1998 Chevrolet Prizm

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/27/2001· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. THEN, VEHICLE FROZE UP/ NOTHING WOULD WORK. STARTER BURNED UP EVERYTHING IN THE DASH. *AK

• 12/27/2001· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  A MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WITHIN STARTER WHICH CAUSED A ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT TO OCCUR ,CAUSING ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

• 12/11/2012· AIR BAGSCrash

  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 125,000.

• 12/08/2004· STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  VEHICLE TENDS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING EVEN AFTER THE STEERING COMPUTER CHIP WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE SWERVES UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT ABOUT 50-55 MPH. *AK THE STEERING VEARED TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. BRAKE POWER BOOSTER PUMP WENT OUT LEAVING THE VEHICLE BRAKELESS. *TC

• 12/07/1998· SUSPENSION

  VEHICLE IS NOT EQUPPED WITH THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR, WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER WHEN MAKING A TURN. *AK *ML

• 12/03/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATOR. ACCELERATOR MADE THE VEHICLE MOVE BY ITSELF, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO BE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

• 11/21/2003· POWER TRAIN

  1ST TIME: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TOTAL INTERNAL, AT AROUND 63000 MILES, EARLY SUMMER 2000. CALLED CHEVROLET FOR REQUEST ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIR, REQUEST DENIED. MAINTENANCE DONE PER SCHEDULE. REPLACED WITH USED TRANSMISSION WITH 6000 MILES ON IT. 2ND TIME: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, INTERNAL. REVERSE AND NEUTRAL GO FORWARD. ABOUT 132900 MILES ON CAR. NOVEMBER 2003. CAR SET IN NEUTRAL NEARLY HIT CLOSED GARAGE DOOR. MAINTENANCE DONE PER SCHEDULE. OVERHAULED/REBUILT AT TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP. *LA

• 11/04/2003· AIR BAGSCrash

  MY 1998 CHEVROLET METRO LSI WAS TOTALLED YESTERDAY IN AN ACCIDENT WITH A SCHOOL BUS. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEFLATE, AND JUDGING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE ACCIDENT, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR MUTILATED. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE. *AK

• 10/19/2001· TIRES

  FIRESTONE, AFFINITY, P21560R15; WHILE LOOKING OVER TIRES NOTICED ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES GROVE HAD CRACKS AROUND TIRES.*AK CONSUMER STATED UPON LOOKING AT TIRES, HE NOTICED THAT THEY CONTAINED CRACKS IN ALL 4, DEALER INFORMED CONSUMERS T HAT TIRES WERE OK.*SLC

• 10/12/1998· VISIBILITY

  SIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS VIBRATE/FAILED, MAKING IT HARD TO SEE VEHICLES IN THE REAR.

• 10/08/2002· SEATSCrash

  CONSUMER STATES THAT IN A REAR END COLLISON BOTH FRONT BUCKET SEAT BACKS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS ON IMPACT.

• 08/27/2001· AIR BAGS

  AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND FLASH. DEALER WOULD THEN REPLACE AIRBAG MODULE. LIGHT HAD COME ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. ON SECOND INCIDENT AIRBAG WAS RESET. ON THIRD INCIDENT DEALER REPLACED AIRBAG COMPUTER RELAY.*AK *SLC

• 08/13/2002· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS LIGHT WENT ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. COMPUTER CHECK AT QUA BUICK-PONTIAC IN SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH 216 561-1177 IN OCTOBER 2001 REVEALED THAT THE PMV VALVE HAD FAILED. MILEAGE AT TIME WAS 52,836. PART LISTED WAS $1,046. ISN'T THIS EARLY TO HAVE AN ABS FAILURE? ARE THERE OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS? PLEASE ADVISE. THANKS.*AK

• 08/02/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS LIGHT IS COMING ON AND STAYING ON.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

• 07/23/1998· STEERING

  WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH OR MORE THE STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN, DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

• 07/17/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,EQUIPMENT

  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

• 07/13/2005· LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

  I BOUGHT MY 98 CHEVY PRIZM IN OCT. 1999. WITHIN A COUPLE YEARS THE DOOR HANDLES STARTED TO BREAK, ONE AFTER ANOTHER. I TRIED TO GET CHEVROLET TO REPAIR THEM WHEN 2 HANDLES WERE BROKE, AND WHEN 5 WERE BROKE, SAID I NEED DIAGNOSIS, COSTS MONEY, I DONT HAVE, NOW 8 ARE BROKEN. MY CAR IS A DEATH TRAP!!

