1997 Geo Prizm Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Geo Prizm, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts1831.0%
- Airbags1525.9%
- Brakes712.1%
- Steering58.6%
- Suspension35.2%
- Transmission23.4%
- Electrical23.4%
- Other / unspecified23.4%
- Tires & wheels23.4%
- Engine11.7%
- Exterior lighting11.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GEO PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TOWARDS THE LEFT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT CONNECTING TO THEIR APPROPRIATE BUCKLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURE STATED THAT THE VIN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 169,000.
ON 4/19/05 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 97 GEO PRISM. THE VEHICLE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH CAUSING SEVERE INJURY TO MYSELF AND MINOR PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. I ORIGINALLY FILED COMPLAINT THROUGH MY ATTORNEY KENNETH MILLER, JR. BATON ROUGE, LA. I WANT TO SETTLE THIS CASE ASAP. *NM
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON 4/19/05 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 97 GEO PRISM. THE VEHICLE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH CAUSING SEVERE INJURY TO MYSELF AND MINOR PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. I ORIGINALLY FILED COMPLAINT THROUGH MY ATTORNEY KENNETH MILLER, JR. BATON ROUGE, LA. I WANT TO SETTLE THIS CASE ASAP. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT WAS A FRONTAL IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
AT 40MPH, BRAKES ENGAGE AND CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER ADDS BRAKE LINE, FRONT AND BACK BRAKES FAILED 8,000 MILES LATER RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED TO FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP. MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED. *TT
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE WOULD ENGAGED AND DISENGAGE ON THEIR OWN, THE DEALER REPLACED THE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS BUT WAS NOT SURE IF THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, AND THE BRAKES STILL DON'T WORK 100%.*YD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT LEFT TIE ROD IS DEFECTIVE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION.DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK TIE ROD COULD BREAK, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SERIOUS ACCIDENT. DEALER REFUSED TO DO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. *YH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GEO PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TOWARDS THE LEFT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT CONNECTING TO THEIR APPROPRIATE BUCKLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURE STATED THAT THE VIN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 169,000.
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 25MPH & WOULD BE TURNING CORNERS OR CURBS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JUST GO OUT. WOULD HAVE NO STEERING CONTROL. FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON ICE. WOULD HAVE NO WARNING WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN. BEEN TO DEALER 3-4 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. MECHANICE REPLACED THE STEERING SENSORS AT LEAST 4 TIMES. ALSO HAD THE STEERING PUMP REPLACED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
A VEHICLE 22 MONTHS OLD WITH LESS THAN 17,000 MILES USED IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS BY A DRIVER OF MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR 40 YEARS SHOULD NOT HAVE A CLUTCH FAILURE AND NEED *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
A FEW MINUTES AFTER I STARTED MY 1997' GEO PRIZM ON THE EVENING OF 3/7/04, IT BEGAN TO MAKE A STRANGE NOISE. I DROVE THE CAR ABOUT SIX BLOCKS TO A SERVICE STATION; BY THE TIME I PULLED IN AND POPPED THE HOOD, IT STARTED TO SMELL HOT- ALTHOUGH TEMP GAUGE WAS STILL NORMAL. I POPPED THE HOOD, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, AND TRIED TO TURN VEHICLE OFF. I REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT THE CAR KEPT RUNNING, AND TRYING TO CONTINUOUSLY RESTART ITSELF. I SEARCHED THE TRUNK FOR TOOLS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY; AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE IGNITED, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH SMOKE THAT I COULD NOT GET CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE SAFELY ANY LONGER. I CALLED 911 ON MY CELL PHONE, AND LESS THAN TEN MINUTES LATER, A FIRE TRUCK CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. I AM TOLD THAT THERE IS ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE IN PARTS ALONE: MY STARTER, IGNITION SYSTEM, TWO OUT OF FOUR FUEL INJECTORS, THE ENTIRE WIRE HARNESS, COMPUTER, POSITIVE CABLE TO THE BATTERY, AND POSSIBLY THE BATTERY ITSELF WILL ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR. ALL MAINTENANCE WAS CURRENT. *AK
UNDER HOOD FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. MANUFACTURERNOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON 4/19/05 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 97 GEO PRISM. THE VEHICLE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH CAUSING SEVERE INJURY TO MYSELF AND MINOR PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. I ORIGINALLY FILED COMPLAINT THROUGH MY ATTORNEY KENNETH MILLER, JR. BATON ROUGE, LA. I WANT TO SETTLE THIS CASE ASAP. *NM
OWNERS MANUAL STATES TOP TETHER HARDWARE IS AVAILABLE FOR FORWARD FACING CHILD RESTRAINT, HOWEVER BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURE DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH HARDWARE. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT WITHOUT TOP TETHER IF A CRASH OCCURS THIS MAY CAUSE NEEDLESS HEAD MOVEMENT TO OUR CHILD AND LIKELY CAUSE NEEDLESS INJURY.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED FIRESTONE TIRES FROM SEARS, AFTER I HAD DRIVEN 70 MILES, ONE OF THE TIRES FAILED, I HEARD A LOUD POP, AN EXPLOSION. I WENT BACK TO THE STORE WHERE I PURCHASED THE TIRES. SEARS' SALESPERSON, AT FIRST, INSISTED THAT I PROBABLY HIT SOMETHING BEFORE FAILURE. I KNOW THAT I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35-40 MILES PER HOUR AT THE TIME FAILURE OCCURRED. I REQUESTED THAT THE NEW FIRESTONE'S TIRES THAT I PURCHASED FROM SEAR BE REPLACE WITH TIRES OF DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER AND SEAR'S SALESPERSON COMPLIED.*AK (TIRESIZE: P17565S14)
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE EXHAST MANIFOLD IS CRACKED. I WENT TO AN USED AUTO PARTS DEALER AND FOUND THAT THERE WHERE 4 VEHICLES FROM THE SAME PRODUCTION LINE THAT HAD CRACKED EXAUST MAINIFOLDS IN THE SAME LOCATION. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION EXAUST FUMES ENTER THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. TOYOTA COROLLAS COME FROM THE SAME PRODUCTION LINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
TAIL LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .