1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE...
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...
Mileage: 125,000
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...
Mileage: 150,000
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!!
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, INT...
Mileage: 132,900
HORN IS INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Mileage: 34,000
CONSUMER STATES THAT IN A REAR END COLLISON BOTH FRONT BUCKET SEAT BACKS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS ON IMPACT.
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? P...
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
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
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
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
TIRE BLEW & BURSTED. CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. CAR PULLED TO EXTREME RIGHT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W17J FL6 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)
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 H...
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 H...
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 H...
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 H...
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 H...
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. MA...
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
ABS LIGHT IS COMING ON AND STAYING ON.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DEACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION.
THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DEACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION.
TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT. FIRESTONE - DOT W18JF6L497, SIZE - P175/65R14.
SECURITY SYSTEM FAILED, PURCHASED FROM SEPARATE SOURCE. YH
POWER LOCK BOTTON BECAME LOOSE. YH
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.
VEHICLE IS NOT EQUPPED WITH THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR, WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER WHEN MAKING A TURN. *AK *ML
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
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
SEAT BELT BUCKLE DAMAGES DOOR WHEN RELEASED DUE TO DESIGN.
DOOR LOCK IS DIFFICULT TO REACH DUE TO DESIGN.
VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A FRONT STABILIZER BAR.
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