2001 Chevrolet Prizm Owner Complaints

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR STRUTS WOULD EXHIBIT A RATTLING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE FAILURE HAD NOT CAUSED ANY BRAKING PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10449600

Incident

Feb 2, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE MOVING AT A NORMAL PACE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10410840

Incident

Jul 7, 2005

Mileage

12,000 mi

BRAKE FAILURE, TOTAL LOST ALL BRAKES - BOTH BRAKE LINES TO REAR FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384836

Incident

Feb 15, 2011

Mileage

68,000 mi

2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM LSI. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT COST OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD WORN OUT AND A RATTLE HAD DEVELOPED ON THE INSIDE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10357532

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

80,000 mi

2001 CHEVY PRISM; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO BE ON. I HAVE PUT TWO OXYGEN SENSORS ON AT A COST OF OVER $200.00, AND LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MECHANICS TELL ME THE CODE SAYS "LEAN MIXTURE" BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT. CAR HESITATES WHEN COLD, ALMOST THROWING YOU INTO THE WINDSHIELD, UNLESS YOU REPEATEDLY PUMP THE ACCELERATOR. MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT MAYBE FUEL PUMP IS GOING BAD, BUT IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS NOW, AND THIS HASN'T HAPPENED. THE HEAD LINER IN VEHICLE HAS TOTALLY TORN AND DISINTEGRATED, EVEN THO IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. GM WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM. NO MORE CHEVY'S FOR ME!! THE HESITATION IN TRAFFIC COULD CREATE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354985

Incident

Apr 13, 2007

Mileage

43,000 mi

I OWN A 2001 CHEVY PRISM LSI. IT HAS ALWAYS EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF ANNOYING ISSUES THAT I'VE HAD MECHANICS INSPECT/DIAGNOSE THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED. IT USES ABOUT A QUART OF OIL A MONTH (BUT NEVER SMOKES OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE), HAS ALWAYS HAD A HESITATION PROBLEM, AND HAS A WEIRD PROBLEM WITH NOISY 'EXHAUST' SOUNDS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY ARE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND ARE WORSE (VERY LOUD) IN WET CONDITIONS. UPON COLD START, THE ENGINE HESITATES PRETTY BADLY WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE HESITATION GETS MUCH BETTER ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP, BUT STILL HAS MINOR HESITATION UPON INITIALLY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MECHANICS HAVE SAID THEY THINK THE FUEL PUMP MAY BE STARTING TO GO OUT (I WAS TOLD THAT 5 YEARS AGO AND IT HAS NEVER GONE OUT) AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A 'LEAN MIXTURE CODE' WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AT ONE POINT BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF THAT CODE WAS AND IMPLIED IT WAS PROBABLY THE FUEL PUMP SLOWLY GOING BAD. THEY RAN A CARBON CLEAN WHICH SHUT OFF THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT BUT THE HESITATION AND OIL CONSUMPTION HAS ALWAYS REMAINED. NUMEROUS TIMES, THE HESITATION HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN TRAFFIC WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE ENGINE DOES NOTHING UNTIL I PUMP THE PEDAL A FEW TIMES TO GET IT GOING...LEADING TO A POSSIBLY SAFETY HAZARD IN CERTAIN TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT HESITATES AND FIX THE HESITATION PROBLEM AND I'VE READ THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ALONG WITH THE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM FOR CHEVY PRISMS/TOYOTA COROLLAS (ESPECIALLY THE 2001 MODEL). MECHANICS HAVE ALSO INSPECTED MY EXHAUST SYSTEM TO TRY TO FIND THE ISSUE WITH THE NOISY EXHAUST BUT HAVE FOUND NO LEAKS. I'M HOPING A RECALL CAN BE ISSUED TO HELP FIX SOME OF THESE ISSUES SINCE MECHANICS CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT THESE COMMON PROBLEMS. IT SEEMS THAT TOYOTA AND GM ARE BOTH AWARE OF MOST OF THESE ISSUES AND HAVE DONE NOTHING TO RESOLVE THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10336004

Incident

Jun 13, 2010

Mileage

200,000 mi

HOOD ON VEHICLE RAISED UP AS CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 55 MPH, SHATTERING WINDSHIELD AND DENTING THE ROOF. HOOD JAMMED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10331636

Incident

May 20, 2010

Mileage

130,000 mi

THIS CONCERNS A 2001 CHEVY PRISM WITH 138K MILES. THE ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLY DAMAGED DUE TO OIL DEPRIVATION. THERE WAS NO WARNING OTHER THAN THE KNOCKING SOUND AND BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE. OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3K MILES USING HIGH QUALITY CONVENTIONAL OIL & FILTERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10295336

Incident

Dec 5, 2009

Mileage

138,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WOULD NOT STOP ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WOULD APPROACH A STOP, IT WOULD STALL. THE DEALER AND SEVERAL LOCAL REPAIR SHOPS PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, BUT WERE UNABLE TO FIND A DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT DROVE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS AND OXYGEN SENSOR WERE DEFECTIVE; HOWEVER, ONLY THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE REPAIRS, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

