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1998 Chevrolet Prizm

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Prizm do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 21.5.

About this comparison →
27Owner complaints

Model-year median: 21.5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
199627
199836
199924
200045
2001
Compare all Prizm years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
6Electrical System
3Seat Belts
3Steering
3Tires
3
All reported categories
Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Structure
2Suspension
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Engine And Engine Cooling
1Equipment
1Power Train
1Seats
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 27 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

6 reports
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125,000 miles · Dec 11, 2012
Air BagsCrashInjury

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 …

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10487999

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2001
Air Bags

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

NHTSA ODI #895260

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2001
Air Bags

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

NHTSA ODI #891799

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2000
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

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 ENGI…

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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

NHTSA ODI #865498

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2000
Air Bags

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 REWIR…

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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

NHTSA ODI #854241

Mileage unknown · Jan 6, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

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

NHTSA ODI #854751

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.