Is the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier a bad year?
329 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Cavalier years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier are in line with other Cavalier years. Electrical system stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2004 Cavalier owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 54,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 185 (56%) | 37k–80k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Speed control | 27 (8%) | 25k–110k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 25 (8%) | 30k–78k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 23 (7%) | 37k–86k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 22 (7%) | 19k–83k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Steering | 16 (5%) | 50k–130k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Air bags | 14 (4%) | 18k–62k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 13 (4%) | 6k–105k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Equipment | 13 (4%) | 21k–90k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 8 (2%) | 8k–67k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Suspension | 6 (2%) | 7k–59k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Fuel system | 15 (5%) | 55k–85k miles · ahead | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 14 (4%) | 10k–50k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seats | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 54,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 329 complaints: 16 mention a crash · 6 mention a fire · 14 report an injury · 3 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in May 2024.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
While driving home from thanksgiving I was unable to shift my manual transmission, and I noticed that the clutch appeared stuck to the floor.
Clutch started feeling slushy and then failed after a few months. Clutch stays to the floor. Repair to be done, replace slave cylinder.
In the parking lot where I work my car would not start. When moving the automatic transmission lever it did not catch on to anything.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 54,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier: 2
These replacement steering shafts can be used on the vehicles listed above. The weld connecting the inner tube to the outer tube may be defective. If the weld fails, loss of steering could result, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, 'seat belt assembly anchorages.' the passenger-side rear safety belt may have been installed with an incorrect nut and bolt. In a severe crash, the upper seat belt anchorage may separate. The effectiveness of the seat belt could then be reduced and the occupant could receive greater injuries.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chevrolet: 131
Repair instructions Chevrolet sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Proper way to install the pistons in an engine
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
Neighbouring years
2003 Cavalier: 678 complaints, keep it · 2005 Cavalier: 287 complaints, keep it.
Every Chevrolet Cavalier year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · All Cavalier years side by side
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Questions
Is the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier a bad year?
329 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Cavalier years. At 54,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (185), speed control (27), visibility and wipers (25), transmission and drivetrain (23), engine (22).
How many recalls does the 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier have?
2 recall campaigns list this model year: Steering (NHTSA 08E063000), Seat belts (NHTSA 04V-300). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.