IllustrationCHECK 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
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
Electrical System complaints
2 reportsVEHICLE STALLED AT 35 MPH. DEALER DETERMINED THAT IGNITION COIL HAD BURNED OUT. 2 CYLINDERS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL.*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.