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#BS-1986-CHECAV-1B45

1986 Chevrolet Cavalier

Based on reports from 21 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 21 complaints, 2 crashes, 6 fires, and 3 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.2x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasolineHIGH

6 owners reported engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline issues — failures commonly reported around 190K miles.

!Inspect the Electrical System:wiring:interior/under DashMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline (6 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline6 (29%)

Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash2 (10%)

Steering:rack And Pinion1 (5%)

Electrical System:wiring1 (5%)

Visibility:glass, Side/rear1 (5%)

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System1 (5%)

Seats1 (5%)

Structure:body1 (5%)

1986 Chevrolet Cavalier: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 29% of all reports filed for the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 189,654 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 190K-mile mark.

Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash Issues

Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering:rack And Pinion Issues

Steering:rack And Pinion complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering:rack and pinion-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:wiring Issues

Electrical System:wiring complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:wiring-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

06E043000Oct 2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

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 CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

86V056000May 1986

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

THE PUSH-PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER SEVERE WEATHER OR NIGHTTIME DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. NOTE: ALSO, SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 86V131000.

86V131000May 1986

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

THE PUSH PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER SEVERE WEATHER OR NIGHTTIME DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Chevrolet Cavalier is the 2005 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is accessories - interior.

1986 Chevrolet Cavalier vs. Class Average (Subcompact Cars)

This vehicle

Class avg

2.2x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical subcompact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 21 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Chevrolet Cavalier Model Years

2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

View all Chevrolet Cavalier years →

1986 Chevrolet Cavalier: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier is related to the engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, with 6 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier reliable?

The 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier has 21 complaints, 2 crash reports, and 6 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.2x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.

How much does it cost to fix 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier have any recalls?

Yes, the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Chevrolet Cavalier problems start?

Based on 1 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 189,654 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.