SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

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 →
36Owner complaints

Model-year median: 21.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
199627
199836
199924
200045
200119
2002
Compare all Prizm years →

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

What owners reported most

Air Bags
11Electrical System
5Engine And Engine Cooling
5Exterior Lighting
5Seat Belts
2
All reported categories
Seats
2Steering
2Structure
2Tires
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Wheels
2Fuel System, Gasoline
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1Suspension
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: 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 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES,AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #847013

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 1999
Air Bags

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #547731

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 1999
Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHTS ON REGULAR BEAM ARE HOODED. VISIBILITY IS APPROXIMATELY 2 CAR LENGTHS AND SHADOWED BEYOND THAT. SHADOW IS NOT ONLY DISTRACTING, BUT PREVENTS SIGHT OF ANYTHING THAT MAY BE IN THE ROAD UNTIL YOU'RE ON TOP OF IT.

NHTSA ODI #709012

Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 1999
Seats

SEATS ARE DESIGNED POORLY/LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE SIDES OF THE CAR CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN REACHING SEAT BELTS/HEAD REST DESIGN PROTRUDE TOO FAR FORWARD/SEATS DO NOT ADJUST IN HEIGHT. MJS

NHTSA ODI #546085

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 1999
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WEST WHEN THE OTHER CAR WAS GOING EAST. THE OTHER CAR TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, CONSUMER HIT OTHE RVEHICLE AND STARTED TO SPIN AROUND ,COULDN'T STOP, RESULTING IN A CRASH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838717

Mileage unknown · May 20, 1999
Air Bags

AUR BAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. HAD IT REPAIRED TWICE AT DEALERSHIP. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THA T DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED, CAUSING LIGHT TO COME ON. POSSIBLY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN MODULE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838263

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.