IllustrationAIR 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
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Prizm years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
What owners actually said
27 reportsTIRE BLEW & BURSTED. CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. CAR PULLED TO EXTREME RIGHT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W17J FL6 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)
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
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
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
ABS LIGHT IS COMING ON AND STAYING ON.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DEACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION.
TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT. FIRESTONE - DOT W18JF6L497, SIZE - P175/65R14.
POWER LOCK BOTTON BECAME LOOSE. YH
SECURITY SYSTEM FAILED, PURCHASED FROM SEPARATE SOURCE. YH
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.