1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM

1 recalls — 33 complaints

10E002000 Feb 11, 2010
SUSPENSION
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. THE AFFECTED FRONT STRUT MOUNTS DID NOT CONTAIN A WELD JOINT BETWEEN THE BEARING HOUSING AND THE RATE PLATE.
Remedy: RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RIDE CONTROL AT 1-248-458-1396.
12,657 vehicles affected
AIR BAGS Dec 11, 2012
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.
Crash 1 injured
SEAT BELTS Feb 17, 2012
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.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH Jul 13, 2005
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!!
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Nov 21, 2003
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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN Jun 11, 2003
HORN IS INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
SEATS Oct 8, 2002
CONSUMER STATES THAT IN A REAR END COLLISON BOTH FRONT BUCKET SEAT BACKS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS ON IMPACT.
Crash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP Aug 15, 2002
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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY Dec 27, 2001
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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY Dec 27, 2001
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
AIR BAGS Aug 27, 2001
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 BAGS Jul 2, 2001
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
TIRES Mar 7, 2001
TIRE BLEW & BURSTED. CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. CAR PULLED TO EXTREME RIGHT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W17J FL6 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)
Crash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL Jul 17, 2000
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
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER Jul 17, 2000
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
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID Jul 17, 2000
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
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE Jul 17, 2000
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
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW Jul 17, 2000
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
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL Feb 9, 2000
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
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL Jan 6, 2000
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
Crash 1 injured
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR Sep 30, 1999
POWER LOCK BOTTON BECAME LOOSE. YH
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP Aug 2, 1999
ABS LIGHT IS COMING ON AND STAYING ON.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE Jul 30, 1999
SECURITY SYSTEM FAILED, PURCHASED FROM SEPARATE SOURCE. YH
TIRES May 11, 1999
TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT. FIRESTONE - DOT W18JF6L497, SIZE - P175/65R14.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Feb 8, 1999
THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DEACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION.
Crash
STEERING Feb 8, 1999
THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DEACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION.
Crash
TIRES Jan 22, 1999
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
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR Jan 6, 1999
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.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR Dec 7, 1998
VEHICLE IS NOT EQUPPED WITH THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR, WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER WHEN MAKING A TURN. *AK *ML
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES Dec 3, 1998
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
Crash
STEERING Jul 23, 1998
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
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH Jul 13, 1998
DOOR LOCK IS DIFFICULT TO REACH DUE TO DESIGN.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE Jul 13, 1998
SEAT BELT BUCKLE DAMAGES DOOR WHEN RELEASED DUE TO DESIGN.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR Apr 30, 1998
VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A FRONT STABILIZER BAR.