1990 Chevrolet Cavalier

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

71/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Electrical system	21	33%
Visibility	9	14%
Power train	5	8%
Seat belts	4	6%
Steering	4	6%
Engine and engine cooling	3	5%
Tires	2	3%
Engine and engine cooling	2	3%
Fuel system	2	3%
Suspension	2	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

KNOCKING AT START UP FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME. WHEN PUTTING ON THE BRAKE PADS THE PINS WOULDN'T MOVE TO REPLACE THE BRAKES. HAD TO COMPRESS THE PINS LOOSE WITH A C-CLAMP. ALSO, I'VE GOT SOME KIND OF LEAK ON THE PASSENGE
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

1990 CAVALIER GEAR SHIFT MOVED TO NEUTRAL WHEN TOUCHED BY CONSUMERS LEG. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER'S SON'S LEG TOUCHED THE GEAR SHIFT AND CAUSED IT TO GO INTO NEUTRAL.
NHTSA complaint: Power train

1. LEFT FRONT TIRE HIT A POT HOLE AT 50 MPH IN EASTBOUND #1 LANE RAMONA EXPY, PERRIS CA. 2.TIRE COMPRESSION CAUSED THE RIM EDGE TO SLICE OPEN THE HIGH PLY TURN-UP AND STEEL SIDEWALL STABILIZER. THIS HIGH PLY TURN
NHTSA complaint: Tires

CONSUMER HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VEHICLE STARTER AND THE USE OF A STARTER NOT DESIGNED FOR THE VEHICLE.*MR *TS. THE STARTER THE CONSUMER PURCHASED FROM THE AUTO STORE WAS SAID TO BE INCOMPATIBLE FOR THE CONSUMER'S VEHICL
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

WHILE TRYING TO START VEHICLE THERE WAS SOME SMOKE COMING UP FROM IGNITION SWITCH. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANY WORK.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

HARD TO START VEHICLE. STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. ERRATIC IDLE. ENGINE DIES AND IS DIFFICULT TO START AGAIN. NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK TO CHEVROLET DEALER WHO ONLY REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. COULD NOT FIN
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND VENTS AREA. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

CONSUMER WAS PARKING VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING THROUGH VENTS OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Fuel system 06E043000

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CE

Risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).

The seven scores

Reliability raw	80	excellent
Longevity est.	78	good
Maintenance	89	excellent
Depreciation	57	average
Performance	47	below average
Efficiency	46	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 33% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 47% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 82% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 31% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 80: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 78: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1990 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 89: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier?

Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 21 of them (33%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 80/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 78/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1990 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.