1990 Chevrolet Cavalier problems & reliability
55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 20 | 36% |
| Visibility | 8 | 15% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 13% |
| Power Train | 5 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 7% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 7% |
| Steering | 4 | 7% |
| Tires | 3 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Knocking at start up for a good amount of time. When putting on the brake pads the pins wouldn't move to replace the brakes. Had to compress the pins loose with a c-clamp. Also, I've got some kind of leak on the passenger side that's a combination of antifreeze & oil. Which I think is caused from the knocking sound…”
Service Brakes · filed Nov 25, 2014
“1990 cavalier gear shift moved to neutral when touched by consumers leg. *ts the consumer was driving about 65 mph when this occurred. The consumer's son's leg touched the gear shift and caused it to go into neutral. As a result the vehicle stalled and would not restart immediately. The consumer contacted the…”
Power Train · filed Jan 23, 2006
“1. Left front tire hit a pot hole at 50 mph in eastbound #1 lane ramona expy, perris ca. 2.tire compression caused the rim edge to slice open the high ply turn-up and steel sidewall stabilizer. This high ply turn-up comes off the rim bead at a 45 degree angle. If the tire is compressed past a cretin point the rim has…”
Tires · filed Oct 27, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE93090 · opened Oct 8, 1993 · closed Feb 28, 1994
- STICKING THROTTLE
Engineering Analysis EA92024 · opened Jun 26, 1992 · closed Jan 31, 1994
Technical service bulletins
2 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier.
Information regarding snow intrusion into rear drum brake assemblies. **mr
000524001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2000
Some v6 engines may, on a very infrequent basis, have an oil odor condition that is generally encountered after the engine's oil has been changed.typically the odor lasts approximately 1000 miles after the change of oil…
876002A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.