• 07/13/2001· TIRES

  DURING INSPECTION FOUND CRACKS ON TIRES NEAR OF RIMS WHERE COULD HIT TIRES AND AIR WILL LEAK.*AK CONSUMER STATES THERE WERE STRESS CRACKS ABOVE THE LETTERS ON ALL FOUR TIRES, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P215/75/R15.*JB

• 07/02/2005· STEERING

  I HAVE A 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. TO DATE IT HAS LESS THAN 25,000 MILES. THERE IS AND HAS BEEN "SOMETHING WRONG" WITH THE FRONT-END OF MY CAR. IT SEEMS THE "CLUNKING" SOUND THAT ONE CAN FEEL AS BEEN THERE FOR QUITE AWHILE. WHILE DRIVING(ON FLAT, STRAIGHT FORWARD, PAVEMENT)(BETWEEN 32 AND 37 MPH) MY CAR WILL VEER, "BOUNCE" TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT THE STEERING WHEEL MOVING(AS IN TURNING). I HAVE DESCRIBED THE/THIS SITUATION TO A CERTIFIED MACHINIST/MECHANIC, WITHOUT HESITATION PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN RACK AND PINION STEERING. I HAVE FOUND IT NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL, IN REGARDS TO SAFETY, TO RENT A VEHICLE IN ORDER TO LEAVE MY SMALL AND SOMEWHAT ISOLATED HOME TOWN. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

• 07/02/2001· AIR BAGS

  AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WOULD FLASHES ON AND OFF, INDICTATING A DEFECT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP, AND INFORMED THAT AIR BAG MODULE HAS SHORTED OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK

• 06/26/2004· VISIBILITY

  1998 CHEVROLET METRO 4 DOOR - DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS DO NOT STAY ON TRACK WHEN ROLLING UP OR DOWN. PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 2002, USED, FROM AN INDIVIDUAL. *JB

• 06/18/1998· LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

  DOOR LOCK IS DIFFICULT TO REACH DUE TO DESIGN.

• 06/11/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  HORN IS INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

• 05/05/2004· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  CORVETTE C5 BOUGHT ON JUNE 12TH, 98. 1G1 YY2 2G3 W51 229 86. MILES ~ 20.000: TWO CRASHES DUE TO A SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE. FIRST ACCIDENT: APRIL 26TH, 02. I WAS STOPPED AT THE ENTRY OF A PARKING, THE ENGINE RACED AND THE CAR PLOUGHED AHEAD, ALTHOUGH I CONTINUOUSLY APPLIED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE C5 ACCELERATED AT A TERRIFIC SPEED AND STOPPED ONLY AFTER I APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE AND CUT THE IGNITION. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. THE HEAD MECHANIC, ASSURED ME MY CAR WAS IN ORDER WHEN I TOOK IT BACK. I REQUESTED THE GARAGE CONSULT A GM EXPERT ON THAT SORT OF ACCIDENT. HE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THAT REQUEST.THE DYSFUNCTION OCURRED AGAIN. SECOND ACCIDENT : MAY 7TH, 03. I PARKED. I HAD, AT THE END OF THIS MANEUVER, THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, (TO SLOW THE CAR WHICH AT THIS TIME CRAWLED), WHEN THE ENGINE ACCELERATED. THE C5 STOPPED AFTER I JAMMED ON THE BRAKE AND CUT THE IGNITION REMARKS AND CONCLUSION. THE C5 SUDDENLY TOOK OFF ON IT'S OWN, THE THROTTLE IN A FULL OPEN POSITION, WITHOUT THE DRIVER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE BRAKES WERE NOT EFFECTIVE SOON ENOUGH TO AVOID THE ACCIDENTS. ONLY SWITCHING OFF THE IGNITION WAS EFFECTIVE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAD MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE GEAR LEVER WAS IN DRIVE. AS ANY ENGINEER KNOWS, GIVEN THAT ELECTRONIC LOGIC IS SENSITIVE TO INTERFERENCES AND THE C5 COMPARTMENT IS FLOODED WITH VIOLENTS SIGNALS; IT WAS IMPERATIVE, AFTER THE FIRST SERIOUS INCIDENT, TO INSTALL A BLACK BOX OR TIMESTAMPING RECORDING DEVICE, FILMING AND RECORDING THE ACTUAL FOOT POSITION OF THE DRIVER, THE THROTTLE AND BRAKE POSITIONS, ENGINE RPM AND VEHICLE SPEED IN ORDER TO ANALYZE A POSSIBLE RE-OCCURENCE OF THE EVENT. BEING A SURGEON, CONSIDERING THE GRAVITY OF THIS DOUBLE AND IDENTICAL ACCIDENT, NOT ONLY TO RENONCE USING THIS C5, BUT ALSO TO ASK THAT ALL THE C5 BE SUBJECT TO A FACTORY RECALL TO CONTROL ALL THEIR ELECTRONIC, TO CORRECT THE DEFECTS AND ORIGIN OF SUCH DYSFUNCTIONS AND PREVENT SUCH ACCIDENTS.*AK

