RoadVitals

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints 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.
15
Latest Oct 23, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 345 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 23, 2007

HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED 3 TIMES IN 3 YEARS. NEITHER LOW OR HIGH BEAMS WILL WORK MAKING DRIVING AT NIGHT UNSAFE. SWITCH REPLACED IN OCTOBER 2004, OCTOBER 2006 AND OCTOBER 2007. THE SWITCH FROM OCTOBER 2004 HAD AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL COMING FROM IT FOR THE TWO YEARS IT WAS INSTALLED WHILE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED ON. *TR

NHTSA ID
10206639
Incident
Oct 20, 2007
Mileage
152,500 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Feb 7, 2005

THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT UP.... THE TURN SIGNALS/HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT WORK... THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON AND THE BRAKES CAN LOCK UP AND SEVERE CONDITIONS, ON GRAVEL, OR ON EXTREMELY HARD STOPS....*JB

NHTSA ID
10109985
Incident
Jan 17, 1998
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 18, 2005

THE VEHICLE'S HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILED AND WAS REPLACED TWICE. *NM *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10109709
Incident
Jan 1, 2005
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 25, 2003

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED.*JB

NHTSA ID
10009235
Incident
Feb 1, 2003
Mileage
87,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 28, 2003

HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED. HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT GO ON, (HIGH OR LOW BEAM) RESULTS IN UNABLE TO DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK AT NIGHT.

NHTSA ID
10003523
Incident
Jan 25, 2003
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 19, 2002

UPON PURCHASING THE VEHICLE TWO WEEKS LATER THE HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES THE DASH, IT CONTINUOUSLY BLINKS. TOOK TO THE DEALER. NLM

NHTSA ID
8008072
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 7, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
746556
Incident
Mar 1, 1998
ElectricalExterior lightingSteering
Filed Jan 9, 2001

BOTH TURN SIGNALS AND HORN DO NOT WORK, BOTH ARE INOPERABLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER FIVE TIEMS. DEALER HAS MADE CHANGES TO STEERING COLUMN. BUT, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
877713
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 20, 2000

HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILS TO TURN ON LOW BEAMS. *AK

NHTSA ID
736608
Incident
Nov 11, 2000
Exterior lightingSuspension
Filed Feb 5, 2000

HEADLAMPS FAILED ON INTERSTATE,CAME BACK ON BUT WOULD FLICKER, DEALER FOUND 4 WIRES WITH CORROSION. DEALER UNABLE TO FIND NOISE IN SUSPENSION. *AK

NHTSA ID
718361
Incident
Jan 28, 2000
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 21, 1999

HEAD LIGHT SWITCH FAILED AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. NLM

NHTSA ID
550088
Body & structureBrakesInterior & seats+1 more
Filed Oct 6, 1999

#1, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED AND THE PADS WERE WORN. DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY SO I PAID OUT OF POCKET. NOW SECOND SET OF ROTORS AND PADS IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. #2 TRUNK LID LATCH COULD NOT BE OPENED WITH KEY, DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR/REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY, SO I PAID OUT OF POCKET. #3 REVERSE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED, AGAIN DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY, I PAID OUT OF POCKET. SWITCH HAS GONE BAD AGAIN AND I PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACE A SECOND TIME. #4 DRIVER'S DOOR HINGES WERE BENT AND DOOR DID NOT ALWAYS CLOSE TIGHTLY, DEALER REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE. #5 DRIVER'S SIDE SIDE HAD A METAL BAR STICKING THROUGH THE UPHOLSTERY INTO MY BACK. DEALER REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE.

NHTSA ID
712908
Incident
Aug 12, 1999
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 1, 1999

TURN SIGNALS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
606946
Incident
May 12, 1998
Body & structureElectricalExterior lighting+1 more
Filed Jan 15, 1999

THERE HAS BEEN ONE THING WRONG AFTER THE OTHER EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR AND I BELIEVE IT A PIECE OF CRAP BUT I GUESS THAT I AM STUCK UP IT SINCE CHEVROLET DECLINED MY BUYBACK REQUEST.

NHTSA ID
702242
Incident
Jul 14, 1998
BrakesEngineInterior & seats+1 more
Filed Dec 3, 1998

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES CONSUMER CAN SMELL THE BRAKES BURNING. CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ROTORS/HOOD LATCH AND CALIPERS STICKING. ALSO, HAD THREE MUFFLERS REPLACED. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING, AND THE PARKING BRAKE WON'T WORK. IN ADDITION, WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE ROCHER ARM GASKET, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
831751
Incident
Feb 12, 1998

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .