RecallRadar

HomeChevroletCavalier → 2002

2002 Chevrolet Cavalier Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

254 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 1.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical07E021000

Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief Devices

FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

Serious08E050000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Serious08E063000

Steering

IF THE WELD FAILS, LOSS OF STEERING COULD RESULT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 16, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN TOLL FREE AT 1-800-523-2492.

DORMAN PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 3,900 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS DORMAN PART NOS. 425-151, 425-152, AND 425-153, (SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS" BRAND NAME), BALKAMP #'S 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (SOLD UNDER THE "NAPA" BRAND NAME), AND PLATINUM PARTS #'S 2425151, 2425152, AND 2425153 MANUFACTURED DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2007. THESE REPLACEMENT STEERING SHAFTS CAN BE USED ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WELD CONNECTING THE INNER TUBE TO THE OUTER TUBE MAY BE DEFECTIVE.

Serious09E012000

Exterior Lighting

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Serious06E026000

Exterior Lighting

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & full details

PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Complaint volume

254 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

35Crashes
5Fires
42Injuries
0Deaths

Across 254 complaints. Severity Index 1.00.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System20 · 8%Visibility · Power Window…11 · 4%Steering10 · 4%Air Bags8 · 3%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…8 · 3%Engine And Engine Cooling…8 · 3%Service Brakes, Hydraulic7 · 3%Unknown Or Other7 · 3%
  1. Electrical System — 20 reports
  2. Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls — 11 reports
  3. Steering — 10 reports
  4. Air Bags — 8 reports
  5. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor — 8 reports
  6. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 8 reports
  7. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 7 reports
  8. Unknown Or Other — 7 reports
  9. Exterior Lighting — 7 reports
  10. Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump — 7 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (9) · 1996 (13) · 1997 (13) · 1998 (11) · 1999 (8) · 2000 (7) · 2001 (6) · 2002 · 2003 (2) · 2004 (2) · 2005 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.