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1998 Chevrolet Prizm

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Prizm do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 21.5.

About this comparison →
27Owner complaints

Model-year median: 21.5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
199627
199836
199924
200045
2001
Compare all Prizm years →

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

What owners reported most

Air Bags
6Electrical System
3Seat Belts
3Steering
3Tires
3
All reported categories
Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Structure
2Suspension
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Engine And Engine Cooling
1Equipment
1Power Train
1Seats
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: 4 of 27 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 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2005
Latches/locks/linkages

I BOUGHT MY 98 CHEVY PRIZM IN OCT. 1999. WITHIN A COUPLE YEARS THE DOOR HANDLES STARTED TO BREAK, ONE AFTER ANOTHER. I TRIED TO GET CHEVROLET TO REPAIR THEM WHEN 2 HANDLES WERE BROKE, AND WHEN 5 WERE BROKE, SAID I NEED DIAGNOSIS, COSTS MONEY, I DONT HAVE, NOW 8 ARE BROKEN. MY CAR IS A DEATH TRAP!!

NHTSA ODI #10128684

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 1998
Latches/locks/linkagesSeat Belts

SEAT BELT BUCKLE DAMAGES DOOR WHEN RELEASED DUE TO DESIGN.

NHTSA ODI #536940

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.