1998 Chevrolet PRIZM problems and owner complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH OVER LOOSE GRAVEL, THE CONTACT TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BUT ENDED UP OVER STEERING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUFFERED A MILD CONCUSSION AND WHIPLASH. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,00…

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MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING MY MVA,CAUSING ME EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS. *NLM

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET PRISM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG AND AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. UPDATED 11/14/14*CN UPDATED 7/28/2015*JS

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WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ALSO THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER. AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK. THE CONSUMER SON WAS RUN OFF THE ROAD WHILE TRYING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL. *JB

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MY 2002 CHEVROLET PRIZM (SAME AS A TOYOTA COROLLA) HAS ITS CRUSE CONTROL, HORN, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG ALL MOUNTED ON THE STEERING WHEEL, ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO THE REST OF THE CAR THROUGH AN INFLATABLE RESTRAINT STEERING WHEEL MODULE COIL (AKA CLOCK SPRING) MECHANISM. BOTH THE CRUSE CONTROL AND THE HORN DO NOT NOW OPERATE AND HAVEN'T FOR YEARS, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE AIRBAG IS ALSO INOPERATABLE (TWO OUT OF THREE FAILURES SOUNDS LIKE A BAD OMEN; CONVENTIONAL WISDOM TELLS ME THAT THIS AIRBAG SYSTEM IS ALSO FAULTY)? IS THIS CAR S…

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4 NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON FEB. 7, 2007. THREE OF THEM WENT FLAT BETWEEN JUNE 9, 2008 AND JULY 17, 2008 AFTER ONLY 15,000 MILES WHILE RIDING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE TIRE STORE FOUND NO FOREIGN OBJECTS IN THE 3 TIRES, BUT DID REPORT THAT THE VALVE STEMS WERE CRACKED. A POLICE OFFICER CHANGED THE TIRE ON 7/16 AND A SHERIFF DEPUTY WITNESSED THE TIRE CHANGE ON 7/17 (NO REPORT FILED). THERE WERE SMOG ALERTS EACH TIME. AN OIL-LUBE PLACE FILLED TIRES ON 7/12. THE TIRE DEALER AGAIN SAID HE FILLED THE TIRES ON 7/16. THERE WAS A SLOW LEAK FROM THE VAL…

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TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT. FIRESTONE - DOT W18JF6L497, SIZE - P175/65R14.

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THE TREAD ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID THROUGH THE NORTHBOUND LANES AND THEN INTO THE DIRT MEDIAN AND FINALLY BECOMING CAUGHT ON THE CABLE DIVIDER, TOTALING THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE THAT SEPARATED FROM IT'S TREAD WAS A FIRESTONE FR380 E26L 38B. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED IN 2009 WITH A 55,000 MILE LIMITED WARRANTY. WHEN THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED THE ODOMETER WAS AT 88,088 MILES. THE ODOMETER WAS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS 140,629 MILES. THIS MEANS THE TIRE WAS STILL 2,459 MILES UNDER THE WARRANTY…

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2000 PRIZM LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS THE BLOWOUT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *NM UPDATED 07/20/06 *JB

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VEHICLE SKID WHILE MAKING TURNS. *PH AFTER 21,000 MILES, TIRES HAVE SHOWN EXCESSIVE WEARING. TIRES WERE REPLACED. *LA

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I INSTALLED FOUR KUMHO 795 TIRES (P185/65R14) ON 10/03/2006 ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET PRISM LSI. IN NOVEMBER 2008, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, ONE TIRE (FRONT PASSENGER SIDE) RUPTURED ON THE INSIDE SIDE WALL. I WAS LUCKY NOT DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR ALMOST LOST CONTROL. I WENT TO THE DEALER (EXECUTIVE WHOLESALE TIRE, ROCKVILLE, MD) AND THE DEALER INSISTED I MUST HAVE HIT A POTHOLE. THIS TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A KUMHO KR-21 FREE, SINCE KUMHO OFFERED THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY ON THE 795 TIRES. AFTER THIS TIRE WAS INSTALLED, THE TIRES WERE …

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AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT OR SIDE DRIVER'S & PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS, WHICH MAY DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY OR WONT DEPLOY AT ALL IN EVENT OF A CRASH, FAILING TO PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS. BEEN TO DEALER SINCE OCT. 24, 1999, AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY MAY REWIRE THE VEHICLE,S SYSTEM. *AK

