1999 Chevrolet PRIZM problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
28 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
78,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 13 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 28 complaints (14.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 4 | 14.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 10.7% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 10.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 7.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 |
| Structure:Body | 2 |
| Tires | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 1 |
Air Bags: 4; Electrical System: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Exterior Lighting: 2; Structure:Body: 2; Tires: 2; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 15 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
2000: 5; 2001: 2; 2003: 3; 2004: 3; 2005: 1; 2006: 3; 2007: 2; 2008: 1; 2010: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10192374 · 2007-06-04 (June 4, 2007)
THE THROTTLE ON MY CAR STUCK AT FULL OR NEARLY FULL WHEN I ACCELERATED TO PASS A VEHICLE. I FIRMLY DEPRESSED AND HELD THE BRAKE PEDAL, THEN TOOK THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS: CHECKED THAT CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ACTIVE; CHECKED THAT NOTHING WAS DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR; PULLED BACK ON THE ACCELERATOR; WHILE CONTINUING TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER TO NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO ACC; PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE MECHANIC AT THE GARAGE STATED THAT A PIN HAD COME OFF OF THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY, E…
Owner-reported narrative. 89,090 miles reported. Look up ODI 10192374 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10525904 · 2013-07-20 (July 20, 2013)
I WAS DRIVING TO HELP A FRIEND MOVE ABOUT 4 BLOCK FROM MY APARTMENT COMPLEX ON THURSDAY 18TH JULY AT APPROXIMATELY 12:20PM. ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM MY APARTMENT, I LOOKED OVER TO MY RIGHT SHOULDER TO CHECK MY BLIND SPOT TO MERGE INTO THE NEXT LANE AND WHEN I TURNED BACK THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES AND STOPPED SUDDENLY. BY THIS TIME I WAS WITHIN TWO CAR LENGTHS AWAY AND SLAMMED MY BRAKES. MY CAR BEGAN SLOWING DOWN BUT SLID STRAIGHT INTO THE BACK OF HER VEHICLE. AFTER I REAR ENDED HER I LOOK AHEAD AND NOTICE A 4 CAR BUILD UP WIT…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10525904 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10243443 · 2008-09-25 (September 25, 2008)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,040 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243443 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10617680 · 2014-07-30 (July 30, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET PRIZM. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. OVER A YEAR AGO, THE IGNITION WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE WHICH SPREAD TO THE ALTERNATOR. THE IGNITION, WIRING HARNESS, AND ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10617680 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046395 · 2003-12-04 (December 4, 2003)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046395 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11155706 · 2018-12-03 (December 3, 2018)
AT 70 MILES/HOUR MY GENERAL MOTORS POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS ON FULL ASSIST AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. GENERAL MOTORS SECRETLY REMOVED THE POWER ASSIST, REPLACED IT AND THEN JIMMIED THE ENTIRE CAR TO PRESENT FALSE EVIDENCE THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY BAD DRIVER CAR MAINTENANCE. THEY THEN DENIED THE CLAIM BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHS THEY HAD TAKEN OF MY CAR AFTER THEY HAD CHANGED EVERYTHING. THE ACCIDENT ON 7/20/2018, OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY DURING A SUNNY LATE MORNING. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR *JS *JS *TT CONSUMER STATED I SENT ONE LETTER TO THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 240,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11155706 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10147223 · 2006-01-09 (January 9, 2006)
IN APPROXIMATELY JANUARY 2005 I DETECTED A GAS SMELL WHEN USING THE HEATER IN MY 1999 CHEVY PRIZM (70K MILES). THE SMELL WAS OVERWHELMING AND I HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW WHEN DRIVING OR I WOULD GET HEADACHES. I DETERMINED THAT THE SMELL ONLY OCCURRED WHEN USING OUTSIDE AIR FOR THE HEATER A/C UNIT AS I COULD NOT SMELL GAS WHEN THE INSIDE AIR SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED. USING ONLY THE INSIDE AIR SWITCH, I FOOLISHLY WAITED NEARLY 12 MONTHS BEFORE TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC. IN JANUARY 2006 THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL RAIL WAS LEAKING AT A SIGN…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10147223 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10693698 · 2015-03-11 (March 11, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REFUELED ON A HALF TANK IN ORDER FOR THE FUEL TANK NOT TO LEAK FUEL. ON ONE OCCASION, ANOTHER DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE SPARKS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND WAS VIBRATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMB…
Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10693698 at NHTSA ↗