1999 Chevrolet Prizm Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1999 Chevrolet Prizm, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags1124.4%
- Electrical511.1%
- Exterior lighting511.1%
- Engine511.1%
- Interior & seats36.7%
- Tires & wheels24.4%
- Fuel system24.4%
- Steering24.4%
- Driver assistance24.4%
- Body & structure24.4%
- Other / unspecified24.4%
- Seat belts24.4%
- Brakes12.2%
- Suspension12.2%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 WITH THE 5TH CAR AHEAD MAKING AN ILLEGAL U TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. MY ENTIRE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED WITH ALL NEW PARTS HAVING TO BE BOUGHT. BECAUSE MY CAR IS FRONT WELL DRIVE THE FRONT DIPPED AND DID NOT DO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE OTHER PERSONS VEHICLE (1999 HONDA ACCORD COPE) EXCEPT SCRATCHED HER BUMPER. I ONLY HAVE LIABILITY SO HER CAR IS BEING FIXED AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR MINE OUT OF POCKET. BECAUSE THE LEFT FENDER WAS BADLY DENTED, IT HINDERED THE FRONT DOOR FROM BEING ABLE TO OPEN AND I REMAINED PINNED INTO MY CAR FOR A WHILE. I NOTICED THAT MY AIR BAGS NEVER EVEN WENT OFF WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENT THE LITTLE WHIP LASH I RECEIVED. I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING SLIGHT PAINS BEHIND MY NECK. *TR
AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND HORN NOT WORKING
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY CAR TURNED OFF WHEN PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND DAD TOOK THE CAR TO GET CHECKED, THEY WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS ELECTRICAL. THE COMPUTER BLEW OUT TWICE. THEY WEREN'T CHARGED WHICH WAS A GOOD THING BECAUSE THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE. EVERY TIME YOU SWITCH THE A/C ON OR TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE CAR TURNS OFF. I CAME ON THIS WEBSITES HOPING TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MY FAVORITE CAR IS JUST SITTING THERE COLLECTING DUST. I DON'T WANT TO JUNK THE CAR BECAUSE IT IS GREAT! I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE IT NEITHER BECAUSE I HAVE TWO KIDS AND DON'T WANT NOTHING BAD TO HAPPEN. PLEASE GET A RECALL DONE. I DON'T WANT TO JUNK THIS CAR.
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 NUMBER: 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION ON 12/3/2018 WITH 7 QUESTIONS AND ANOTHER LETTER ON 9/27/2019 WITH 3 MORE QUESTIONS TO YOU. I HAVE SENT COPIES OF THESE LETTERS, PER ATTACHMENT. CAN I GET SPECIFIC ANSWERS TO EACH QUESTION FROM YOU AND YOUR PHONE # SO I CAN CALL YOU AFTER MY REVIEW. IT SEEMS TO ME GENERAL MOTORS HAS ALWAYS DESIGNED ITS' VARIABLE POWER STEERING ASSISTS, WHEN THEY BREAK, TO GO INTO FULL, OPEN POWER ASSIST , ALL THE TIME AND AT ALL SPEEDS. THIS IS SOO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN MANUAL STEERING ESPECIALLY WITHOUT LOW SPEED WARNING THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS BROKEN. WHAT HAS NHTSA DONE TO PREVENT THIS SAFETY RISK TO DRIVERS OF EXCESS, INAPPROPRIATE MAGNIFICATION OF HIGH SPEED STEERING. *JB
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 WITH THE 5TH CAR AHEAD MAKING AN ILLEGAL U TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. MY ENTIRE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED WITH ALL NEW PARTS HAVING TO BE BOUGHT. BECAUSE MY CAR IS FRONT WELL DRIVE THE FRONT DIPPED AND DID NOT DO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE OTHER PERSONS VEHICLE (1999 HONDA ACCORD COPE) EXCEPT SCRATCHED HER BUMPER. I ONLY HAVE LIABILITY SO HER CAR IS BEING FIXED AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR MINE OUT OF POCKET. BECAUSE THE LEFT FENDER WAS BADLY DENTED, IT HINDERED THE FRONT DOOR FROM BEING ABLE TO OPEN AND I REMAINED PINNED INTO MY CAR FOR A WHILE. I NOTICED THAT MY AIR BAGS NEVER EVEN WENT OFF WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENT THE LITTLE WHIP LASH I RECEIVED. I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING SLIGHT PAINS BEHIND MY NECK. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
1999 CHEVROLET PRISM HAD EQUIPMENT FAILURE. WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS EXTINGUISHED BY PASSING MOTORISTS. *KB OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0029-90 UPDATED 04/15/10 *BF UPDATED 05/24/10 *BF
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S INSIDE DOOR HANDLE HOUSING AND PIN BROKE; DOOR COULDN'T BE OPENED FROM INSIDE. PARTS DEALER STATED A NUMBER OF THESE HAVE BROKEN ON THIS MODEL.*AK
I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT DRIVING A 99 CHEVY PRIZM GOING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. I WAS REAR-ENDED ON THE PASSENGER RIGHT SIDE REAR CORNER AND THEN IMMEDIATELY AGAIN ON THE PASSENGER FRONT RIGHT CORNER. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE. IT WAS ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE RECLINED POSITION. THE ONLY INJURY I EXPERIENCED WAS WHIPLASH. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
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. THE MINIMUM TREAD DEPTH RECOMMENDED BY FIRESTONE TIRES IS 2/32 DEEP OR 0.0625. THE TREAD DEPTH ON THE TIRE IN QUESTION WAS 0.175, MORE THAN TWICE THE REQUIRED DEPTH. THE STATE TROOPER WHO INVESTIGATED THE CRASH DETERMINED THAT I WAS NOT AT FAULT. THE MECHANIC WHO EXAMINED MY VEHICLE AGREED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE'S TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE.
