RoadVitals

1998 Geo Metro

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
33
Latest Aug 16, 2005
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5
6 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 33 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Geo Metro, most frequently naming the brakes, visibility and engine categories. 3 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes616.7%
  • Visibility616.7%
  • Engine616.7%
  • Transmission38.3%
  • Body & structure38.3%
  • Driver assistance38.3%
  • Airbags25.6%
  • Exterior lighting12.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 33
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 16, 2005

THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT AIM CORRECTLY. AFTER A FEW FRUSTRATING ATTEMPTS TO ADJUST MY HEADLIGHTS I REALIZED THEY ENTIRE ASSEMBLY RAISES UP AT HIGH SPEEDS AND NEEDS TO BE MANUALLY MANIPULATED (KICKED) BACK IN TO PLACE WHERE IT REMAINS UNTIL THE NEXT TRIP WHICH REQUIRES SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS SECURED BY A SCREW AND A HARD PLASTIC NIPPLE IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH IS WEDGED INTO A RUBBER GROMMET MOUNTED ON THE CHASSIS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS RUBBER GROMMET STRETCHES, HARDENS OR DRY ROTS OVER TIME WEAKENING ITS EFFECTIVENESS. DURING MY 45 MINUTE DRIVE EACH MORNING PASS ANOTHER CHEVROLET METRO WITH ITS RIGHT HEADLIGHT POINTING HIGH AND TO THE RIGHT AS IT PASSES ME WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT MINE DOES. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT I HAVE NOTICED THAT EVERY METRO I SEE HAS HEADLIGHT ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS WHICH ARE TO THE EXTREME. *JB

NHTSA ID
10133112
Incident
Aug 16, 2005
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 19, 2004
Crash reported2 injuries reported

WHILE DRIVING 15-18 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE HIT A STREET POLE. THE CONSUMER/PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10081728
Incident
Jun 20, 2004
Mileage
60,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 16, 2004

THIS PROBLEM EXISTS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR WITH VARIOUS DRIVE TIMES, STOPPING AND ALLOWING THE CAR TO SIT FOR APPROX 25-30 MINS THEN TRYING TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN IT STALLS OUT AND DIES IN 2-7 OF DRIVING. IN MOST CASE THE CAR HAS DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS AND ON THE FREEWAY. IT USUALLY TAKE 1-2 MINUTES TO RESTART IT BEFORE IT WILL RUN. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE SEPTEMBER '03 AND ON THE LAST TRIP TO THE DEALER, THEY NOW ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND WHAT IS CAUSING IT. MY CAR HAS NOW BEEN THERE FOR TWO WEEKS, AND THEY STILL HAVE IT. THEY REPLACED THE MAP SENSOR, BUT IT HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT IF MY CAR WERE TO STALL AND DIE IN TRAFFIC. *AK

NHTSA ID
10081218
Incident
Sep 1, 2003
Mileage
33,110 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 4, 2003

THE BRAKES ON MY METRO HAS BEEN FIXED 5 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT IT, I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. 5 TIMES IN 5 YEARS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10030733
Incident
Sep 18, 1998
Transmission
Filed Mar 18, 2003

THE VEHICLE MADE A GRINDING AND CHATTERING NOISE UPON ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CHEVROLET AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10011992
Incident
Jan 3, 2003
Mileage
54,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 26, 2003

THE HEATER EMITTED A SMELL WHEN IT WAS ON.*JB

NHTSA ID
10009422
Visibility
Filed Aug 3, 2002

INTERIOR FAN WILL NOT WORK DUE TO HEATER A/C CONTROL FAILURE. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE DEFOGGING SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK, AND SINCE METRO HATCHBACKS ARE EXTREMELY PRONE TO FOGGING, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THE MORNINGS OR EVENINGS. ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOWS DOES NOT HELP THIS PROBLEM. WE ALSO OWN A 1992 METRO WHICH HAD THE SAME COMPONENT FAIL (SEE SEPARATE REPORT).

NHTSA ID
765156
Incident
Aug 1, 2002
Brakes
Filed Jul 15, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
764273
Incident
Jun 12, 2002

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

Recalls

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Vehicle Recalls

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

000851001

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE BLACK PLASTIC HOUSING AROUND THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR TURNS CHALKY OR IS DULL IN COLOR. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Geo Metro by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2001600—
2000190040.4
1999230039.1
1998Viewing330039.2
1997631049.3
1996880048.8
19951091054.7
1994680042.3
1993501046.7
1992541149.3
1991502361.2
1990392460.6
1989272562.3
1988001—
1987001—
1986001—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.