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WHILE DRIVING ON ICY ROADS, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A EMBANKMENT AND HIT A TREE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER'S HEAD WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND THE CONSUMERS CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SPINAL/FACIAL, AND HEAD INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, IT WAS NOTED THAT FRONTAL AIR BAG SENSORS HAD BEEN DAMAGED IN THE CRASH. *AK *SCC *JB

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THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUFFERED BACK INJURIES.*JB

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WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AS RESULT, MAJOR DAMAGE OCCURRED. NO WARNING LIGHT APPEARED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *TC

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CONSUMER NOTICED ENGINE CONSUMED EVERY 1000 MILES ONE QUART OF OIL. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK

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SPRING 2004, OIL CHANGE MECHANIC NOTICED EXCESSIVE SLUDGE (APPX 65000 MILES ON CAR). CLEANED ENGINE OUT, CHANGED OIL (CAR HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3-4K MILES). AFTER THAT CAR WAS NOTED TO BE USING TOO MUCH OIL (TOPPING OFF AT EACH 1500 MILES THEY HAD TO ADD 2 AND A HALF QUARTS). TOOK TO DEALER AT ABOUT 67000 NOTING OIL PROBLEM AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. LIGHT TURNED OUT TO BE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. REPLACED. NOTHING DONE ON OIL PROBLEM. AT 70000 MILES ENGINE WAS HESITATING AND CONTINUING TO BURN OIL. TOOK BACK TO DEALER. …

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I OWN A 2001 AND A 2002 CHEVY PRIZM. BOTH CARS ARE USING EXCESSIVE OIL (SEVERAL QUARTS EVERY 100 MILES EACH). DEALER STATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP IN THE CYLINDERS. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION STARTED AROUND 50,000 MILES. THE CHEVY PRIZM IS REALLY A TOYOTA COROLLA. TOYOTA HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HAS WARRANTED THE REPAIR. GENERAL MOTORS IS NOT ASSISTING ITS CUSTOMERS WITH THE REPAIR. I GUESS THAT IS WHY TOYOTA IS NUMBER ONE CAR MAKER AND GM IS NUMBER 2. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT AGAIN. *JB

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PURCHASED CAR JULY '09 WITH 64,000 ON ENGINE. VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 90 DAY WARRANTY. 2700 MILES AFTER PURCHASE, ENGINE EMITTED BLUE SMOKE AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP, PISTONS HOLD NO COMPRESSION, ONE VALVE SHOT, REPAIR SHOP AND WARRANTY COMPANY STATE VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT ENGINE, POTENTIAL VALVE DAMAGE., ENGINE COULD CEASE IF DRIVEN. *TR

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND HEARD AN EXCESSIVELY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. SHE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE STARTER WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AND CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. THIS WAS A CONTINUOUS FAILURE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,040.

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PROBLEMS WITH FUEL SYSTEM ON 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM.*MR THE VEHICLE'S OXYGEN SENSOR, FUEL FILTER INSIDE THE TANK AND SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. *NM

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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON PERMANENTLY. THIS CAN BE TEMPORARILY TURNED OFF BY MECHANICS BUT ALWAYS COMES BACK ON AGAIN. SINCE THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE, THIS WARNING LIGHT IS USELESS IF I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM. *TR

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THE PISTON SKIRTS ON THE 2000 MODEL WERE TOO SHORT (THEY WERE REPLACED WITH APPROPRIATE SKIRTS IN A LATER YEAR MODEL). THE VERY SHORT SKIRT ALLOWS THE PISTON TO TILT IN THE CYLINDER MUCH SOONER THAN WOULD HAPPEN IN NORMAL ENGINES. THIS CAUSES THE RINGS TO FAIL TO SEAT PROPERLY MUCH EARLIER THAN WOULD HAPPEN IN AN ENGINE WITH NORMAL SKIRT LENGTHS. THIS CAUSES EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION WHERE THE AMOUNT OF OIL CONSUMED RISES EXPONENTIALLY WITH THE NUMBER OF MILES DRIVEN. AT SOME POINT, THE ENGINE COULD MALFUNCTION WHILE THE DRIVER IS DRIVING. …

