IllustrationMY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING MY MVA,CAUSING ME EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS. *NLM
1999 Chevrolet Prizm
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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: 13 of 36 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 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
36 reportsVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURY. *AK
ANY TIME CONSUMER STARTS VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON AUTOMATICALLY AS DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT WILL WORK. WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON CONSUMER ASSUMES THAT TAIL LIGHTS ARE ALSO ON. BUT, IN REALITY, THEY DON'T COME ON. COMSUMER HAS BEEN STOPPED BY POLICE DUE TO TAIL LIGHTS NOT BEING ON.*AK TAIL LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON BUT HEAD…
Read full complaint
ANY TIME CONSUMER STARTS VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON AUTOMATICALLY AS DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT WILL WORK. WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON CONSUMER ASSUMES THAT TAIL LIGHTS ARE ALSO ON. BUT, IN REALITY, THEY DON'T COME ON. COMSUMER HAS BEEN STOPPED BY POLICE DUE TO TAIL LIGHTS NOT BEING ON.*AK TAIL LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON BUT HEAD LIGHTS TURN ON WHEN THE ENGINE START RUNNING. *YH
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 )
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.
CONSUMER HEARS A RUBBING NOISE IN STEERING RACK WHEN VEHICLE GOES OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
VEHICLE SURGES OR SLOWS DOWN AT 45 MPH ON ITS OWN, UNABLE TO DETERMINE DEFECT. *MJS
AIRBAG LIGHT WAS BLINKING AND DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS FOR THE PART TO COME. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER WHEN THE LIGHT WAS BLINKING THE AIRBAG WASN'T WORKING. THE PART CAME, AND TWO DAYS LATER, AIRBAG LIGHT WAS STILL BLINKING. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, INDICTATING A DEFECT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK
TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR WAS NOT LOUD ENOUGH, AND WAS UNABLE TO HEAR TURN SIGNAL WHEN USED IN NOISY TRAFFIC AND HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. *AK
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.