1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

32Air Bags complaints

5.9%Of all 540 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE47 · 8.7%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL44 · 8.1%

STEERING:RACK AND PINION36 · 6.7%

AIR BAGS32 · 5.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH32 · 5.9%

Share of the 540 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier overview page.

What owners report

“VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONE INCIDENT DURING COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE OTHER INCIDENT FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG…”NHTSA complaint 543016 — filed 09/15/1998

“RECALL 98V146000 98026; THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND IS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION REGARDING THE RECALL, DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE…”NHTSA complaint 826799 — filed 08/17/1998

“FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING LOW IMPACT, LOW SPEED COLLISION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AND LOSS OF VISION TO CONSUMER FROM AIR BAG GAS.”NHTSA complaint 532561 — filed 03/12/1998

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier: 32 of 540 complaints on file (5.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier have in total?

540 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 70 involved a crash, 25 involved a fire, 78 reported injuries, and 5 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.