FaultScore

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier window and wiper problems

16 of the 473 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier are about the glass, mirrors and wipers — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 36 miles.

A

16

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Windshield 7 43.8%
Sun/Moon Roof Assembly 3 18.8%
Windshield Wiper/Washer 2 12.5%
Power Window Devices AND Controls 1 6.3%
Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System 1 6.3%
Heater Core 1 6.3%
Motor 1 6.3%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers across every Chevrolet Cavalier year

1992 10 3.4%
1994 19 6.5%
1995 37 12.6%
1996 31 10.6%
1997 46 15.7%
1998 16 5.5%
1999 15 5.1%
2000 15 5.1%
2001 12 4.1%
2002 18 6.1%
2003 38 13.0%
2004 25 8.5%
2005 11 3.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 36 miles ST Louis, MO

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKS AND HAS DONE SO SINCE THE FIRST RAIN WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JUNE OF 1998. VEHICLE WENT IN FOR REPAIRS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH NO SUCCESS IN FIXING THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE LAST YEARS. HEAVY RAIN FLOODS THE FRONT SEATS OF THE VEHICLE AS DOES WASHING. FINALLY GAVE UP AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCESSFUL ATTEMPTS. SLOWLY OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS THE WINDOW MOTORS HAVE GONE BAD PREVENTING ME FROM ROLLING THE WINDOWS DOWN. THEY GET STUCK AND DON'T ROLL UP. ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS MY WINDOWS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HAVE FALLEN INTO THE DOOR PANELS AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A FRIEND AS WELL AS STRANGERS WHEN I SEE THEM DRIVING THE SAME VEHICLE AND THEY HAVE ALL THUS FAR EXPRESSED THE SAME PROBLEMS IN REGARDS TO LEAKING AND WINDOW MOTOR. I REFUSE TO PAY $350 + TO HAVE A $50 WINDOW MOTOR REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10033057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tulsa, OK

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 45 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED SHOOTING GLASS UP AND OUT OF THE DOOR FRAME. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE THE WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN. GLASS WAS BLOWN INTO THE PASSENGER,S LAP, THE BACK OF THE CAR AND OUTSIDE. MR

NHTSA complaint #767881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kansas City, MO

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

ABS FAIL TO WORK AT HIGH OR VERY LOW SPEEDS. ROTORS REPLACED TWICE IN TWO YEARS. DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ELSE WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. HAVE TAKEN IT IN SEVERAL TIMES, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES. THE LAST TIME I HAD THE ROTORS FIXED THEY PUT A HOLE IN MY WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID CONTAINER AND WANT OVER $100 TO REPLACE IT. STARTER REFUSES TO TURN OVER OCASIONALLY, DEALER COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A RECALL VERY SOON ON THE BRAKES SOON, I'M LUCKY I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IN AN ACCIDENT YET. EVERYONE I KNOW THAT HAS THE SAME CAR HAS HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BRAKES. THEY HAD TO ISSUE A RECALL ON A FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM THEY HAD ON THEIR TRUCKS SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR AND WILL NEVER BUY A CHEVY AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #753354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gahanna, OH

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET,APPARENTLY WINDOW WAS BOUND UP. SPACERS MISSING ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. FORTUNATELY MY MOTHER WAS NOT INJURED, BUT COVERED IN GLASS. HAVE TAKEN IN TWICE NOW FOR THE DRIVER WINDOW WHICH KEEPS BECOMING LOOSE OR LOSING SPACERS THAT KEEP IT IN PLACE.

NHTSA complaint #749988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gahanna, OH

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET,APPARENTLY WINDOW WAS BOUND UP. SPACERS MISSING ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. FORTUNATELY MY MOTHER WAS NOT INJURED, BUT COVERED IN GLASS. HAVE TAKEN IN TWICE NOW FOR THE DRIVER WINDOW WHICH KEEPS BECOMING LOOSE OR LOSING SPACERS THAT KEEP IT IN PLACE.

