Most common 1999 Chevrolet Prizm problems
Share of the 36 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Prizm complaints by model year
Best Prizm years: 2002, 2000. Years to avoid: 2001. Compare all years →
What 1999 Chevrolet Prizm owners say
Air bags
I was driving to help a friend move about 4 block from my apartment complex on Thursday 18th July at approximately 12:20 pm. About two blocks from my apartment, I looked over to my right shoulder to check my blind spot to merge into the next lane and when I turned back the car in front of me slammed on their brakes and stopped suddenly. By this time I was within two car lengths away and slammed my brakes. My car began slowing down but slid straight into the back of her vehicle. After I rear ended her I look ahead and notice a 4 car build up with the 5th car ahead making an illegal u turn in the middle of the street. My entire front of my car was pretty much destroyed with all new parts having to be bought. Because my car is front well drive the front dipped and did not do much damage to the other persons vehicle (1999 Honda accord cope) except scratched her bumper. …
While driving on icy roads, the vehicle was rear ended. The vehicle was pushed into a embankment and hit a tree. The driver's side seat belt failed to restrain the consumer. Upon impact, the frontal air bags failed to deploy. The driver's head went through the windshield and the consumers chest hit the steering wheel. The driver sustained spinal/facial, and head injuries. The vehicle was inspected, it was noted that frontal air bag sensors had been damaged in the crash.
Lights
At 70 miles/hour my general motors power steering assist was on full assist and caused an accident. General motors secretly removed the power assist, replaced it and then jimmied the entire car to present false evidence that the accident was caused by bad driver car maintenance. They then denied the claim based on photographs they had taken of my car after they had changed everything. The accident on 7/20/2018, occurred on a highway during a sunny late morning. The car was totaled. Consumer stated I sent one letter to the office of defects investigation on 12/3/2018 with 7 questions and another letter on 9/27/2019 with 3 more questions to you. I have sent copies of these letters, per attachment. Can I get specific answers to each question from you and your phone # so I can call you after my review. …
I was driving to help a friend move about 4 block from my apartment complex on Thursday 18th July at approximately 12:20 pm. About two blocks from my apartment, I looked over to my right shoulder to check my blind spot to merge into the next lane and when I turned back the car in front of me slammed on their brakes and stopped suddenly. By this time I was within two car lengths away and slammed my brakes. My car began slowing down but slid straight into the back of her vehicle. After I rear ended her I look ahead and notice a 4 car build up with the 5th car ahead making an illegal u turn in the middle of the street. My entire front of my car was pretty much destroyed with all new parts having to be bought. Because my car is front well drive the front dipped and did not do much damage to the other persons vehicle (1999 Honda accord cope) except scratched her bumper. …
Engine & cooling
The throttle on my car stuck at full or nearly full when I accelerated to pass a vehicle. I firmly depressed and held the brake pedal, then took the following actions: checked that cruise control was not active; checked that nothing was depressing the accelerator; pulled back on the accelerator; while continuing to press the brake pedal moved the shift lever to neutral and turned the ignition switch to acc; pulled off the highway and called for a tow truck. The mechanic at the garage stated that a pin had come off of the throttle assembly, excessive movement caused a daisy chain link to jam in the corner edge of the assembly holding the throttle open. An aftermarket cruise control system installed on the car in 2000 by the dealer was not working for at least two days prior to the incident. …
1999 Chevrolet prism had equipment failure. When consumer went to restart the vehicle it caught fire and was extinguished by passing motorists. Ohio traffic crash report # 10-0029-90 updated 04/15/10 updated 05/24/10
1999 Chevrolet Prizm engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 26 / 34 / 29 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 32 / 28 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Chevrolet Prizm a good car?
Based on 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Prizm rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Prizm at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Chevrolet Prizm?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the lights (5) and engine & cooling (5).
How many recalls does the 1999 Chevrolet Prizm have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1999 Chevrolet Prizm. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Prizm?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002 and 2000. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001. See the full Chevrolet Prizm years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Prizm problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 78,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.