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ENGINE IS EATING OIL!! -- I PURCHASED AN 18-MONTH OLD CHEVY PRIZM LSI WITH A 1ZZ-FE 1.8L ENGINE BACK IN NOVEMBER 2002 WITH ABOUT 27K MILES. THIS CAR IS STILL IN MINT CONDITION. IT'S GARAGED AND I DO ALL THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND USE PURE SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL SINCE I PURCHASED IT. UNFORTUNATELY AT ABOUT 50K MILES, MY ENGINE STARTED EATING UP OIL AT ABOUT 1 QUART PER 200 MILES. AFTER RESEARCHING THE 1ZZ FE 1.8L ENGINE BLOCK SERIES, IT APPEARS THIS ENGINE HAS PISTON AND RING PROBLEMS LEADING IT TO CONSUME OIL AT A RAPID PACE. I KEEP A CASE …

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ENGINE ABSORBS OIL. AFTER PURCHASING; ENGINE SEIZED. PURCHASED 2ND ENGINE AT BEECHMONT CHEVROLET...SAME FLAW. ENGINE SEIZED AT FIVE MILE ROAD EXIT OFF OF I-275. TO THIS DAY IF I DO NOT CHECK OIL ON REGULAR BASIS. I POSE A RISK OF ENGINE SEIZING AGAIN.

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NAR 03/13/2003 WHILE DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE STARTED MAKING NOISES. A MINUTE AFTER, THE ENGINE BLEW WHICH CAUSED A SMALL FIRE. DAMAGES OCCURED IN ENGINE AND BOTTOM HOOD. *CB *JB

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AT 80,000 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING PO 441: EVAP PURGE FLOW. THIS IS GETTING WAY TO COMMON AMONG THESE CARS, PLEASE ADMIT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND FIX IT. (TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED THE PROBLEM ON 1998 MODELS, AND HAS CUT A DEAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO RETROFIT OLD TRUCKS AND BUSES NOT EVEN MADE BY TOYOTA TO MAKE UP FOR THE POLLUTION THEY'VE CAUSED, BUT THAT STILL LEAVES ME PAYING TO HAVE THIS DESIGN FLAW FIXED). *TR

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HAVE DAMAGED LIFTERS IN 2000 CHEVY PRIZM ENGINE MADE BY TOYOTA, DUE TO A MFG. DEFECT, ACCORDING TO MY CHEVY DEALERSHIP REPAIMAN. HE SAYS UPPER ENGINE DRAIN HOLES FOR OIL WERE DRILLED SMALLER THAN AMERICAN MADE MOTORS WHICH WILL GUM UP AND RESTRICT FLOW OF OIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO HYDRAULIC LIFTERS. EXTENT OF DAMAGE UNTIL ENGINE IS TORN DOWN IS UNDETERMINABLE. AT THE LEAST, TRADE IN VALUE IS MUCH DIMISHED DUE TO EXCESSIVE ENGINE NOISE. MILEAGE-39,000. *LA

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DT: THE CONSUMER STATE HIS 2001 CHEVROLET PRISM WAS HESITATING AND STALLING ON A COLD START. THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING IN THE MORNINGS WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD AND SET OVERNIGHT. THE WEATHER WAS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE OWNER DID HAVE A COPY OF TSB 1538049 WHICH INDICATED PROCEDURES THAT COULD BE DONE TO HELP WITH VEHICLE PERFORMANCE. THE OWNERS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 31,000 MILES, AND WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD. THE OWNER TALKED TO GM, AND THEY SAID THAT WHAT EVER IT COST TO HAVE THE V…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET PRIZM. TWO YEARS AGO, THE EMISSIONS CONTROL BOX FAILED AT 41,000 MILES AND CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. AT 72,000 MILES, THE ENGINE HAS A PISTON KNOCK. TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE KNOCKING HAS WORSENED. THE REPAIR HAS NOT BEEN MADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS A LICENSED MECHANIC AND HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE EVERY 3,000 MILES. THE PURCHASE DATE AND SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE …

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CONSUMER HAS FRONTAL & SIDE AIRBAGS. THEY DON'T DEPLOY, BUT THE SENSORS GO OUT WHICH MEANS THEY WILL NOT WORK & THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED THROUGH THE DEALER 5 TIMES. GMC SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN THEY WOULD ORDER ANOTHER PART. VEHICLE HAS ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE SURGES, AC TROUBLE, AND TRUNK LEAKING, FOR ALL OF WHICH VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR. *AK *ML

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WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES,AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESS WAY AND EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE ON MY 2001 CHEVY PRIZM. AS A RESULT I HAD TO HAVE THE WHOLE ENGINE REPLACED 2,500$-TO SAY THE LEAST ENGINE FAILURE ON ANY HIGHWAY IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION. THIS CAR WAS OURCHASED BY ME -BRAND NEW-AND HAD BEEN PROOPERLY MAINTAINED.

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