TIRES ARE GETTING DEEP NASTY CRACKS IN MY OPINION TOO SOON FOR SUCH A NEW / LOW MILEAGE CAR, WOMAN DRIVING LITTLE BABY . *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 185/65/14 )
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 NUMBER: 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
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 SIGNIFICANT RATE AND HE INDICATED THERE WAS HIGH RISK OF FIRE FROM THE LEAK. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT WHEN HE PURCHASED A NEW FUEL RAIL FROM A DENVER, CO DISTRIBUTOR HE WAS TOLD THAT MANY NEW FUEL RAILS WERE BEING PURCHASED BECAUSE OF THE SAME FAILURE. WITH THE NEW FUEL RAIL INSTALLED THERE IS NO MORE LEAKING GAS AND NO GAS SMELLS WHEN I AM USING EITHER OUTSIDE OR INSIDE AIR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE OTHER CHEVY PRIZM/TOYOTA COROLLAS TO SEE IF THERE IS A PATTERN IN FUEL RAIL FAILURE. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION ON 12/3/2018 WITH 7 QUESTIONS AND ANOTHER LETTER ON 9/27/2019 WITH 3 MORE QUESTIONS TO YOU. I HAVE SENT COPIES OF THESE LETTERS, PER ATTACHMENT. CAN I GET SPECIFIC ANSWERS TO EACH QUESTION FROM YOU AND YOUR PHONE # SO I CAN CALL YOU AFTER MY REVIEW. IT SEEMS TO ME GENERAL MOTORS HAS ALWAYS DESIGNED ITS' VARIABLE POWER STEERING ASSISTS, WHEN THEY BREAK, TO GO INTO FULL, OPEN POWER ASSIST , ALL THE TIME AND AT ALL SPEEDS. THIS IS SOO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN MANUAL STEERING ESPECIALLY WITHOUT LOW SPEED WARNING THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS BROKEN. WHAT HAS NHTSA DONE TO PREVENT THIS SAFETY RISK TO DRIVERS OF EXCESS, INAPPROPRIATE MAGNIFICATION OF HIGH SPEED STEERING. *JB
CONSUMER HEARS A RUBBING NOISE IN STEERING RACK WHEN VEHICLE GOES OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
VEHICLE SURGES OR SLOWS DOWN AT 45 MPH ON ITS OWN, UNABLE TO DETERMINE DEFECT. *MJS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION ON 12/3/2018 WITH 7 QUESTIONS AND ANOTHER LETTER ON 9/27/2019 WITH 3 MORE QUESTIONS TO YOU. I HAVE SENT COPIES OF THESE LETTERS, PER ATTACHMENT. CAN I GET SPECIFIC ANSWERS TO EACH QUESTION FROM YOU AND YOUR PHONE # SO I CAN CALL YOU AFTER MY REVIEW. IT SEEMS TO ME GENERAL MOTORS HAS ALWAYS DESIGNED ITS' VARIABLE POWER STEERING ASSISTS, WHEN THEY BREAK, TO GO INTO FULL, OPEN POWER ASSIST , ALL THE TIME AND AT ALL SPEEDS. THIS IS SOO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN MANUAL STEERING ESPECIALLY WITHOUT LOW SPEED WARNING THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS BROKEN. WHAT HAS NHTSA DONE TO PREVENT THIS SAFETY RISK TO DRIVERS OF EXCESS, INAPPROPRIATE MAGNIFICATION OF HIGH SPEED STEERING. *JB
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 WITH THE 5TH CAR AHEAD MAKING AN ILLEGAL U TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. MY ENTIRE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED WITH ALL NEW PARTS HAVING TO BE BOUGHT. BECAUSE MY CAR IS FRONT WELL DRIVE THE FRONT DIPPED AND DID NOT DO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE OTHER PERSONS VEHICLE (1999 HONDA ACCORD COPE) EXCEPT SCRATCHED HER BUMPER. I ONLY HAVE LIABILITY SO HER CAR IS BEING FIXED AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR MINE OUT OF POCKET. BECAUSE THE LEFT FENDER WAS BADLY DENTED, IT HINDERED THE FRONT DOOR FROM BEING ABLE TO OPEN AND I REMAINED PINNED INTO MY CAR FOR A WHILE. I NOTICED THAT MY AIR BAGS NEVER EVEN WENT OFF WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENT THE LITTLE WHIP LASH I RECEIVED. I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING SLIGHT PAINS BEHIND MY NECK. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
