NHTSA Complaint #10131681 — 2001 CHEVROLET PRIZM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATE HIS 2001 CHEVROLET PRISM WAS HESITATING AND STALLING ON A COLD START. THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING IN THE MORNINGS WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD AND SET OVERNIGHT. THE WEATHER WAS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE OWNER DID HAVE A COPY OF TSB 1538049 WHICH INDICATED PROCEDURES THAT COULD BE DONE TO HELP WITH VEHICLE PERFORMANCE. THE OWNERS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 31,000 MILES, AND WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD. THE OWNER TALKED TO GM, AND THEY SAID THAT WHAT EVER IT COST TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED THEY WOULD USE AS A CREDIT ON THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE. THE OWNER HAD THE AIR FILTERS CHANGED, CHECKED COMPUTER FOR CODES, THIS SHOWED MISFIRES PRESENT, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, CLEANED AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM LAST YEAR. RECENTLY, IN JULY, THE CODES WERE CHECKED AGAIN AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING WRONG. THE REPAIR SHOP SUGGESTED THAT THE OWNER REPLACE THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THAT DID NOT HELP THE VEHICLE. THE OWNER WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, AND HAD A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE. THE OWNER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL SUGGESTION TO BE DONE ON THE CAR BECAUSE THIS WILL HAVE NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL FIX THE CAR. THE OWNER WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE HESITATION AND STALLING. THE COST OF THE TSB SUGGESTION WILL COST SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THERE WAS NO WARRANTY LEFT ON THE CAR. *AK *JB