Vehicle recall 98V032000 · February 25, 1998
Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- 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."
- Consequence
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the sheet metal structure would not perform as desired increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the welds and, if necessary, place five welds between the involved panels and apply primer and topcoat finish materials.
- Notes
- Owner notification is expected to begin during March 1998.OWNERS who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.ALSO contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 98V032000
- Reported to NHTSA
- February 25, 1998
- Filed by
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Owner notification
- March 15, 1998
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 8
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Structure › Body
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Chevrolet Cavalier (1997): 1997
- Pontiac Sunfire (1997): 1997
Has your Chevrolet been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Chevrolet dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.