RoadVitals

1990 Geo Prizm Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
37
Latest Jun 2, 2006
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.
6
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 6, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 37 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 Geo Prizm. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 37 · page 1 of 2

Seat belts
Filed Jun 2, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THE SEAT BELT IS USED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED; THE SEAT BELT COULD NO LONGER BE REPLACED DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PARTS. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET PARTS AVAILABLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER DID FIND A PART, NO ONE WAS WILLING TO INSTALL THE LAP BELT FOR FEAR OF LIABILITY. UPDATED 05/30/06. *JB

NHTSA ID
10158868
Incident
Jun 2, 2006
Mileage
125,500 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 10, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
760518
Incident
Jun 14, 1998
Tires & wheels
Filed Apr 26, 1999

GENERAL TIRES UPC 20111G165-80R18, SIZE 165-80-13. CONSUMER PURCHASED TIRES ON 02/29/96. WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, TIRES FELL APART. WIRES/ RUBBER CAME OUT. DAMAGE DONE TO FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, AND COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES AT OWN EXPENSE. AK

NHTSA ID
836371
Incident
Feb 24, 1999
Engine
Filed Oct 25, 1998

NONE

NHTSA ID
700073
Seat belts
Filed Sep 22, 1998

SEAT BELTS COME APART.

NHTSA ID
541576
Suspension
Filed Aug 23, 1998

DOOR HANDLES MALFUNCTIONED. GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE. REAR STRUTS WE WORN IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. DEALER REFUSED TO STAND BY WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
540282
Incident
Jun 1, 1992
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 11, 1998

CV JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID
826525
Incident
Jun 20, 1998
Transmission
Filed Jul 8, 1998

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LURCHED INTO A STOP. THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. MECHANIC INFORMED OWNER THAT THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
825132
Incident
Jun 3, 1998
Body & structureEngineSuspension+1 more
Filed May 26, 1998

FRAME MISALIGNED CAUSING DAMAGE TO TIRES.

NHTSA ID
536032
Incident
Feb 19, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Jan 14, 1998

ALL OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE IN VEHICLE HAVE BROKEN.

NHTSA ID
528864
Incident
Mar 1, 1991
Transmission
Filed Dec 28, 1997

VEHICLE COMES TO AN ABRUPT STOP, LIKE SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES. AFTER THE SECOND INSTANCE, THE VEHICLE WILL STARTS BUT WILL NOT MOVE.

NHTSA ID
527563
Incident
May 1, 1997
EngineSuspension
Filed Nov 7, 1997

ENGINE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
524432
Incident
Aug 26, 1997
Electrical
Filed Jan 2, 1997

ALTERNATOR FAILED THREE TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
513361
Incident
Dec 10, 1996
Body & structure
Filed Oct 21, 1996
1 injury reported

REAR HATCH HYDRAULIC UNITS FAILED TO SUPPORT HATCH WHEN LIFTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
803758
Seat belts
Filed Aug 8, 1996

PLASTIC COVER FEMALE PORTION WHICH HOLDS BUCKLE IN PLACE HAS DETACHED FROM SEAT BELT, RENDERING PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID
800679
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Aug 5, 1996

FAILURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE.*AK

NHTSA ID
800432
Incident
Jul 21, 1996
BrakesElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Jul 31, 1996

REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER TWICE. *AK

NHTSA ID
506823
Incident
Jan 1, 1996
Brakes
Filed Jul 8, 1996

WHEN DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, THE RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
986580
Incident
Jul 20, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 29, 1996

SEAT BELT BUCKLE PLASTIC LATCH PLATE BROKE. *DH

NHTSA ID
506136
Incident
Dec 1, 1995
Brakes
Filed Apr 29, 1996

REAR WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT, CONTINUES TO FAIL, AFTER REPLACEMENT OF 6 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
983693
Incident
Sep 1, 1995
Brakes
Filed Apr 25, 1996

BRAKES VIBRATED WHEN APPLIED AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH. *DSH

NHTSA ID
503819
Incident
Apr 1, 1995
Brakes
Filed Apr 2, 1996

FAILURE OFTHE BRAKE UNIT, WHEN YOU APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SHAKES. *AK

NHTSA ID
982221
Incident
Apr 1, 1996
Visibility
Filed Jan 30, 1996

HEADLIGHT GLARE FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC REFLECTS IN WINDSHIELD, BLINDING DRIVER. *SD

NHTSA ID
501127
Incident
Jan 30, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 16, 1996

WHEN DRIVING AND PARKED CAR THE HOOD LATCH CAME LOOSE . TT

NHTSA ID
977592
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jan 4, 1996
Fire reported

THE CAR SET ON FIRE FROM A SHORT IN LIGHT REAR BULB. TT *JB

NHTSA ID
977377
Incident
Jul 15, 1995

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .