2000 Chevrolet Prizm problems

“CHEVROLET PRIZM...COROLLA IN DISGUISE. CAR DRINKS OIL BAD. HAVE OWNED A 2000 MODEL BOUGHT IN 2008 WITH 44,000 MILES CAR LOOKED AND DROVE LIKE NEW SO I THOUGHT CAR IS MADE BY TOYOTA NO NEED TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD. WRONG!!! GOT HOME WITH THE CAR AND MY DAD WANTED TO DRIVE IT,HE'S A MECHANIC.GETS BACK HOME MAD. HE HEARD A TICKING NOISE,( I DIDN'T NOTICE CAUSE LAST CAR WAS WORE OUT AND NOISY...THIS WAS QUITE FOR ME) CHECKED OIL AND THERE WAS LESS THAN A QUART IN THE OIL PAN IT ONLY HOLDS A LITTLE OVER 3QTS. HE PUT OIL IN IT AND IT WAS SUPER QUITE MOTOR. DROVE THE CAR TIL BOUT 94000. AT FIRST THE CAR NEEDED ONLY 1 QT EVERY 600-800 MILES. THAT WAS OK I WAS USED TO THAT. THEN IT GOT WORSE AND WORSE. 1 QT EVERY 50 TO 100 MILES. MY DAD TORE IT APART LOOKED EVERY WHERE FOR A LEAK. NONE NOTHING!!! IT WAS BURNING OIL HE FOUND OUT BUT COULD NOT TELL WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. THIS IS VERY BAD BECAUSE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAN ONLY HOLD SO MUCH BEFORE IT CLOGGED AND BURNT SLAP OUT!!! ALMOST 7000$ I PAID FOR THAT CAR SUPPOSEDLY OF TOYOTA QUALITY, NOT COUNTING ALL OF THE OIL NOW IN OUR O-ZONE. BESIDES THE OIL PROBLEM THAT ALMOST EVERY ONE FACES WHEN OWNING THESE VEHICLES…”

“DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE BACK PLATE FAILED ON THE REAR BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND THE BRAKE FAILED. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BACKER PLATE RUSTED OUT, RESULTING IN THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WAS A COMBINATION OF BOTH DISC AND DRUM BRAKES. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE BACK PLATE. THE BACK PLATE HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AT THIS TIME. EARLIER THERE WAS A FAILURE OF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM. ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS RUSTED, RESULTING IN TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE WHEEL CYLINDER SEPARATED FROM THE CALIPERS. THE ONLY WARNING LIGHT CAME AFTER THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE LEFT ROTOR. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND THE CALIPERS WERE REBUILT. THE BRAKE PADS HAD LESS THAN 50 % WEAR BUT THEY WERE REPLACED AS WELL. *AK”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET PRISM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVERS DOOR WOULD LOCK, THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM INSIDE. IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, HE WOULD HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOW TO ENGAGE THE EXTERIOR DOOR LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR WAS IT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000.”

“I HAVE A 2000 MALIBU AND IT HAS 129K MILES ON IT. THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE REASON FOR THIS WAS, BUT IT NEVER SEEMED TO AFFECT MY CAR IN ANY WAY. TODAY THE CAR TURNED ON FINE TWICE, ONCE COMING OUT OF THE HOUSE AND THE SECOND TIME COMING OUT OF THE GAS STATION. WHEN I TRY TO TURN IT ON AFTER LEAVING FROM A JOB INTERVIEW, IT CRANKS AS IF IT WANTS TO TURN ON BUT DOESN'T. IT SOUNDS LIKE IF THE GAS TANK IS ON EMPTY BUT IT'S ALMOST FULL. I CHECKED ALL CONNECTIONS AND EVEN TRIED A JUMP START AND IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. FINALLY I GOT IT TOWED HOME AND FIND OUT ON THE INTERNET THAT CHEVY MALIBUS ARE FULL OF DEFECTS.(HTTP://WWW.AUTOSITE.COM/CONTENT/RESEARCH/FORUMS/INDEX.CFM/ACTION/POSTS/FID/1601) (INCLUDING MY AC THAT ONLY WORKS ON 3, 4, AND 5). MY ANTI THEFT DEVICE WON'T LET ME DRIVE MY OWN CAR, AND I ALREADY MISSED AN IMPORTANT CLASS. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO LEAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE ON POSITION FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT TURNS OFF, BUT IT NEVER TURNS OFF. IT HAS BARELY STARTED WITH THIS PROBLEM TODAY, BUT AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS, MORE LIKE HORROR STORIES, I'M SCARED OF MY MALIBU AND I…”

“2000 TAHOE: REAR HATCH WINDOW HINGE BROKE. IT IS MADE OF PLASTIC...PRETTY SHODDY FOR A 4W DRIVE VEHICLE. I HAVE ONLY OPENED THAT WINDOW 5-6 TIMES SINCE 2002, SO IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT ABUSED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW...WOULD LIKE GM TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE $600 WINDOW PLUS HINGES (THE CHEVY DEALER QUOTED $1300.) *JB”

“2000 PRIZM LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS THE BLOWOUT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *NM UPDATED 07/20/06 *JB”