NHTSA complaint #749988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kincaid, KS

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WINDSHIELD WASHER MOTOR FAILED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #559682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waverley, OH

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND WITHOUT A COLLISION DRIVER'S WINDOW UNEXPECTEDLY SHATTERED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA complaint #860068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Burbank, CA

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

SUNROOF RATTLES WHEN OPEN.

NHTSA complaint #609755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pulaski, TN

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

THE BUTTON ON THE SUNROOF WOULD NOT OPEN THE SUNROOF. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOUR SEPARATE TIMES AND THE BUTTON STILL DOES NOT SEEM TO WORK CORRECTLYFIRST DATE IT WAS BROUGHT IN 8/20/98, 2ND TIME 9/15/98, THIRD 9/24/98 AND LAST TIME WAS TAKEN IN WAS 2/5/99.

NHTSA complaint #706088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pulaski, TN

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

THIS CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER RECOGNIZES THE PROBLEM BUT CONSISTANTLY REFUSES TO TAKE ANY RSPONSIBILITIES FOR THE JUNK THAT THEY SOLD ME. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TO THE BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS ON THE MANUFACTURER GROUND EFFECTS PACKAGE THE TRANSMISSION THAT DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY THE BRAKE SYSTEM THE I HAVE HAD TO HAVE ROTORS TURNED AND WITHIN FOUR MONTHS HAVE BRAND NEW ROTORS BUT ON. THE SUNROOF DOESN'T OPEN PROPERLY, THE TRUNK LID HITS THE BUMPER WHEN YOU CLOSE IT,THE ENGINE MAKES A WEIRD RATTLE NOISE WHEN YOU GO OVER A BUMP,THE DOORS DO NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY, THER IS TONS OF RUST ON THE INSIDE WALLS OF MY TRUNK, I WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF A RECALL ON THE OIL CONSUMPTION VALVE TWO WEEKS AFTER ALL THE OIL IN MY CAR HAD LEAKED OUT CAUSING MY ENGINE TO KNOCK ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK (HAD TO PUT FOUR QUARTS OF OIL IN IT THREE DAYS FROM HAVING AN OIL CHANGE, I NEVER RECEIVED THE AIRBAG RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. TO WRAP THIS UP IN A NUTSHELL I WILL NEVER BUY A CHEVROLET PRODUCT AGAIN I WILL RESULT TO A FORIEGN CAR MAKER (HONDA) TO PURCHASE MY NEXT VEHICLE. NK

NHTSA complaint #706089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TOM River, NJ

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON OR THE DEFOGGER ON, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER REPLACED THE CRANK CASE POSITION SENSOR AND A COMPUTER CHIP, BUT THE PROBLEM WOULD REOCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #835504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Langhorne, PA

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, WHEN OPEN, ALLOWS WATER TO POUR INTO CAR. THE RESULTS ARE WATER MARKS ON THE DOOR AND THE APOHOLSTRY MATTED DOWN.

NHTSA complaint #703958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Wilkesbarre, PA

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE FOR A SHORT OR A LONG PERIOD AND WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED, THERE IS A BURNING SMELL THAT COMES OUT OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #832971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mulberry, AR Crash

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

CONSUMER MADE A RIGHT TURN AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. AFTER SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO START SLOWLY. ONCE STARTED, THE VEHCILE MERGED FORWARD AND BEGAN TO JERK BACK AND FORTH. CONSUMER PROCEEDED, SHE WAS DRIVING APPROX. 10-15MPH WHEN SHE BEGAN TO BRAKE FOR A VEHICLE AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES TO APPLY. CONSUMER HIT VEHICLE AT 15MPH. APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MINUTES LATER, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE WHINSHIELD SHATTERED.

NHTSA complaint #831505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Elizabeth, NJ

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

FRONT WINDSHIELD GLARE CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY.

NHTSA complaint #528405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Catonsvill, MD

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

LEFT WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT REACH THE LEFT EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT STOPS 3-4 INCHES SHORT, LEAVING LEFT SIDE OF WINDSHIELD UNCLEAN. THIS OBSTRUCTS VISIBILITY DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND RAINY CONDITIONS.

NHTSA complaint #536400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier problems

← Full 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier report