2002 Chevrolet Cavalier Electrical System Problems

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

20Electrical System complaints

10.2%Of all 196 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 SYSTEM20 · 10.2%

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS11 · 5.6%

STEERING10 · 5.1%

AIR BAGS8 · 4.1%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR8 · 4.1%

Share of the 196 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier overview page.

What owners report

“GOING TO THE BANK TO USE AN ATM MACHINE...ROLLED WINDOW DOWN, BUT THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP...EARLIER I HAD MY CAR WORKED ON DUE…”NHTSA complaint 10120153 — filed 05/06/2005

“POWER WINDOWS FAIL - THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT I AM RETURNING MY CAR TO THE DEALER, NESSINGER CHEVORLET, MEDFORD, NY FOR THE SAME…”NHTSA complaint 10108430 — filed 02/02/2005

“THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S ENHANCED TRACTION SYSTEM (ETS). WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT WOULD COME ON THE VEHICLE WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, WHICH…”NHTSA complaint 10111057 — filed 01/13/2005

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

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier: 20 of 196 complaints on file (10.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier have in total?

196 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 24 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 33 reported injuries, and none 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.