IllustrationENGINE ABSORBS OIL. AFTER PURCHASING; ENGINE SEIZED. PURCHASED 2ND ENGINE AT BEECHMONT CHEVROLET...SAME FLAW. ENGINE SEIZED AT FIVE MILE ROAD EXIT OFF OF I-275. TO THIS DAY IF I DO NOT CHECK OIL ON REGULAR BASIS. I POSE A RISK OF ENGINE SEIZING AGAIN.
2002 Chevrolet Prizm
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
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 19 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
19 reportsMY 2002 CHEVROLET PRIZM (SAME AS A TOYOTA COROLLA) HAS ITS CRUSE CONTROL, HORN, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG ALL MOUNTED ON THE STEERING WHEEL, ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO THE REST OF THE CAR THROUGH AN INFLATABLE RESTRAINT STEERING WHEEL MODULE COIL (AKA CLOCK SPRING) MECHANISM. BOTH THE CRUSE CONTROL AND THE HORN DO NOT NOW O…
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MY 2002 CHEVROLET PRIZM (SAME AS A TOYOTA COROLLA) HAS ITS CRUSE CONTROL, HORN, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG ALL MOUNTED ON THE STEERING WHEEL, ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO THE REST OF THE CAR THROUGH AN INFLATABLE RESTRAINT STEERING WHEEL MODULE COIL (AKA CLOCK SPRING) MECHANISM. BOTH THE CRUSE CONTROL AND THE HORN DO NOT NOW OPERATE AND HAVEN'T FOR YEARS, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE AIRBAG IS ALSO INOPERATABLE (TWO OUT OF THREE FAILURES SOUNDS LIKE A BAD OMEN; CONVENTIONAL WISDOM TELLS ME THAT THIS AIRBAG SYSTEM IS ALSO FAULTY)? IS THIS CAR SAFE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET PRIZM. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMB…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET PRIZM. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
2002 CHEVROLET PRIZM. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP *TGW
PURCHASED CAR JULY '09 WITH 64,000 ON ENGINE. VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 90 DAY WARRANTY. 2700 MILES AFTER PURCHASE, ENGINE EMITTED BLUE SMOKE AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP, PISTONS HOLD NO COMPRESSION, ONE VALVE SHOT, REPAIR SHOP AND WARRANTY COMPANY STATE VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT ENGINE, POTENT…
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PURCHASED CAR JULY '09 WITH 64,000 ON ENGINE. VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 90 DAY WARRANTY. 2700 MILES AFTER PURCHASE, ENGINE EMITTED BLUE SMOKE AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP, PISTONS HOLD NO COMPRESSION, ONE VALVE SHOT, REPAIR SHOP AND WARRANTY COMPANY STATE VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT ENGINE, POTENTIAL VALVE DAMAGE., ENGINE COULD CEASE IF DRIVEN. WARRANTY DID NOT COVER SLUDGE DAMAGE DUE TO NEGLIGENCE OF PREVIOUS OWNER. CAR BURNS OIL VARIABLY RANGING FROM 1QT PER 500 MILES TO 3QT PER 200 MILES. OWNERS MANUAL STATES CAR BURNS 1 LITER PER 800 MILES FROM NEW. NOT WORTH PAYING 3K TO 6K FOR NEW ENGINE WHEN VEHICLE VALUED AT 5K. OIL BURNING WORSE AFTER CHANGING OIL, SLUDGE CLOGGED OIL PUMP AFTER 5K OF DRIVING. TW*
DEAR MADAM/SIR, IN TODAY'S (12/08/09) WALL STREET JOURNAL, IN THE ARTICLE ABOUT TOYOTA RECALLS, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT 2003 AND 2004 COROLLAS AND MATRIXES WERE RECALLED TO FIX A FLAW THAT COULD CAUSE THE POWER WINDOWS TO STOP WORKING. I OWN A 2002 PRIZM, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A COROLLA WITH A PRIZM BADGE. I HAD TO HAVE ONE POWER …
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DEAR MADAM/SIR, IN TODAY'S (12/08/09) WALL STREET JOURNAL, IN THE ARTICLE ABOUT TOYOTA RECALLS, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT 2003 AND 2004 COROLLAS AND MATRIXES WERE RECALLED TO FIX A FLAW THAT COULD CAUSE THE POWER WINDOWS TO STOP WORKING. I OWN A 2002 PRIZM, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A COROLLA WITH A PRIZM BADGE. I HAD TO HAVE ONE POWER WINDOW FIXED AT 43,495 MILES, ANOTHER AT 56,236 MILES AND NOW THE OTHER TWO ARE GIVING ME PROBLEMS AT 77,000 MILES. TOYOTA AND CHEVROLET NEED TO STUDY THIS PROBLEM AND EXTEND THE RECALL TO THE 2002 MODELS. *TR
PURCHASED CAR JULY '09 WITH 64,000 ON ENGINE. VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 90 DAY WARRANTY. 2700 MILES AFTER PURCHASE, ENGINE EMITTED BLUE SMOKE AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP, PISTONS HOLD NO COMPRESSION, ONE VALVE SHOT, REPAIR SHOP AND WARRANTY COMPANY STATE VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT ENGINE, POTENT…
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PURCHASED CAR JULY '09 WITH 64,000 ON ENGINE. VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 90 DAY WARRANTY. 2700 MILES AFTER PURCHASE, ENGINE EMITTED BLUE SMOKE AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP, PISTONS HOLD NO COMPRESSION, ONE VALVE SHOT, REPAIR SHOP AND WARRANTY COMPANY STATE VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT ENGINE, POTENTIAL VALVE DAMAGE., ENGINE COULD CEASE IF DRIVEN. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON PERMANENTLY. THIS CAN BE TEMPORARILY TURNED OFF BY MECHANICS BUT ALWAYS COMES BACK ON AGAIN. SINCE THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE, THIS WARNING LIGHT IS USELESS IF I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM. *TR
HOOD LATCH COMPLETELY BROKE SO THAT EITHER IT COULD NOT BE CLOSED COMPLETELY, OR, WHEN FINALLY CLOSED, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN. THIS, COUPLED WITH OTHER HOOD LATCH PROBLEMS REPORTED BY OTHERS SEEMS TO INDICATE A DEFINITE HOOD LATCH PROBLEM. *TR
HOOD LATCH/SAFETY LATCH FAILED AND HOOD OPENED UP AND CRASHED AGAINST WINDSHIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. DAMAGED HOOD, HINGES, COWLING, AND CRACKED WINDSHIELD. *TR
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.