What breaks most · 1990 to 2002 model years
Chevrolet Prizm problems by year
Owners have filed 155 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Prizm across model years 1990 to 2002. Three years stand out: 2001 for engine and cooling complaints, 1999 for air bags complaints and 1998 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 1990, 1996 and 1991.
- Years to check closely: 2001, 1999, 1998
- Fewest complaints: 1990, 1996, 1991
- Complaints on file
- 1551990 to 2002, all trims
- Worst year
- 200145 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 277 fires · 14 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 69kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 5Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Engine and cooling (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Tires (1) | |
| 27 | 6 | 1 | Air bags (6) | |
| 36 | 8 | 1 | Air bags (11) | |
| 24 | 4 | 1 | Engine and cooling (4) | |
| 45 | 7 | 1 | Engine and cooling (15) | |
| 19 | 2 | 1 | Engine and cooling (4) |
What fails on the 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 33% |
15 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2001 Chevrolet Prizm |
| Air bags | 13% |
6 | 6 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 9% |
4 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2001 Chevrolet Prizm |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 9% |
4 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2001 Chevrolet Prizm |
| Tires | 9% |
4 | 0 | — |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 7% |
3 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2001 Chevrolet Prizm |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 7% |
3 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 7% |
3 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2001 Chevrolet Prizm |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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2001 chevrolet prizm lsi. Consumer requests reimbursement for replacement cost of the catalytic converter *tgw the consumer stated the catalytic converter had worn out and a rattle had developed on the inside. *jb
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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
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While driving 70 mph or more the steering system malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to sway from side to side which almost resulted in an accident. Cause unknown, dealer cannot determine problem. *ak
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Chevrolet Prizm years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2001, 1999, 1998 carry the most filings on the Chevrolet Prizm. The 2001 alone has 45 complaints, led by engine and cooling.
What is the most common Chevrolet Prizm problem?
On the 2001 model year, the most-reported component is engine and cooling with 15 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Prizm problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chevrolet Prizm complaints that include mileage is about 69,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.