HI, I AM WRITING TO REPORT A TIRE BRAND, SOLD BY WALMART THAT COULD BE ILLEGAL FOR SALE IN THE U.S. THE DOT INFORMATION IS COMPLETELY MISSING ON THESE TIRES. THEREFORE, ALL THE CLAIMS MADE IN UTQG SPECS COULD BE FALSE AND/OR DO NOT MEET US STANDARDS. THESE ARE TIRES SOLD ON WALMART.COM AND BOUGHT AND USED BY MANY PEOPLE. I RECENTLY EXAMINED A PAIR OF THESE TIRES WHILE I WAS PICKING UP AN ORDER FROM WALMART. THESE TIRES MADE A RATTLING SOUND WHEN BOUNCED ON THE FLOOR. WHEN WE TESTED OTHER TIRE BRANDS FROM OTHER MANUFACTURERS, THEY DID NOT MAKE THE RATTLING SOUND. IT SOUNDED AS IF THE STEEL BELTS ARE LOOSE UNDER THE TREAD. ONLY A FATAL CRASH DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION MIGHT REVEAL THIS FAULT, WHICH MIGHT BE TOO LATE A LESSON TO LEARN FOR SOMEONE. I AM NOT SURE IF ALL TIRE SIZES OR TIRE TYPES HAVE MISSING DOT INFORMATION. AS I AM NOT AN EXPERT IN TIRES, I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT DEFECTIVE STEEL BELTS TOO (THE RATTLING SOUND), BUT, I WANT TO BRING MY OBSERVATIONS TO THE ATTENTION OF EXPERTS. IT'S WORTH LOOKING IN TO THESE TIRES TO MAKE SURE THAT US CUSTOMERS ARE NOT BEEN SOLD UNSAFE TIRES. IF THIS COULD PREVENT AN AVOIDABLE ACCIDENT, IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT. I CONTACTED WALMART AND BROUGHT THIS TO THEIR ATTENTION. FROM THEIR EMAIL RESPONSE, IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE IGNORING THE ISSUE. THE TIRE IN QUESTION IS, BRAND: CROSSWIND HP010 MANUFACTURER: LINGLONG MADE IN: THAILAND SIZE: 185/65R14 WALMART PRODUCT PAGE: HTTPS://WWW.WALMART.COM/IP/CROSSWIND-HP010-185-65R14-86H-TIRE/765720344 THANK YOU PS: I ENDED UP RETURNING THE TIRES
THE RIMS OF THE 1999 CHEVROLET PRISM BEND AND PUNCTURE THE TIRES. THEY WERE BRAND NEW TIRES. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH WHAT A MECHANIC HAS SAID ARE "SOFT RIMS." THE TIRES COULD FAIL WITHOUT ME KNOWING IT. I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR HELP IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM. THE MANAGER SAID :"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET." MY MAIN CONCERN IS TO MAKE THE CAR SAFE. I TRAVEL WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN. MY SON IN LAW SUGGESTED THAT THE RIMS BE EXCHANGED FOR A SAFER RIM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH BENT RIMS IN THIS MODELS. I MAINLY AM SEEKING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO CLOSE. NO AMOUNT OF JAMMING THE TONGUE INTO THE RECEPTOR CAUSES ENGAGEMENT. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES. THE DEALER IS REPLACING AT A PARTS CHARGE OF $125 PLUS LABOR. *JB
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR SHOOK VERY HARD AND HEARD A DISTINCT RUBBING NOISE FROM THE REAR END, AFTER INCIDENT BRAKES WERE NOISY AND PULSATED WHENEVER THEY GOT HOT, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL CAR,PAD AND ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND WARPED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 NUMBER: 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .