Get the latest advice about your car

Get Started
Advice » Q&A » 1999 Chevrolet Prizm

Q&A

Ask Your Question

1999 Chevrolet Prizm

Question: 1999 Prizm, rough idle

Question

johnf26, Willimantic, CT, February 10, 2009, 05:40
Profile_thumbnail
 Rookie

My car has been idling pretty rough lately and the check engine light came on. When I'm parked, the light stays solid. As I accelerate, the light blinks, but if I maintain a constant speed it becomes solid again.

This all started a couple days ago when it was extremely cold. After driving for a bit, I put my car in reverse to park and it started shaking.

Could this be a massive vacuum leak? Any other ideas? If it is a vacuum leak, will I be causing any more damage by driving with it until I can get it fixed? Thanks!

2 Answers
Answer It
Flag This
  • Medium-star Best Answer
    matte February 10, 2009, 11:23
    Profile_thumbnail
     Master

    Check out RepairPal's article on the check engine light: http://repairpal.com/check-engine-light

    If the light is blinking, it can be pretty serious. The big risk is that whatever is wrong will ruin your catalytic converter, if you keep driving the car, and this can be very expensive to replace.

    Go to a shop and be sure you get a confident diagnosis. If they throw parts at this, it may recur and cost you more money.

    Reply
    Flag This

  • Answer #2

    todd31 April 27, 2009, 11:23
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie

    I had a similar problem with my 1999 prizm. After taking it to 3 places to get repaired it turned out to be the spark plug wires (and new plugs). One placed changed out the fuel pump because logic told them the nearly stalling out was a fuel issue. Some web forums said it was the mass air flow sensor.

    If you haven't had your plugs and plug wires changed out, check that next. Good luck.

    Flag This

  • Reply

    Visitor, October 07, 2010, 07:10

    I have 2000 Prizm and it has individual coils on each spark plug. How did you change out the "spark plug wires"?

    Reply
    Flag This
Answer Ranks

This week's top 10

1 globalhelper 6 obdcar
2 milesauto 7 TimGoodreau
3 csubak30 8 raiderron
4 jose8889 9 Merrimack Auto
5 Autohaus Lake Norman 10 Camster