RoadVitals

1996 Geo Metro Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
28
Latest May 30, 2002
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
32%
of 88 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
19
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
16

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Geo Metro submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

The 25 most recent of 28, in the owner's own words

Airbags
Filed May 30, 2002
Crash reported

CAR WAS INVOLVED IN 2 DIFFRENT CRASHES ONE WITH A IMPACT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE THE OTHER HEAD ON INTO THE SIDE OF A PICKUP. BOTH TIMES CAR WAS TRAVELING 25-30 MPH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SECOND TIME AFTER IMPACT WITH THE TRUCK THE CAR ALSO STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE WITH THE FRONT BUMPER TO THE POINT WHERE IT HAD TO BE PRYED OFF THE POLE AND IT STILL DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ID
762487
Incident
May 29, 2002
Airbags
Filed Jan 27, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO A CAR IN FRONT OF HER, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY WRECKED AND THE AIR BAG NOT DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. *TT

NHTSA ID
785858
Incident
Dec 20, 2001
Airbags
Filed May 30, 2001
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL / DRIVER SIDE COLLISION AT 55 OR MORE MPH. UPON IMPACT BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
889386
Incident
Apr 14, 2001
Airbags
Filed Mar 27, 2001

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
884309
Incident
Oct 1, 2000
Airbags
Filed Mar 27, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON IN DASH BOARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID
884305
Incident
Dec 1, 2000
Airbags
Filed Feb 21, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 50 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURTER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID
880972
Incident
Feb 16, 2001
Airbags
Filed Feb 7, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT TIMES, DEALER STATED AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACED, HOWEVER AFTER REPLACEMENT THE AIRBAG LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED AGAIN, DEALER FINALLY AGREED TO GIVE A REFUND AS A GOODWILL POLICY. *SLC

NHTSA ID
559475
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Oct 26, 2000
Crash reported

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH ON A HIGHWAY AND ROADS WERE SLIPPERY. SHE APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE SLID INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS A FIVE CAR PILE UP ON THE HIGHWAY, AND CONSUMER'S WAS THE FOURTH VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AT ALL. SHE WILL CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ID
873936
Incident
Oct 24, 2000
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Aug 14, 2000
Crash reported2 injuries reported

I OWNED A 1994 AND A 1996 GEO METRO I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON WITH THE 1994 AND MY AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. WHEN I REPORTED IT THE DEALER SAID I DID NOT HIT THE SENSORS RIGHT. SO I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE A 1996 LSI. I HIT A CHEVROLET S10 GOING 15 MPH WITH NO TIME TO BRAKE AND NITHER ONE OF MY AIR BAGS WENT OFF IN THE CAR. THE FRONT BUMPER ON THIS CAR HAD BEEN REMOVWED FOR REPAIR AND WAS NOT IN PLACE AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE WHOLE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED CLEAR THROUGH THE FAN AND RADIATOR SO THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE GONE OFF THAT TIME. JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT I OWNED TWO OF THE GEO'S AND HAD TWO ACCIDENTS AND IN NITHER CAR DID THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ID
727886
Incident
Nov 24, 1999
Airbags
Filed Aug 9, 2000

PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION,DRIVER POSSIBLY HIT A PIECE OF BRICK IN THE ROAD ONLY, NO PASSENGERS WERE IN CAR, DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, REPORTED TO GM, NO ACTION TAKEN, BROUGHT TO TRIANGLE CHEV, PORT ARTHER TX, STAYED IN SHOP 3 WKS, THEY SAID HAD NO MACHINERY AVAILABLE TO TEST IT BUT SAID THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
727400
Incident
Oct 4, 1999
Airbags
Filed Apr 17, 2000
1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID
860456
Incident
Apr 15, 2000
Airbags
Filed Feb 19, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

IN MY ACCIDENT MY VEHICLE WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED NOSE FIRST. IT SEEMED ODD TO ME THE AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF. MY CONCERN IS ONLY THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH OTHER METROS. *AK

NHTSA ID
718984
Incident
Feb 16, 2000
Airbags
Filed Nov 22, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT A COLLISION OCCURRING ,THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM OR CAUSE. TRIANGLE CHEVROLET MADE NO ATTEMPT TO FURTHER CONTACT CONSUMER ABOUT REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ID
851956
Incident
Apr 10, 1999
Airbags
Filed Oct 29, 1999

WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT VEHICLE COLLISION OCCURRING PASSENGER 'SAIR BAG DEPLOYED CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
852180
Airbags
Filed Apr 22, 1999
Crash reported

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 35 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
837021
Airbags
Filed Mar 19, 1999

AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE DURING A HEAD ON COLLISION.

NHTSA ID
544478
Incident
Feb 12, 1999
Airbags
Filed Oct 15, 1998
Crash reported1 injury reported

VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT CAUSED INJURY TO PASSENGER.*ET

NHTSA ID
781271
Incident
Mar 20, 1998
Airbags
Filed Sep 17, 1998
Crash reported1 injury reported

SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED DURING IMPACT RESULTING IN HEAD,NECK,SHOULDER, HIP AND KNEE INJURY. NOT AIR BAG COMPLAINT (E.G., SEAT BELT, TRAILER SUSPENSION AIR BAG, ETC.,). ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *AK

NHTSA ID
540882
Incident
Aug 28, 1998
Airbags
Filed Jun 29, 1998
Crash reported2 injuries reported

I HAVE ALREADY SENT IN A FORM BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED SINCE BY NEITHER YOURSELVES NOR THE MANUFACTURES OF THE VEHICLE. I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITH A PERFECT, HEADLIGHT TO HEADLIGHT, FRONT END COLLISION. MY FIRST THROUGHT IS THAT THE THINGS JUST DON'T WORK OR THAT THE AIRBAG IMPRINTS ARE JUST FOR LOOKS. THE OUTO BODY SHOP AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP COULD NOT EVEN SHOW ME THE SENSOR ON THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. THE OWNERS MANUAL SHOWS WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE BUT ITS NOT THERE, WHY?? ALL HELP ON THIS MATTER WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

NHTSA ID
537605
Incident
Oct 13, 1997
Airbags
Filed Oct 20, 1997
Crash reported2 injuries reported

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 25 MPH, APRROACHING RED LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH CONSUMER VEHICLE WHICH WAS RUNNING AT APPROX ABOVE 30 MPH. HIT HEAD ON, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO FRONT END. DROVE VEHICLE 15 FEET AFTER IMPACT , NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED,CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES IN CHEST AREA/NECK/RIGHT SHOULDER. HAD SEATBELT ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
817253
Incident
Oct 13, 1997
Airbags
Filed Jun 23, 1997
Crash reported

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH , HAD AN ACCIDENTAND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE BRAODSIDE, KNOCKED THE ENTIRE FRONT BUMPER OFF AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
813373
Incident
Jun 10, 1997
Airbags
Filed May 27, 1997
Crash reported1 injury reported

DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT SPEEDS OF 45MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
812505
Incident
May 22, 1997
Airbags
Filed Apr 28, 1997
Crash reported

CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AT 50 MPH, CAUSING HIS VEHICLE TO REAREND THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF HIM IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
811754
Incident
Apr 24, 1997
Airbags
Filed Dec 13, 1996
Crash reported

DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT ACCIDENT AT 25 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
806288
Incident
Nov 15, 1996
Airbags
Filed Nov 4, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported

THE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
804497
Incident
Oct 29, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .