2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM

SUSPENSION

RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FRONT STRUT MOUNTS DID NOT CONTAIN A WELD JOINT BETWEEN THE BEARING HOUSING AND THE

I HAVE HAD A 2000 CHEVROLET PRIZM AND NOW SOMEONE THREATENED MY LIFE TO FORCE ME TO BUY A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE WINDOWS OF THESE CARS FOG UP TOO SEVERE TO DRIVE IN MINOR OR MAJOR RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN. WHEN IT RAINS WE HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON HIGHWAYS AND IN CITIES AND TOWNS AND WAIT FOR IT TO STOP RAINING FOR THE CAR TO BE SAFE TO DRIVE. MOST ALL OTHER CARS HAVE WINDOWS THAT ARE SAFE TO DIVE WITH BUT THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE FOR DRIVING IN THE RAIN.

Mileage: 100,000

I HAVE HAD A 2000 CHEVROLET PRIZM AND NOW SOMEONE THREATENED MY LIFE TO FORCE ME TO BUY A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE WINDOWS OF THESE CARS FOG UP TOO SEVERE TO DRIVE IN MINOR OR MAJOR RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN. WHEN IT RAINS WE HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON HIGHWAYS AND IN CITIES AND TOWNS AND WAIT FOR IT TO STOP RAINING FOR THE CAR TO BE SAFE TO DRIVE. MOST ALL OTHER CARS HAVE WINDOWS THAT ARE SAFE TO DIVE WITH BUT THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE FOR DRIVING IN THE RAIN.

Mileage: 100,000

MY 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM HAS BEEN BURNING OIL SINCE AROUND 60-70K MILES AND HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE. CHEVROLET DIDN'T BUILD THE ENGINE RIGHT AND THE RINGS/HEADS I THINK NEED REPLACED (WHAT I READ ON). AND CHEVROLET HAS NOT FIXED THIS PROBLEM AND ITS COSTLY AS IT BURNS AROUND A QUART EVERY 200 MILES.

Mileage: 65,000

I GOT THIS CAR A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND IT WORKED OK. BUT NOW IT IS EATING OIL LIKE CRAZY. AND ALSO WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE IT HESITATES AND WONT MOVE FORWARD. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE 3 WRECKS. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. WHY PAY FOR THIS CAR IF ITS GOING TO KILL ME.

Mileage: 127,000

THE CAR WAS HIT ON THE BACK BUMPER CAUSEING THE CAR TO GO OFF THE ROAD AND CAUSING A IT TO ROLL OVER TWICE WHICH TOTALLED THE CAR TO THIS DATE THE AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER DEPLOYED

Mileage: 144,000

THE DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW WILL NOT RAISE IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAS BEEN FULLY RETRACTED (SUCH AS AT A DRIVE-IN WINDOW, OR WHEN THE "AUTO" FEATURE FULLY RETRACTS IT BEFORE I CAN STOP IT). IT WILL EVENTUALLY RAISE AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF INOPERATION; SOMETIMES ONLY PARTIALLY AT A TIME. IF I HAVE INTENTIONALLY HAD THE WINDOW DOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THERE IS NO PROBLEM - YET. THIS ONLY OCCURS WHEN THE WINDOW IS FULLY RETRACTED, AND REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

THE DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW WILL NOT RAISE IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAS BEEN FULLY RETRACTED (SUCH AS AT A DRIVE-IN WINDOW, OR WHEN THE "AUTO" FEATURE FULLY RETRACTS IT BEFORE I CAN STOP IT). IT WILL EVENTUALLY RAISE AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF INOPERATION; SOMETIMES ONLY PARTIALLY AT A TIME. IF I HAVE INTENTIONALLY HAD THE WINDOW DOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THERE IS NO PROBLEM - YET. THIS ONLY OCCURS WHEN THE WINDOW IS FULLY RETRACTED, AND REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND BOTH WHEELS WERE POINTED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

GOT THE CAR IN 2004. IN 2009 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WENT TO THREE MECHANICS TO TRY AND FIND THE PROBLEM. NONE OF THEM HAD A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT WAS WRONG BUT THEY TRIED VARIOUS THINGS. IT STILL NEVER WENT OFF FOR MORE THAN 5 MILES DIRECTLY AFTER SERVICING. FOR A WHILE IT WAS DRIVING FINE EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHT WAS ON (OVER A YEAR) BUT THEN IT STARTED DETERIORATING. IT WAS VERY SLUGGISH, DID NOT DRIVE WELL (SHAKING) WHEN GOING OVER 35 MPH, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING FOR 5-15 SECONDS WHEN I ACCELERATED. MPG TANKED, WENT FROM 35+ TO 23-25. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. THEY REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND FUEL INJECTORS AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ($1300 FIX ON MY THEN 10 YEAR OLD CAR). CAR STARTED RUNNING BETTER, MPG SLOWLY GOT HIGHER, BUT AFTER ABOUT THREE DAYS OUT OF THE SHOP THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MECHANIC WAS STUMPED, HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG, BUT HE OK'D IT FOR ME TO CONTINUE DRIVING, SO I HAVE BEEN DOING SO. IT'S STILL DRIVING

Mileage: 86,000

ENGINE IS EATING OIL!! -- I PURCHASED AN 18-MONTH OLD CHEVY PRIZM LSI WITH A 1ZZ-FE 1.8L ENGINE BACK IN NOVEMBER 2002 WITH ABOUT 27K MILES. THIS CAR IS STILL IN MINT CONDITION. IT'S GARAGED AND I DO ALL THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND USE PURE SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL SINCE I PURCHASED IT. UNFORTUNATELY AT ABOUT 50K MILES, MY ENGINE STARTED EATING UP OIL AT ABOUT 1 QUART PER 200 MILES. AFTER RESEARCHING THE 1ZZ FE 1.8L ENGINE BLOCK SERIES, IT APPEARS THIS ENGINE HAS PISTON AND RING PROBLEMS LEADING IT TO CONSUME OIL AT A RAPID PACE. I KEEP A CASE OF OIL IN THE TRUNK FOR LONG TRIPS AND PUT IN AT LEAST ONE QUART EACH TIME I REFILL THE TANK. THIS ENGINE CAN BE FOUND IN AT LEAST 10 TOYOTA AND ONE CHEVY MODEL (PRIZM). THIS IS AN EXCELLENT CAR, HOWEVER I CAN'T BELIEVE GMC HASN'T ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) REGARDING EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS. THESE CARS CAN RUN FOR AT LEAST 250K MILES IF YOU MAKE SURE THE ENGINE HAS ENOUGH OIL. BUYER BEWARE -- 1998-2002 CHEVY P

Mileage: 53,336

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR STRUTS WOULD EXHIBIT A RATTLING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE FAILURE HAD NOT CAUSED ANY BRAKING PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE MOVING AT A NORMAL PACE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Mileage: 12,000

BRAKE FAILURE, TOTAL LOST ALL BRAKES - BOTH BRAKE LINES TO REAR FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

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

Mileage: 80,000

2001 CHEVY PRISM; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO BE ON. I HAVE PUT TWO OXYGEN SENSORS ON AT A COST OF OVER $200.00, AND LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MECHANICS TELL ME THE CODE SAYS "LEAN MIXTURE" BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT. CAR HESITATES WHEN COLD, ALMOST THROWING YOU INTO THE WINDSHIELD, UNLESS YOU REPEATEDLY PUMP THE ACCELERATOR. MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT MAYBE FUEL PUMP IS GOING BAD, BUT IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS NOW, AND THIS HASN'T HAPPENED. THE HEAD LINER IN VEHICLE HAS TOTALLY TORN AND DISINTEGRATED, EVEN THO IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. GM WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM. NO MORE CHEVY'S FOR ME!! THE HESITATION IN TRAFFIC COULD CREATE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 43,000

2001 CHEVY PRISM; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO BE ON. I HAVE PUT TWO OXYGEN SENSORS ON AT A COST OF OVER $200.00, AND LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MECHANICS TELL ME THE CODE SAYS "LEAN MIXTURE" BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT. CAR HESITATES WHEN COLD, ALMOST THROWING YOU INTO THE WINDSHIELD, UNLESS YOU REPEATEDLY PUMP THE ACCELERATOR. MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT MAYBE FUEL PUMP IS GOING BAD, BUT IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS NOW, AND THIS HASN'T HAPPENED. THE HEAD LINER IN VEHICLE HAS TOTALLY TORN AND DISINTEGRATED, EVEN THO IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. GM WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM. NO MORE CHEVY'S FOR ME!! THE HESITATION IN TRAFFIC COULD CREATE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 43,000

I OWN A 2001 CHEVY PRISM LSI. IT HAS ALWAYS EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF ANNOYING ISSUES THAT I'VE HAD MECHANICS INSPECT/DIAGNOSE THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED. IT USES ABOUT A QUART OF OIL A MONTH (BUT NEVER SMOKES OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE), HAS ALWAYS HAD A HESITATION PROBLEM, AND HAS A WEIRD PROBLEM WITH NOISY 'EXHAUST' SOUNDS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY ARE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND ARE WORSE (VERY LOUD) IN WET CONDITIONS. UPON COLD START, THE ENGINE HESITATES PRETTY BADLY WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE HESITATION GETS MUCH BETTER ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP, BUT STILL HAS MINOR HESITATION UPON INITIALLY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MECHANICS HAVE SAID THEY THINK THE FUEL PUMP MAY BE STARTING TO GO OUT (I WAS TOLD THAT 5 YEARS AGO AND IT HAS NEVER GONE OUT) AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A 'LEAN MIXTURE CODE' WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AT ONE POINT BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF THAT CODE WAS AND IMPLIED IT WAS PROBABLY THE F

Mileage: 200,000

I OWN A 2001 CHEVY PRISM LSI. IT HAS ALWAYS EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF ANNOYING ISSUES THAT I'VE HAD MECHANICS INSPECT/DIAGNOSE THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED. IT USES ABOUT A QUART OF OIL A MONTH (BUT NEVER SMOKES OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE), HAS ALWAYS HAD A HESITATION PROBLEM, AND HAS A WEIRD PROBLEM WITH NOISY 'EXHAUST' SOUNDS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY ARE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND ARE WORSE (VERY LOUD) IN WET CONDITIONS. UPON COLD START, THE ENGINE HESITATES PRETTY BADLY WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE HESITATION GETS MUCH BETTER ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP, BUT STILL HAS MINOR HESITATION UPON INITIALLY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MECHANICS HAVE SAID THEY THINK THE FUEL PUMP MAY BE STARTING TO GO OUT (I WAS TOLD THAT 5 YEARS AGO AND IT HAS NEVER GONE OUT) AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A 'LEAN MIXTURE CODE' WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AT ONE POINT BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF THAT CODE WAS AND IMPLIED IT WAS PROBABLY THE F

Mileage: 200,000

I OWN A 2001 CHEVY PRISM LSI. IT HAS ALWAYS EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF ANNOYING ISSUES THAT I'VE HAD MECHANICS INSPECT/DIAGNOSE THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED. IT USES ABOUT A QUART OF OIL A MONTH (BUT NEVER SMOKES OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE), HAS ALWAYS HAD A HESITATION PROBLEM, AND HAS A WEIRD PROBLEM WITH NOISY 'EXHAUST' SOUNDS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY ARE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND ARE WORSE (VERY LOUD) IN WET CONDITIONS. UPON COLD START, THE ENGINE HESITATES PRETTY BADLY WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE HESITATION GETS MUCH BETTER ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP, BUT STILL HAS MINOR HESITATION UPON INITIALLY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MECHANICS HAVE SAID THEY THINK THE FUEL PUMP MAY BE STARTING TO GO OUT (I WAS TOLD THAT 5 YEARS AGO AND IT HAS NEVER GONE OUT) AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A 'LEAN MIXTURE CODE' WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AT ONE POINT BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF THAT CODE WAS AND IMPLIED IT WAS PROBABLY THE F

Mileage: 200,000

HOOD ON VEHICLE RAISED UP AS CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 55 MPH, SHATTERING WINDSHIELD AND DENTING THE ROOF. HOOD JAMMED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. *TR

Mileage: 130,000