RoadVitals

2004 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.
8
Latest May 19, 2015
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.
2%
of 330 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 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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

Driver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed May 19, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10717248
Incident
May 17, 2015
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Dec 16, 2014

LOW AND HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHTS APPEAR DIM WHEN TURNED ON COMPARED TO OTHER CARS. MAY BE DUE TO CORRODED/DEFECTIVE WIRING. APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CHEVROLET MODEL. LOOKING FOR RECALL INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10664660
Incident
Dec 16, 2014
Mileage
151,925 mi
ElectricalFuel systemExterior lighting
Filed Aug 2, 2014

ALL OF THE TROUBLE LIGHTS COME ON INCLUDING THE SERVICE LIGHT WITH A WRENCH. THEN, ALL OF THE GAUGES DROP TO NOTHING; YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAST YOU'RE TRAVELING, WHAT YOUR FUEL CAPACITY IS, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DROPS TO NOTHING ALONG WITH THE TACHOMETER DROPPING TO NOTHING. IN THE ODOMETER AND "ERROR" MESSAGE REPLACES THE ODOMETER READING. THE GAUGES WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF AND ON OR ALL OF THEM WILL DROP OF WITH NO READING. THE OTHER EVENING, I WAS COMING HOME ON A WINDING BACK COUNTRY ROAD AND ALL OF MY LIGHTS WENT OUT. I HAVE TO LIMIT MY DRIVING TO DAYTIME DRIVING AND ONLY USE THE RUNNING LIGHTS AS IT APPEARS TO ONLY AGGRAVATE THE PROBLEM WHEN I USE MY HEADLIGHTS. TODAY, EVERYTHING ABOVE HAPPENED ALONG WITH SOME NEWS THINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND THE RUNNING LIGHTS REMAINED ON AS DID THE WARNING ALARM AS THOUGH THE KEY WERE LEFT IN THE IGNITION. I LEFT THE CAR ONLY AFTER I PULLED THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUSE FROM THE PANEL. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, I INSERTED THE FUSES AND STARTED THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO GEAR AS THE CAR WOULD NOT LET ME DEPRESS THE BUTTON ON THE SHIFTER TO DO SO. I HAVE TO NOW SHUT THE CAR OFF AND PULL THE IGNITION FUSE AND THEN REINSERT IT TO GET THE CAR IN GEAR. WHAT THE HECK? *TR

NHTSA ID
10618412
Incident
Mar 15, 2014
Mileage
68,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jun 4, 2014

THE GAUGES SHOW NOTHING NO SPEED NO GAS NO MILEAGE NOTHING. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS MATTER WHY IS THERE NOTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I WAS ALWAYS A CHEVY PERSON BUT NOW I AM MOVING ON TO SOMETHING ELSE. CHEVY DOES NOT LIKE TO FIX THERE PROBLEMS THEY LEAVE IT UP TO THE PEOPLE TO SPEND TONS OF MONEY TO FIX THE PROB WHEN THEY KNOW WHAT THE PROB IS. THIS IS UNCALLED FOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10596032
Incident
Jun 4, 2014
Mileage
111,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Mar 14, 2014

WHEN I TURN ON MY CAR DEFROSTER, IT STARTS POPPING VERY LOUD. AT ONE TIME IT STARTED POPPING WHEN I SET THE CAR AT IDLE, AND WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, IT WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE OR DUST. I HAD TO AIR OUT THE CAR FOR A WHILE BEFORE I COULD DRIVE IT. THE DEFROSTER DOESN'T POP EVERY TIME, AND IT QUITS AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES EACH TIME. ALSO, WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, IT NEEDED A NEW CONSOLE, SO I HAD IT REPLACED. THE DAY-TIME RUNNING LIGHTS GO OUT AND FLASH AT PEOPLE. WHEN THEY GO OUT, THE SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS ON SO THE DAY-TIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT FLASH AT PEOPLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10569240
Incident
Dec 20, 2011
Mileage
2,000,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 11, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD LAMPS ON HIS VEHICLE LOOKED AS IF THERE WAS A GLAZE ON THEM. THEY WERE SAND BLASTED AND NOW HE CANT EVEN SEE THE LIGHT BULB. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD SELL HIM A KIT TO CLEAN THE HEAD LAMPS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO REPAIR THE HEAD LAMPS. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136000.

NHTSA ID
10348682
Incident
Jan 14, 2010
Mileage
136,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 12, 2009

2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHT AND BACK TURN SIGNAL ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10280188
Incident
Aug 1, 2009
Mileage
50,000 mi
Exterior lightingSeat belts
Filed Jan 21, 2008

WHEN I BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP, MY HEAD LIGHTS DIM SIGNIFICANTLY. IT HAPPENS WITH THE HIGH BEAMS AND LOW BEAMS. MY FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT LOCKS WITHOUT THE BRAKES ENGAGED, AND NEEDS TO BE UNBUCKLED TO UNLOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10215510
Incident
Jun 15, 2007
Mileage
45,000 mi

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 .