Total Complaints
14 filings
CHEVROLET CAVALIER · model year
1988 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988CHEVROLETCAVALIER carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1988 CAVALIER is electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash with 2 filings, followed by visibility:windshield (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1988 CAVALIER, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051101VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS WIND BLOWING AROUND THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SEALANTS, ALLOWING COLD DRAFTS TO ENTER INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA RECALL 88V121000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. NO REPAIRS OR CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK
Mileage: 100,000
20040409VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD BONDING DOES NOT MEET FMVSS 212, 1988, CHEVROLET CAVALIER, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO: 88V121000. *AK
Mileage: 64,870
20040330ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PURCHASED A 1988 CHEVROLET CAVALIER FROM E[ILOTOS AUTO SALES 2230 FRANKFORT AVE. PHILA. PA. THE CAR WAS SOLD WITHOUT THE DEALER INFORMING THE BUYER OF THE DEFECTS. THERE WERE MANY....TWO MAIN CRUNCHERS WERE THE BRAKES AND HUDDLED SYSTEMS. THE EMISSION STICKERS WERE DUE. THE DEALER SAID,"HE WOULD PUT STICKERS ON AFTER THE SALE," WHICH WHEN THE TIME ARRIVED FOR THE TRANSACTION,HE SAID,"WE COULD BUT THEY'RE HOT." NOW WE ARER HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING A GARAGE TO PUT STICKERS ON IT BECAUSE OF THE MECHANICAL DEFECTS.*AK
20020425EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20020425EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20020425EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19980616WHEELS
WATER LEAKS INTO THE SPARE TIRE WELL IN THE TRUNK.
19970627STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
DUE TO THE ALUMINUM CONSTRUCTION OF THE STEERING RACK AND ITS INTERNAL COMPONENTS, THE STEERING FAILS ON LEFT TURNS IN COLD WEATHER.
19960815SUSPENSION:FRONT
SUSPENSION/BODY PROBLEMS. VEHICLE WAS IN A WRECKED BEFORE DRIVER PURCHASED IT. *AK
19960719ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE ELCTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE CLUSTER GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HAS TO PUKK OVER TO WAIT FOR THE CLUSTER TO COME BACK ON, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATES HE HAS ANOTHR VEHICLE THAT HAS THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THE CLUSTER HAS BEEN FIXED ONCE ALREADY ON THAT VEHICLE.*JB
19960628STEERING
'COLD POWER STEERING'. *DH
19960621CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT
DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT COLLISION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE LAP SEAT BELT BROKE APART. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19950511FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN FRONT DASH, ELECTRICAL. TT
19950313SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WAS DRIVING THE CAR CAME TO A STOP LIGHT PUT ON BRAKE IT FEEL LIKE CAR IS ALREADY TO GO. TT
Compare 1988CHEVROLETCAVALIER 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 1988 CHEVROLET CAVALIER have?▼
The 1988 CHEVROLET CAVALIER has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 CHEVROLET CAVALIER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 CHEVROLET CAVALIER is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1988 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.