RoadVitals

1986 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Oct 24, 2009
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
8
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 5, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 18 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–18 of 18

Electrical
Filed Oct 24, 2009

ON MY 1986 CHEVY CAVALIER Z24 V6 IF THE ENGINE IS OFF OR ON THE DIGITAL DASH THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND SO DOES THE DOME LIGHT IF THE HEAD LIGHT IS PUSH O PANEL OR BOTH.*TR

NHTSA ID
10289653
Incident
May 24, 2009
Mileage
189,654 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 9, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE HAS CRACK MARKS ALL OVER THE TIRE. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. MR

NHTSA ID
8020461
Incident
Jun 2, 2002
Steering
Filed Feb 6, 2001

ADJUSTED STEERING COLUMN IS COMING LOOSE AT COLLAPSE/HINGE AREA DUE TO LOOSENESS OF BOLTS. THIS CAUSES MECHANISM NOT TO WORK PROPERLY ON STEERING COLUMN RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID
879969
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 21, 1999
Crash reported2 injuries reported

BACK OF DRIVERS SEAT WENT DOWN, AND DRIVER HIT A CEMENT WALL AND FLIPPED CAR OVER. *AK

NHTSA ID
704710
Incident
Mar 18, 1999
Engine
Filed Apr 25, 1998
Fire reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT ONN FIRE. CAUSE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
534769
Incident
Mar 29, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Dec 23, 1996

SHOULDER BELT HARNESS FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, WILL NOT PULL OUT TO LOCK/ LATCH TO BUCKLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
806650
Incident
Sep 4, 1996
Body & structure
Filed Sep 23, 1996

ERRATIC OPERATION OF DASHBOARD, CONSOLE LOSES PROPER READING. *AK

NHTSA ID
802764
Incident
Sep 23, 1996
Engine
Filed Sep 23, 1996
Fire reported

VEHICLE FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)

NHTSA ID
508891
Incident
Aug 22, 1996
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 23, 1996

HORN INOPERATIVE.( 2ND VEHICLE ON 506736)

NHTSA ID
601640
Incident
Jul 26, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed Oct 30, 1995
Crash reported2 injuries reported1 death reported

VEHICLE WAS HIT BROADSIDE, PASSENGER WAS EJECTED, WAS BELTED, BUT SEAT BROKE. TT

NHTSA ID
974177
Incident
Sep 17, 1995
Engine
Filed Oct 18, 1995
Fire reported

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)*SD

NHTSA ID
488972
Incident
Sep 2, 1995
EngineInterior & seats
Filed Aug 31, 1995

DASHBOARD DISPLAY INTERMITTENTLY DISAPPEARED AND CAME BACK ON; NOW, COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE; VEHICLE UNKNOWINGLY RAN OUT OF GAS, OVERHEATED, CANNOT TELL SPEED.

NHTSA ID
971389
Incident
Jan 15, 1992
Engine
Filed Jul 30, 1995
Fire reported

ENGINE OVERHEATED, RESULTING IN A FIRE (OHIO STATE POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT). *AK

NHTSA ID
484835
Incident
Jul 30, 1995
Steering
Filed Apr 29, 1995

STIFF POWER STEERING DUE TO POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK, ALSO POWER STEERING RACK/PUMP/HOSE REPLACED. *AW

NHTSA ID
489652
Incident
Aug 3, 1990
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 7, 1995
Fire reported

DASH FIRE AND THE CAR WAS TOTALLY BURNT UP. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT

NHTSA ID
961326
Incident
Jan 23, 1995
Electrical
Filed Jan 17, 1995
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL FIRE. *SKD

NHTSA ID
480591
Incident
Jan 17, 1995
Visibility
Filed Jan 16, 1995

REAR WINDOW CRACKED AND BLEW OUT OF VEHICLE, OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT. *TW

NHTSA ID
481496
Incident
Jan 16, 1995
Steering
Filed Jan 5, 1995

THE STEERING IS REAL STIFF WHEN IT IS COLD MAKING CAR HARD TO TURN. TT

NHTSA ID
958262
Incident
Jan 5, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .