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The force response of squeeze film dampers and hydrodynamic bearings is significantly influenced by the occurence of cavitation inside the lubricant films. The viscosity of the occuring mixture of oil and air bubbles is vastly different than that of pure lubricant and therefore changes the pressure build‐up and thereby the stiffness and damping properties of the lubrication films. To accurately predict the force response of a squeeze film damper, the cavitation and its effect on the pressure build‐up therefore has to be taken into account. Well known cavitation algorithms for lubrication problems, like the Elrod algorithm or the two‐phase‐model, neglect the transient nature of outgassing and assume instantaneous bubble formation and collapse. In the presented paper, a transient bubble dynamics model based on the Rayleigh‐Plesset‐Scriven equation is utilised instead and its effect on the rotordynamic behaviour of a turbocharger rotor is examined based on fully transient multi body dynamics simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]