2001 Chevrolet Prizm

I HAVE HAD A 2000 CHEVROLET PRIZM AND NOW SOMEONE THREATENED MY LIFE TO FORCE ME TO BUY A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE WINDOWS OF THESE CARS FOG UP TOO SEVERE TO DRIVE IN MINOR OR MAJOR RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN. WHEN IT RAINS WE HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON HIGHWAYS AND IN CITIES AND TOWNS AND WAIT FOR IT TO STOP RAINING FOR THE CAR TO BE SAFE TO DRIVE. MOST ALL OTHER CARS HAVE WINDOWS THAT ARE SAFE TO DIVE WITH BUT THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE FOR DRIVING IN THE RAIN.

NHTSA ID

11338779

Incident

Jul 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

MY 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM HAS BEEN BURNING OIL SINCE AROUND 60-70K MILES AND HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE. CHEVROLET DIDN'T BUILD THE ENGINE RIGHT AND THE RINGS/HEADS I THINK NEED REPLACED (WHAT I READ ON). AND CHEVROLET HAS NOT FIXED THIS PROBLEM AND ITS COSTLY AS IT BURNS AROUND A QUART EVERY 200 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10790308

Incident

Mar 10, 2004

Mileage

65,000 mi

I GOT THIS CAR A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND IT WORKED OK. BUT NOW IT IS EATING OIL LIKE CRAZY. AND ALSO WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE IT HESITATES AND WONT MOVE FORWARD. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE 3 WRECKS. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. WHY PAY FOR THIS CAR IF ITS GOING TO KILL ME.

NHTSA ID

10789722

Incident

Nov 11, 2015

Mileage

127,000 mi

THE CAR WAS HIT ON THE BACK BUMPER CAUSEING THE CAR TO GO OFF THE ROAD AND CAUSING A IT TO ROLL OVER TWICE WHICH TOTALLED THE CAR TO THIS DATE THE AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER DEPLOYED

NHTSA ID

10717518

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

144,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW WILL NOT RAISE IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAS BEEN FULLY RETRACTED (SUCH AS AT A DRIVE-IN WINDOW, OR WHEN THE "AUTO" FEATURE FULLY RETRACTS IT BEFORE I CAN STOP IT). IT WILL EVENTUALLY RAISE AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF INOPERATION; SOMETIMES ONLY PARTIALLY AT A TIME. IF I HAVE INTENTIONALLY HAD THE WINDOW DOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THERE IS NO PROBLEM - YET. THIS ONLY OCCURS WHEN THE WINDOW IS FULLY RETRACTED, AND REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10619175

Incident

May 7, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND BOTH WHEELS WERE POINTED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10567830

Incident

Mar 3, 2014

GOT THE CAR IN 2004. IN 2009 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WENT TO THREE MECHANICS TO TRY AND FIND THE PROBLEM. NONE OF THEM HAD A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT WAS WRONG BUT THEY TRIED VARIOUS THINGS. IT STILL NEVER WENT OFF FOR MORE THAN 5 MILES DIRECTLY AFTER SERVICING. FOR A WHILE IT WAS DRIVING FINE EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHT WAS ON (OVER A YEAR) BUT THEN IT STARTED DETERIORATING. IT WAS VERY SLUGGISH, DID NOT DRIVE WELL (SHAKING) WHEN GOING OVER 35 MPH, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING FOR 5-15 SECONDS WHEN I ACCELERATED. MPG TANKED, WENT FROM 35+ TO 23-25. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. THEY REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND FUEL INJECTORS AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ($1300 FIX ON MY THEN 10 YEAR OLD CAR). CAR STARTED RUNNING BETTER, MPG SLOWLY GOT HIGHER, BUT AFTER ABOUT THREE DAYS OUT OF THE SHOP THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MECHANIC WAS STUMPED, HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG, BUT HE OK'D IT FOR ME TO CONTINUE DRIVING, SO I HAVE BEEN DOING SO. IT'S STILL DRIVING WELL, MORE OR LESS, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ALWAYS ON. AROUND THE SAME TIME AS THE 2009 ENGINE LIGHT, I NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS DRINKING MORE AND MORE MOTOR OIL. NOW (2012) I HAVE TO PUT IN A QUART EVERY FULL TANK OF GAS, JUST ABOUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10461928

Incident

Jun 1, 2009

Mileage

86,000 mi

ENGINE IS EATING OIL!! -- I PURCHASED AN 18-MONTH OLD CHEVY PRIZM LSI WITH A 1ZZ-FE 1.8L ENGINE BACK IN NOVEMBER 2002 WITH ABOUT 27K MILES. THIS CAR IS STILL IN MINT CONDITION. IT'S GARAGED AND I DO ALL THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND USE PURE SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL SINCE I PURCHASED IT. UNFORTUNATELY AT ABOUT 50K MILES, MY ENGINE STARTED EATING UP OIL AT ABOUT 1 QUART PER 200 MILES. AFTER RESEARCHING THE 1ZZ FE 1.8L ENGINE BLOCK SERIES, IT APPEARS THIS ENGINE HAS PISTON AND RING PROBLEMS LEADING IT TO CONSUME OIL AT A RAPID PACE. I KEEP A CASE OF OIL IN THE TRUNK FOR LONG TRIPS AND PUT IN AT LEAST ONE QUART EACH TIME I REFILL THE TANK. THIS ENGINE CAN BE FOUND IN AT LEAST 10 TOYOTA AND ONE CHEVY MODEL (PRIZM). THIS IS AN EXCELLENT CAR, HOWEVER I CAN'T BELIEVE GMC HASN'T ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) REGARDING EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS. THESE CARS CAN RUN FOR AT LEAST 250K MILES IF YOU MAKE SURE THE ENGINE HAS ENOUGH OIL. BUYER BEWARE -- 1998-2002 CHEVY PRIZMS AND THEIR SIAMESE TWIN, TOYOTA COROLLAS WITH THE IZZ FE 18.L ENGINE WITH MORE THAN 50K MILES WILL CONSUME MUCH MORE OIL AND IT IS THEREFORE IMPERATIVE TO ENSURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH OIL IN THE ENGINE BLOCK TO PREVENT ENGINE SEIZURE. GMC SHOULD ISSUE A TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM. I REALIZE THIS CAR IS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD, BUT THERE ARE MILLIONS OF 1998-2002 PRIZMS AND COROLLAS ON THE ROAD. IF YOU BUY ONE, MAKE SURE THE PREVIOUS OWNER IS HONEST WITH YOU REGARDING OIL CONSUMPTION, OTHERWISE YOU MAY BE BUYING A CAR WITH LOTS OF ENGINE PROBLEMS. YOUR ENGINE MAY SEIZE UP ON YOU AND LEAVE YOU STRANDED IN TIMBUKTU... *TR

NHTSA ID

10459953

Incident

May 11, 2005

Mileage

53,336 mi

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.