RoadVitals

1996 Geo Metro Electrical Problems

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

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
12
Latest Jun 1, 2005
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.
14%
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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. 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. 12 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 electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Jun 1, 2005

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY WIFE'S CAR, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, HAVE BECOME ALMOST OPAQUE. AFTER HAVING THE LIGHTS REPAIRED AT SUBSTANTIAL COST I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS DUE TO UV EXPOSURE AND THAT IT DOES NOT AFFECT ALL MAKES. APPARENTLY SOME MANUFACTURERS PRODUCE LIGHTS THAT CONTINUE TO FUNCTION AFTER EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT. SOME DO NOT. I FEEL THIS IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD. IT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE LIGHT OUTPUT AND IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES LOOKING ABOUT ANY PARKING LOT TO REALIZE THAT MOST GO UNCORRECTED. WHY CAN'T ALL MANUFACTURERS USE HEADLIGHTS THAT DO NOT TURN YELLOW?

NHTSA ID
10123831
Incident
Jan 28, 2005
Mileage
115,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 23, 2004

FUSE BOX/HEADLIGHT CONNECTION BURNT/MELTED. HEADLIGHTS NON OPERATIVE, ONLY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AVAILABLE. REPLACED FUSEBOX FOR SECOND TIME. REPLACED BUTT CONECTOR FOR FOURTH TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID
10096260
Incident
Oct 18, 2004
Mileage
96,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Nov 13, 2000

STEERING WHEEL ABLE TO SPIN IN CIRCLES WITH NO RESISTANCE, OR ANY EFFECT ON STEERING MECHANISM, CONDITION FINALLY STOPPED, NEXT FEW DAYS A NEW IGNITION LOCK WAS INSTALLED. *CJ

NHTSA ID
557506
Electrical
Filed Oct 30, 2000

DIMMER SWITCH CONNECTION BURNT CAUSING HEADLIGHTS NOT TO WORK ,AFTER REPLACEING DIMMER SWITCH FUSE BOX THAT IT CONNECTS TO BURNT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH 1991 METRO. *AK

NHTSA ID
735460
Incident
May 24, 1999
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Apr 4, 2000

(TWICE WITHIN SIX MONTHS) A SHORT IN THE STEERING COLUMN HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HAS RESULTED IN THE HEADLIGHTS BECOMING INOPPERATIVE, SO I HAD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH ONLY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. TURNING TO THE LEFT CAUSES THE PARKING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO GLOW, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT CAUSES THE LIGHT TO EXTINGUISH. THIS COULD BE DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE? ANOTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS THAT THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS NO LONGER WORK.

NHTSA ID
721004
Incident
Dec 1, 1997
Heating & air conditioningElectrical
Filed Sep 21, 1999

2 STEREO BUTTONS DON'T WORK, THE TAPE DECK DESTROYS CASSETTES, AND THE AIR CONDITIONING WILL NOT WORK UNLESS IT IS ON ONE OF THE 2 HIGHEST SETTINGS.

NHTSA ID
711750
Electrical
Filed Aug 6, 1999

CAME TO STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START BACK UP. LOW VOLTAGE READING OR DIM LIGHTS.CHANGED ALTERNATOR IN NOVEMBER. WAS TOLD THAT WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED, AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA ID
844519
Incident
Jul 30, 1999
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 3, 1999

VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHEN STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT. THE WAY THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED, THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE A/C AND RADIO. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. *YC

NHTSA ID
844171
Incident
Jul 30, 1999
Electrical
Filed Nov 13, 1998
Fire reported

THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH CAUSED WIRES/CONNECTION AT FUSE BOX (UNDER DASH) TO BURN AND MELT. THE EFFECT OF THIS WAS THAT ONLY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND PARKING LIGHTS WOULD WORK. THE HEADLIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS WOULD NOT WORK. JUST WONDERING WHY A FUSE WOULD NOT BLOW TO INDICATE A PROBLEM INSTEAD OF WIRES BURNING AND FUSE BOX BURNING?

NHTSA ID
700574
Incident
Nov 11, 1998
Electrical
Filed Apr 14, 1997
Fire reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE THE STEERING COLUMN NEAR THE FEET OF THE DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID
810931
Electrical
Filed Dec 3, 1996

OWNER HAS VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, ONE BEING A SAFETY PROBLEM, VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, OWNER NOTES THAT SHE WAS ALMOST IN A CRASH DUE TO THE LACK OF POWER. *AK

NHTSA ID
805861
Electrical
Filed Aug 21, 1996

AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 15 TO MINUTES, THE CAR STALLS, CONSUMER DRIVES 35 TO 40 MILES . PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK

NHTSA ID
801139
Incident
May 1, 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 .