RoadVitals

1997 Geo Metro Transmission Problems

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

Data refreshed

Transmission 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.
9
Latest Sep 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.
14%
of 63 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.
1
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 automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Geo Metro submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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 transmission

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

Transmission
Filed Sep 30, 2002

BROUGHT CAR JULY 11, 2000-DEC. 20,2000-TRANSMISSION REPLACED-AUG. 23, 2002 THROUGH SEPT. 30, 2002-SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON CRANK SENSOR SEAL O-RING REPLACED, BURNING OIL, HAS A SHAKE TO IT WHEN DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN, AND ALL THIS HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. MR

NHTSA ID
767904
Incident
Dec 20, 2000
Transmission
Filed Aug 9, 2002
Crash reported

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, VEHICLE ROLLED, JUMPED A PARKING BLOCK, UPROOTED A FENCE, THE TOP OF THE FENCE HIT THE WINDHSIELD CAUSING IT TO CRACK, THE FENCE WENT UP OVER THE VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE FROM THE FRONT, TO THE BACK. I HAVE THE ESTIMATE FROM THE BODY SHOP THAT IT WAS TAKEN TO. I ALSO HAVE WITNESSES THAT SAW THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED.

NHTSA ID
765427
Incident
Aug 1, 2002
Transmission
Filed Feb 23, 2001

WHEN PLACING VEHICLE IN PARK SHIFT GEAR WILL NOT STAY IN PARK POSITION. THIS COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO ROLL FREELY. ALSO, VEHICLE WILL NOT DISENGAGE OUT OF PARK POSITION. CONSUMER ALSO, RECALL 98V225001/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98052 DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO VIN. *AK A DIAGNOSIS DETERMIND THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO GEAR SHIFT MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

NHTSA ID
881254
Incident
Jun 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Feb 21, 2001

AFTER THE LEVER IS RELEASED FROM PARK AND PUT INTO REVERSE TO BACKUP THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAN EASILY SLIDE INTO NEUTRAL AND SLIDE INTO DRIVE WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO TOUCH THE BUTTON. NLM

NHTSA ID
559824
EngineTransmission
Filed Feb 2, 2001

RADIATOR AND WATER PUMP FAILED PREMATURELY. NLM

NHTSA ID
559360
Transmission
Filed Dec 29, 1998

WHILE PARKED AND LEFT IN GEAR CAR ROLLS EVEN ON SLIGHT INCLINE. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER WHAT GEAR CAR IS LEFT IN. IN THE REVERSE GEAR CAR MAKES SMALL JUMPS, HAVE TO MAKE SURE PARKING BRAKE IS SET EVEN IN FREEZING TEMPS. I COMPLAINED TO DEALER THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE AT THE 1000 MILE CHECKUP BUT WAS TOLD THEY HAD CHECKED IT OUT AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE GEARS NOT HOLDING AND WAS TOLD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I REALIZE YOU HAVE TO BE SAFE ON A HILL AND SET THE BRAKE BUT SEEMS THE GEARS SHOULD HOLD THE CAR ON APPROX. A 1-2% GRADE. I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE GEO METRO.

NHTSA ID
701714
Incident
Aug 1, 1997
Transmission
Filed Nov 9, 1998

A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER BEING ABLE TO MOVE INTO GEAR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT ON, OR NOT APPLYING THE BRAKES. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
830370
Incident
Nov 7, 1998
Transmission
Filed Feb 4, 1998

CLUTCH FAILED.

NHTSA ID
529870
Incident
Nov 8, 1997
SuspensionTransmission
Filed Jan 30, 1998

FRON LEFT/REAR LEFT STRUTS FAILED. ALSO TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ID
523353
Incident
Sep 22, 1997

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 .