1991 Chevrolet Cavalier problems & reliability
55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 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.
4 complaints report injuries (5 injured, 6 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 17 | 31% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 15% |
| Seats | 7 | 13% |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 9% |
| Steering | 5 | 9% |
| Visibility | 5 | 9% |
| Power Train | 3 | 5% |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My son lost control of a 1991 chevrolet cavalier and was ejected after he was forced off the road. When entering the median, his car was skidding broadside and eventually rolled over three times. As the car rolled, the driver side door opened which defeated the ability of the seat belt to hold him inside because the…”
Seat Belts · filed Feb 4, 2005
“The first problem I have encountered is the poor body of the car. The panels below the car have completely diminished. Anything remaining of them is either rotting and rusting away, or has paint removed from them. The paint is also coming out of the front plastic bumper and from the front hood of the car. Some rust is…”
Structure · filed Apr 22, 2004
“While tightening up the lug nuts on the wheel, pieces of metal sheared off and dropped small pieces of metal on the ground. *ak the lug nuts in question were newly purchased. Part#254 abn 10.9 manufactured by r+b inc. *scc *jb”
Wheels · filed Sep 29, 2003
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
3 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 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
Crunch noise from right side dash area when turning steering wheel. *tw
433211 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1994
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 1991 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 1991 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.