FaultScore

FaultScore report

1984 Chevrolet Cavalier problems

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier with NHTSA between 1995 and 2001. The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

10

Complaints

3

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

2

Injuries reported

How 1984 compares with every other Chevrolet Cavalier

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Transmission & Drivetrain 3 30.0%
Seat Belts 2 20.0%

2 crashes, 0 fires

Seats 1 10.0%
Fuel & Propulsion 1 10.0%
Suspension 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Steering 1 10.0%
Engine & Cooling 1 10.0%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 1995 peak 2 Jan 2001

NHTSA investigations into the 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

PE88027 Opened 9 Feb 1988 Closed 11 May 1988 EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILURE

===

EA87006 Opened 16 Dec 1986 Closed 19 Sep 1988 STEERING

POWER ST. ASSIST

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER:GM HAS DEVELOPED A SPLITRING FIELD REPAIR KIT AND IS EXTENDING THE WARRANRY ON ALL 1982-84 A,J, AND X, BODY CARS AND 1985 C,BODY CARS.THE WARRANTY APPLIES TO CARSTHAT ARE FOR 50,000 MILES OR 5 YRS.IT INCLUDES REIMBURSEMENT FOR PREVIOUSREPAIRS.ANALYSIS:WEARING OF THE RACK AND PINION HOUSING AND LOW AMBIENT TEMPCAN CAUSE TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSIST.TEFLON O RINGS FAIL TO SEALOFF INTERNAL PRESSURE.STATUS:EVALUATING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFER BY GM.======

EA87007 Opened 16 Dec 1986 Closed 7 Aug 1987 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

SUDDEN ACCEL

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:ANALYSIS:STATUS: GM RESPONDED BY LETTER DATED 12 FEBRUARY 1987.EA CLOSED ON8/7/87.===

DP86019 Opened 12 Sep 1986 Closed 22 Dec 1986 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

SUDDEN ACCELERATION

DP86018 Opened 5 Sep 1986 Closed 19 Dec 1986 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

POWER STEERING FAILURE

POWER STEERING FAILURE

EA86023 Opened 1 Aug 1986 Closed 1 Jun 1987 SEATS

SEAT TRACK LOCK

PE86049 Opened 24 Apr 1986 Closed 1 Aug 1986 SEATS

SEAT TRACK LOCK

ANALYSIS:EIGHT (8) OF THE 13 COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT THE FAILURE OCCURREDPRIOR TO ANY IMPACT/ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT.ONE (1) OF THE FAILURES MAY HAVECAUSED OR AT LEAST INFLUENCED THE DRIVERS INVOLVEMENT IN AN ACCIDENT.THEDRIVER'S SUDDEN TEMPORARY LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL MAY HAVE RESULTED FROMHIS INABILITY TO APPLY THE BRAKES DUE TO THE SEATS REARWARD MOVEMENT.FOUR (4) OF THE FAILURES ALLEGEDLY OCCURRED DURING AN ACCIDENT/IMPACTSITUATION.BECAUSE THIS FAILURE APPEARS TO OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND DUETO THE POSSIBLE MOMENTARY LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL BY THE DRIVER IT ISSUGGESTED THAT FURTHER INFORMATIO...

PE85016 Opened 3 Dec 1984 Closed 22 Mar 1985 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Recalls on the 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1987053 103,251 units in Canada

Structure

ON VEHICLES WITH A MANUALLY ADJUSTED DRIVER'S SEAT, THE METAL FLOOR PAN ANCHOR BAR COULD FATIGUE AND BREAK AROUND THE LEFT FRONT OUTER SEAT ADJUSTER STUD. THIS COULD ALLOW THE STUD TO SEPARATE FROM THE ANCHOR BAR AND CAUSE THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO TIP REARWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, RESULTING IN POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CORRECTION: A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE FLOOR PAN ANCHOR BAR.

Recall 1984027 11,399 units in Canada

Seats And Restraints

On certain vehicles, the front seat back locks may not lock under forward load conditions and are therefore not in compliance with CMVSS 207 - Seat Anchorages.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Dunnellon, FL Crash

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AND IN TURN, HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT, AND THE REAR LAP BELT BROKE AT THE BUCKLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #842922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Altoona, PA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP, RESULTING IN DRIVER HITTING THE WINDSHIELD TWICE.

NHTSA complaint #968639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Poland, OH Crash 3 injured

SUSPENSION:FRONT

VEHICLE SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT AND INJURIES. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #481475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Washington, DC

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

THE DRIVERS SEAT LOCK IS EXPERIENCING RECALL (84V011) PROBLEMS. NLM

NHTSA complaint #783827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dunnellon, FL Crash

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AND IN TURN, HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT, AND THE REAR LAP BELT BROKE AT THE BUCKLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #842922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

DRY Ridge, KY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

HEAD GASKET FAILS EVERY 11,000 AND 12,000 MILES AFTER REPLACEMENT. DEALERS NOTED PROBLEM IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OF THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #825487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntington, IN

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

THE GAS LINE IS LEAKING AND THE LINES ARE CORRODED. DEALER SUPPOSE TO BE TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY PUTTING DOUBLE CLAMPS ON THE LINES. THIS IS A SAFTY RELATED PROBLEM. THE GAS THAT IS LEAKING COULD START A FIRE .

NHTSA complaint #813460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Jose, CA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS CAUSING ERRATIC TURNING SITUATIONS. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA complaint #985020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Altoona, PA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP, RESULTING IN DRIVER HITTING THE WINDSHIELD TWICE.

NHTSA complaint #968639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canyon Count, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 22,000 AND IS GOING OUT AGAIN/ VEHICLE OFTEN JOLT WHEN SHIFTING GEARS.

NHTSA complaint #967002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canyon Count, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER.

NHTSA complaint #967002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Poland, OH Crash 3 injured

SUSPENSION:FRONT

VEHICLE SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT AND INJURIES. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #481475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Poland, OH

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

CV JOINT CRACKED.

NHTSA complaint #481475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.