Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 51 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 51, in the owner's own words
BRAKE PEDAL WILL PERIODICALLY GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT BRAKES ENGAGING. MY DAUGHTER HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS, THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS LITTLE DAMAGE. MECHANIC CAN FIND NO PROBLEMS. HE SAID IT COULD BE THE MASTER CYLINDER OR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BUT WITHOUT HIM BEING ABLE TO GET THE PROBLEM TO RE-OCCUR, HE CAN'T PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. *NM
THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE ABS LIGHT WHICH COST $700.00. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER A SECOND TIME BECAUSE THE LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT IT WOULD AGAIN COST HIM $ BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK *SC *JB
I OWN A 1992 CHEV CAVALIER Z-24 AND HAVE BEEN READING HORROR STORIES ABOOT THE EXACT WOES I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING SINCE BUYING IT USED IN 1998 WITH ONLY 15K MI ON IT; IT ONLY HAS 30000 ON IT NOW. THE FIRST TO GO WAS THE HEATER CORE AND BELT TENSIONER AND THEN THE COOLANT LEAKS THAT HAS REQUIRED SEVERAL DAYS OF SHOP TIME. I HAVE HAD THE INTAKE REMOVED TWICE, THE HEADS ONCE - THEY ACCUSED ME OF OVERHEATING AND WARPING THEM - THE WATER PUMP REPLACED, 2 WINDOW MOTORS INSTALLED AND THE ALTENATOR REPLACED. I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE BRAKES - THE ABS SYSTEM ON THIS BUCKET OF JUNK SEEM TO WORK FINE MOST OF THE TIME BUT LOVE TO CHATTER INTERNAL TO THE ELECTRONIC/HYDRAULIC SYSTEM AS IF IT CAN'T MAKE UP ITS MIND. I HAVE DISABLED THE SYSTEM IN DIAGNOSING IT MYSELF AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKES WORK BETTER WITHOUT THE SYSTEM CONTROLLING YOUR BRAKING. THE SYSTEM IS INTACT AS I DON'T WANT TO FOOL AROUND TOO MUCH BUT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SWITCH ON THE DASH - ABS ON - ABS OFF. I AM IN POOR HEALTH AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE JALOPY TO OURISMAN CHEVROLET AGAIN - I BOUGHT IT AT OURISMAN'S ROCKVILLE STORE - TO SHOW THEM THE COOLANT IN THE OIL THAT I FOUND RECENTLY. I HAVE USED SYNTHETIC OIL IN IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT BUT I CAN'T VOUCH FOR THE SERVICE DEPT AT OURISMAN. THEY PROBABLY USE GOODWRENCH 5-30 AS IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY. IF THERE ARE THIS MANY REPORTS OF THIS PIECE OF JUNK, WOULDN'T CHEVY BE MORE CONCERNED ABOOT IT? I AM LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN A 4 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY AS I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD IT; I WOULD HAVE JUST LEFT THE CAR WITH OURISMAN AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT. AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP. ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WILL ENGAGE, WHICH AFFECTS VEHICLE STOPPING. DEALER CONTACTED.PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK
WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN ON A BUMPY ROAD ABS ENGAGED AND CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE DONE TO BOTH VEHICLES. *AK *JB
WHILE DRIVING ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ABS WILL NOT ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKES. SOMETIMES HAS TO STEP HARDER TO MAKE BRAKES WORK.*AK
HAD A FRONT BRAKE REALIGNMENT JOB DONE. HEARD NOISES WITH THE BRAKES ANYTIME WHEN DRIVING. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE COMPLETE UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
ABS LIGHT IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS SOME VIBRATION WITHIN THE BRAKE PEDAL. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHENEVER BRAKE ARE APPLYED THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE LOUD NOISE BEFORE STOPPING; DEALER NOTIFED ON TWO OCCASION AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUNED.
HEARD A LOUD NOISE WITH THE BRAKES. HAD THE FRONT BRAKES REALIGNED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY CHECKED OUT FINE. LOCAL MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD. PROBLEM FIRST OCCURED APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AFTER VEHICLE PURCHASED. DEALER STILL NOT FIND THE CAUSE. HOWEVER, BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING 35-40MPH & APPLYING BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. COULD FEEL ABS KICKING IN, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. FINALLY VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER GOING SOME DISTANCE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE ABS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE & NEEDED CORRECTING. *AK
RADIATOR HOSE LEAK MADE CAR RUN HOT; REPLACED CATYLIC CONVERTER SO WOULD NOT RUN HOT; FUSE SHORTAGE ALMOST CAUGHT CAR ON FIRE; THE BODY SOUNDS SQUEEKY AND RUSTY WHEN GOES OVER BUMPS
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH ABS LIGHTS CAME AND STAYED ON. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY TURNED OFF THE ABS LIGHTS. THEY COULDN'T DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. *AK
IN RAINY OR HOT CONDITIONS ABS BRAKING LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. ALSO WHILE DRIIVING , BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE UNEXPECTEDLY. DLR CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS- WHY WON'T THEY RECALL AND FIX THESE CARS? NO SAFETY DEFEC TMENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE ABS LIGHT TO STAY ON WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, UPON BRAKING VEHICLE JOLTS, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED PARTS, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY WILL ACT LIKE THEY ARE SLIPPING, THEN PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WILL CATCH AND THE CAR JERKS TO A STOP. HAVE TO CHANGE BRAKE PADS VERY FREQUENTLY. ALSO HAVE HAD THE CALIPERS COMPLETLY BREAK OFF CAR! *AK
CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. WHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY CAR FAILS TO STOP. THE CAR SLOWS DOWN BUT CONTINUES TO GLIDE. THE CONSUMER IS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A GRINDING NOISE/PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
FRONT BRAKE HOSE FAILED, ALSO ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
BRAKE FAILURE.
ABS BRAKES ARE SUBJECT TO INTERMITTENT FAILURE, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BRAKES MAKE GRINDING SOUND WHILE MAKING A TURN AND APPLYING BRAKES. THE PEDAL STICKS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, WHICH MEANS THAT THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, AND NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. *AK
THE ABS BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE TIRES TO LOCKUP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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