Total Complaints
4 filings
CHEVROLET CAVALIER · model year
1985 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
4 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985CHEVROLETCAVALIER carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1985 CAVALIER is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (1) and vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1985 CAVALIER, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010227FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
FIRE ERUPTED IN THE DASH WERE THE RADIO WAS LOCATED RUINING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND PARKED AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT AFFECTED. NLM
19990326VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHENEVER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE THROTTLE CABLE WOULD STICK. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK
19970730SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT (30) MPH ON DRY ROADS, THE BACK BRAKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE WENT OUT AND CAUSED THE FRONT BRAKE ON THE LEFT SIDE TO GO OUT. THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN INCIDENT. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY DEALER. *AK
19961010FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
Compare 1985CHEVROLETCAVALIER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 CHEVROLET CAVALIER have?▼
The 1985 CHEVROLET CAVALIER has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 CHEVROLET CAVALIER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 CHEVROLET CAVALIER is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Is the 1985 CHEVROLET CAVALIER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 CHEVROLET CAVALIER; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.