complaints

7 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension6 complaints

6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts6 complaints

6 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 04V300000.

Tires4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Latches, Locks and Linkages4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Driver Assistance and Stability Systems2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

04V300000Reported June 23, 2004 - 37 vehicles potentially affected

Seat Belts. Recall covering the seat belts system, reported to NHTSA on June 23, 2004. The campaign covers an estimated 37 vehicles across all affected models.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

200421

200526

200621

200714

200836

200922

201055

201134

201222

20138

201430

201517

201610

20173

20182

20194

20202

20211

20221

20241

How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of November 1, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.