Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
NHTSA data on file today
The 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 195 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08E063000 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT/LOSS OF STEERING NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08E050000 FMVSS 108/HEADLAMPS/MISSING AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07E021000 AFTERMARKET FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E026000 FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 35 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 22 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 22 complaints
- Visibility 16 complaints
- Steering 15 complaints
- Air Bags 14 complaints
Of the 195 complaints on file, 24 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 195 complaints, owners report 33 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier has a below-average rating due to significant owner complaints and five recalls. Common issues involve the electrical system and braking, highlighting notable areas of concern. However, the data also reveals some secondary issues like airbag and steering problems, but overall complaint volumes indicate generally less significant issues than leading problems typically found in warranty data.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | Unknown | $250–$600 | common |
| service brakes | Unknown | $150–$400 | common |
| engine and cooling | Unknown | $400–$1,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Engine coolant replacement
- Tire rotations and balancing
- Spark plug replacement
- Transmission fluid change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive lighting
- Brake pedal softness
- Engine overheating
- Steering wheel vibration
- Fuel odor in cabin
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.