• 05/01/2001· TIRES

  FIRESTONE TIRE BAD, ONE SPEELING AND ONE NO GOOD, RIM IS BENT

• 04/30/1998· SUSPENSION

  VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A FRONT STABILIZER BAR.

• 03/20/2007· AIR BAGSCrash

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER. AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE STRUCK A DEER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154000.*AK

• 03/06/2003· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  REAR BRAKE WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKED.*AK *JB

• 02/26/2004· STEERING

  RE: 1998 CHEVY LUMINA-LS - RECALL, VIN# [XXX], STEERING PROBLEMS. *AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 02/26/2001· TIRESCrash

  TIRE BLEW & BURSTED. CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. CAR PULLED TO EXTREME RIGHT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W17J FL6 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)

• 02/17/2012· SEAT BELTS

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT RECEPTACLES FAILED AND THE SEAT BELTS COULD NOT BE LOCKED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE RECEPTACLE WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECEPTACLE WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

• 02/13/2005· STEERING

  I CONTACTED GM CORP WHEN I FIRST HEARD OF THE RECALL ON RACK AND PINION ON THE 1998 CHEVY MALIBU BECAUSE I HAD MOVED TO ANOTHER STATE AND WAS CONCERNED I WOULDN'T GET THE NOTICE. THE YOUNG MAN I SPOKE WITH SAID IT WASN'T ON MY CAR, HOW CAN THAT BE. I TOLD HIM I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE AND HITTING THE BRAKES. IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR AND I STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE WHAT SHOULD I DO? *JB

• 02/09/2000· AIR BAGS

  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

• 02/08/1999· STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DEACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION.

• 02/01/1999· STEERING

  SECURITY SYSTEM FAILED, PURCHASED FROM SEPARATE SOURCE. YH

• 02/01/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  STARTER WIRING IS DESIGNED TO CLOSE TO EXHAUST SYSTEM CAUSING OVERHEATING & FAILURE OF STARTER. *YC

• 02/01/1999· TIRES

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

• 02/01/1999· STRUCTURE

  POWER LOCK BOTTON BECAME LOOSE. YH

• 02/01/1999· EQUIPMENT

  CD PLAYER MALFUNCTIONED. *YC

• 02/01/1999· SUSPENSION

  STEERING CONTROL ARM FAILED. *YC

• 02/01/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAILED. *YC

• 01/22/1998· TIRES

  DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, THE TIRES GROOVED IN THE ROAD, MAKING IT UNSTABLE TO CONTROL STEERING. ON FIVE OCCASIONS DRIVER LOST CONTROL, ATTEMPTING TO VEER FROM HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. RITCHEY FIPPS CHEVROLET IS AWARE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE HAVING SAME PROBLEM IN WHICH THEY CAN'T DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

• 01/15/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO THE 3.4L ENGINE. REPLACED INTAKE GASKET.

• 01/06/2000· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCICENT BY HITING A WALL, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

• 01/06/1999· SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN UNFASTENED AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS OPENED. WHEN DRIVER EXITS VEHICLE, SEAT BELT FLIES OUT OF CAR, HITTING THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. THE UNRETRACTED BELT ALSO PREVENTS CAR DOOR FROM SHUTTING UNTIL MANUALLY RETRACTED.