1997 Chevrolet Cavalier

$6,455

from

listings

$6K–$10K

price range

Download Infographic

Low$6,455

High$10,000

From$6,455

Avg Mileage75,000 mi

Fresh

Sourced from 2 dealer listings in the latest market snapshot as of Aug 2026

Safety

8 recall campaigns to check. See the safety breakdown below

1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Trims

All Trims Combined

From$6,455

$6K–$10K

2 listings75,000 avg miles

From$6,455

4 listings|$6K–$10K

1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Pricing

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Chevrolet Cavalier Safety & Reliability

High Concern

The 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier's high safety profile includes 8 recall campaigns and 599 owner-reported complaints. Make recall verification part of your pre-purchase checklist.

Recalls

599

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recall Findings

02V0700002002-06-03

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.

IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.

View at NHTSA

07E0150002007-26-02

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

CERTAIN DELPHI AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMP MODULES / MODULE RESERVOIR ASSEMBLIES (MRA) THAT WERE SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE MRAS VENT AND FUEL RETURN TUBES WERE REVERSED. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY (IDLE ROUGH AND/OR STALL) DUE TO AN OVERLY RICH FUEL BLEND OR THE VEHICLE'S EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CARBON CANISTER MAY LEAK FUEL.

A STALLED VEHICLE CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. A FUEL LEAK CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

View at NHTSA

08E0630002008-17-10

STEERING

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.

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

View at NHTSA

View all 8 recalls

97V1060001997-28-06

WHEELS:SPACE SAVER WHEEL

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE COMPACT SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLIES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH INCORRECT RIMS. IF THE SPARE TIRE IS UNDERINFLATED, THE BEAD CAN SEPARATE FROM THE RIM CAUSING A RAPID LOSS OF AIR. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."

A RAPID LOSS OF AIR CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

View at NHTSA

98V3190001998-15-12

SUSPENSION:REAR

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM BOLTS CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK.

IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL CAN OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

View at NHTSA

98V0320001998-25-02

STRUCTURE:BODY

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH MIS-LOCATED WELDS AT THE JOINT BETWEEN THE LEFT ROCKER PANEL INNER REINFORCEMENT AND THE BODY SIDE RING. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 214, "SIDE DOOR STRENGTH."

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SHEET METAL STRUCTURE WOULD NOT PERFORM AS DESIRED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

View at NHTSA

96V1600001996-29-08

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT WIPER BLADE ASSEMBLY (17" LONG INSTEAD OF 22" LONG) ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 104, "WINDSHIELD WIPING AND WASHING SYSTEMS."

THE AREA AND PATTERN WIPED ON THE WINDSHIELD WILL BE REDUCED AND COULD AFFECT THE DRIVER'S VIEW IN WET WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

View at NHTSA

98V1460001998-29-06

AIR BAGS

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. BECAUSE OF CERTAIN CALIBRATIONS IN THE AIR BAG'S SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE, AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD OCCUR IN A LOW SPEED CRASH OR WHEN AN OBJECT STRIKES THE FLOOR PAN.

AIR BAGS DEPLOY WITH GREAT FORCE AND CAN SERIOUSLY INJURE UNRESTRAINED OCCUPANTS WHO ARE TOO CLOSE TO THEM.

View at NHTSA

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top Complaint Areas

The 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier has accumulated 599 NHTSA complaints over 1 years, with electrical system leading the pack. Know what to look for before you buy.

01Electrical System82

02Engine And Engine Cooling76

03Steering68

04Air Bags66

05Service Brakes, Hydraulic47

599 total across 1 model years (1997–1997)Full data at NHTSA.gov

Chevrolet Cavalier Fuel Economy

23–26mpg combined

19-22city

29-33hwy

$2,600-$2,950/yr

With 6 configurations tested, the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier ranges from 23 to 26 MPG combined. That's a 3 MPG gap that can add up to hundreds of dollars a year in fuel costs.

By Trim

Cavalier - Manual 5-spd

26mpg

2.2L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city33 hwy~$2,600/yr-1/10 Poor

Cavalier - Automatic 4-spd

25mpg

2.2L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city31 hwy~$2,700/yr-1/10 Poor

Cavalier - Automatic 3-spd

24mpg

2.2L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

21 city29 hwy~$2,800/yr-1/10 Poor

Cavalier - Automatic 4-spd

23mpg

2.4L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

19 city29 hwy~$2,950/yr-1/10 Poor

Cavalier - Manual 5-spd

23mpg

2.4L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

20 city30 hwy~$2,950/yr-1/10 Poor

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Where to Find 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier

7States

56%in top 3

If you're near Alabama, you're in luck: 22% of listings are there. But with 7 states represented, there's likely one near you too.

ALAlabama

222%

CACalifornia

222%

ILIllinois

111%

NENebraska

111%

AZArizona

111%

NVNevada

111%

WAWashington

111%

Geographic distribution reflects all active listings for this model, not just 1997.

Buying a 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?

Answers to common buyer questions

Is the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier a good car to buy?

The 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier has 8 recalls on record. There are 8 recalls on record, so check that they've been completed before buying. The most commonly reported issue area is electrical system, which is worth inspecting during a test drive. Review the safety data and pricing breakdown above.

Are there recalls on the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?

There are 8 documented recalls for the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier. Don't let that scare you; most are routine. Just make sure they're all resolved before you sign. Details in the safety overview.

What's the gas mileage of the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?

Fuel economy ranges from 23 to 26 MPG combined. If you drive 15,000 miles a year, that gap is worth about $263 annually. See the fuel economy section for per-trim data.

What are common problems with the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier?

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM is the number-one complaint area for the 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier, based on 599 NHTSA filings. During a test drive, pay extra attention to this system. See the known issues section for the full breakdown.