1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Electrical System:ignition:switch Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH · data through 07/14/2026

32Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints

5.9%Of all 540 complaints

#5Most-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:ignition:switch 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

“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BUCKS AT ONE POINT AS IF IT LACKS GAS AND IT ALSO STALLS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. CONSUMER RECIEVED RECALL TO…”NHTSA complaint 831790 — filed 12/04/1998

“FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTOR WORE OUT, CAUSING VIBRATION WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. ALSO DEALER REPLACED ENGINE MOUNTS/IGNITION SWITCH. BRAKE LINE WAS FOUND RUBBING AGAINST AXLE SHAFT…”NHTSA complaint 781283 — filed 10/15/1998

“DEFECT WITHIN IGNITION SYSTEM IS CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE , ENGINE WILL NOT START. DEALER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH 4 TIMES, DEFECT IS STILL…”NHTSA complaint 824938 — filed 07/02/1998

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

Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier have electrical system:ignition:switch problems?

Electrical System:ignition:switch is the #5 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 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 70 involved a crash, 25 involved a fire, 78 reported injuries, and 5 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system:ignition:switch category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH 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 07/14/2026.