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#BS-1990-CHECAV-1B45

1990 Chevrolet Cavalier

Based on reports from 70 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints
70
Crashes
2
Fires
13
Recalls
1
TSBs
2
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 70 complaints, 2 crashes, 13 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

wont start

2 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
2

sputtering and hesitating

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

trans skips 2nd gear entirely

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Electrical System:wiring:front UnderhoodHIGH

9 owners reported electrical system:wiring:front underhood issues — failures commonly reported around 250K miles.

!Inspect the Visibility:windshield Wiper/washerMED
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: Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood (9 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

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood9 (13%)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer5 (7%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline4 (6%)
Electrical System:ignition4 (6%)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:switch/wiring3 (4%)
Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator3 (4%)
Seat Belts3 (4%)
Wheels & Tires3 (4%)

1990 Chevrolet Cavalier: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood Issues

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 250,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 250K-mile mark.

Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer Issues

Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility:windshield wiper/washer-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:ignition Issues

Electrical System:ignition complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition-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

3
00
2
01
7
02
1
03
2
05
1
06
1
14

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1990 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 (1 recall)

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.

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.

1990 Chevrolet Cavalier vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

70

Class avg

59

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other compact cars vehicles from 1990.

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. 70 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

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

Other Chevrolet Cavalier Model Years

20052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980
View all Chevrolet Cavalier years →

1990 Chevrolet Cavalier: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier is related to the electrical system:wiring:front underhood, with 9 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier reliable?
The 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier has 70 complaints, 2 crash reports, and 13 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1990 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 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier have any recalls?
Yes, the 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier has 1 recall 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 2 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 250,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K 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.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 70 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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