2001 Chevrolet Cavalier Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026

26Electrical System complaints

10.7%Of all 243 complaints

#1Most-reported category

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

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM26 · 10.7%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION17 · 7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH13 · 5.3%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE12 · 4.9%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC12 · 4.9%

Share of the 243 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier overview page.

What owners report

“THE CAR DIES WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE, THE HEADLIGHTS GO DIM WHEN PUTTING ON THE BRAKES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND ARE…”NHTSA complaint 10010413 — filed 03/13/2003

“CIGARETTE LIGHTER SHOOTING SPARKS, BLOWING FUSES, DAMAGED CELL PHONE CHARGER”NHTSA complaint 10000452 — filed 01/01/2003

“THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE DRUMS AND ROTORS WORE EXCESSIVELY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE TRUNK LIGHT REMAINED ON ALTHOUGH THE…”NHTSA complaint 8021535 — filed 10/24/2002

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

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier: 26 of 243 complaints on file (10.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier have in total?

243 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 23 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 24 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 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.