NHTSA ID

10247965

Incident

Jun 20, 2005

Mileage

45,000 mi

1. MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO WORK IN MY 2001 CHEVY PRIZM AND THE HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. 2. BOTH HEAD LIGHT BULBS, FUSES, BULB SOCKETS WITH WIRING, AND HEAD LIGHT RELAY BURNED UP. THERE WAS NO WARNING WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND THE HEAD LIGHTS BECAME DISABLED. COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH NO WARNING AND THE LIGHTS FAILING AFTER DARK. THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE COMPLETELY BURNED UP CAUSING INJURY. 3. I TOOK THE CAR TO GATES CHEVY WORLD IN MISHAWAKA, INDIANA TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. AFTER 5 TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT HEAD LIGHTS AND WIRING COMPONENTS TYPICALLY BURN UP ON VEHICLES WITH DAYLIGHT RUNNING LAMBS. THEIR OPINION IS THAT THE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING IS NORMAL AND VERY COMMON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247718

Incident

Oct 17, 2008

Mileage

92,000 mi

LEAK FROM TRANSAXLE VALVE DIFFERENTIAL - PLASTIC PLUG FEEL OUT. RUINED TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. ENGINE BURNING OIL LIKE MAD. LEAKS OIL ALL OVER THE PLACE. STARTED AT ABOUT 65,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10242862

Incident

Jan 1, 2007

Mileage

65,000 mi

RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. HAD NOT YET ANYTHING. TIRE WAS SPLIT RADIALLY FROM BEAD TO BEAD. THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD THAT I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE SUSPENSION FAILING. TIRE WAS A SIGMA TEMPEST BY COOPER SIZE: P185/65R14. YOUR DATABASE DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS PRODUCT / SIZE COMBINATION. I PUT A PLACEHOLDER IN THAT WAS CLOSEST. *GEM

NHTSA ID

10233968

Incident

Jun 22, 2008

EMISSION VAPOR CANISTER FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223582

Incident

Apr 2, 2008

Mileage

61,000 mi

2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM WITH TOYOTA ENGINE BEGAN BURNING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL AT 70,000 MILES. NOW BURNING 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 300-400 MILES. TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE, BUT GM REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212390

Incident

Aug 31, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION (ONE QUART LOW EVERY 300-400 MILES), WORSENING, APPEARS TO BE KNOWN DEFECT FOR TOYOTA SUPPLIED ENGINES IN 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM AND POSSIBLY OTHER YEARS OF THIS MOTOR TYPE (POSSIBLE FACTORY RING, VALVE EARLY FAILURE ISSUES), NO LEAKS OR HEAVY SMOKE APPARENT, AIR FILTER NORMAL WITH NO APPARENT BLOW-BY FROM RINGS AT THAT POINT. REGULAR OIL AND FILTER CHANGES, CAR DRIVEN DAILY FOR LOCAL USE, NO OTHER KNOWN DEFECTS OR RECURRING PROBLEMS, CAR OPERATES NORMALLY OTHER THAN HIGH OIL AMOUNTS USED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212368

Incident

Dec 19, 2007

Mileage

63,500 mi

I OWN A 2001 AND A 2002 CHEVY PRIZM. BOTH CARS ARE USING EXCESSIVE OIL (SEVERAL QUARTS EVERY 100 MILES EACH). DEALER STATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP IN THE CYLINDERS. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION STARTED AROUND 50,000 MILES. THE CHEVY PRIZM IS REALLY A TOYOTA COROLLA. TOYOTA HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HAS WARRANTED THE REPAIR. GENERAL MOTORS IS NOT ASSISTING ITS CUSTOMERS WITH THE REPAIR. I GUESS THAT IS WHY TOYOTA IS NUMBER ONE CAR MAKER AND GM IS NUMBER 2. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT AGAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10197677

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

FAILED EMISSION TEST. RAN AUTO THROUGH A CODE SCANNER, AND TALKED IT OVER WITH A FRIEND ABOUT CODE THAT CAME UP. FINALLY, CAME UP WITH PURGE CANISTER AS THE PROBLEM. DID A SEARCH ON THE NET ABOUT THAT CODE, CAME UPON QUITE A FEW FORUMS WITH IT MENTIONED. NOW THE CARS INVOLVED WERE 1999-2002 CHEVY PRISMS AND TOYOTA COROLLAS. WHICH ARE THE SAME VEHICLE SOLD UNDER THE COMPANIES NAMES. MY WIFE'S CAR IS A 2001 PRISM. ALMOST ALL THE CARS HAD LESS THEN 100,000 MILES. TO REPLACE THIS CANISTER COSTS ABOUT $300.00, PLUS WHATEVER THE PRICE TO INSTALL IT. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10197608

Incident

May 30, 2006

Mileage

95,000 mi