RoadVitals

1998 Geo Prizm

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.
11
Latest Nov 7, 2007
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.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 11 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Geo Prizm, most frequently naming the body & structure, seat belts and brakes 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

  • Body & structure218.2%
  • Seat belts218.2%
  • Brakes218.2%
  • Airbags218.2%
  • Driver assistance19.1%
  • Interior & seats19.1%
  • Suspension19.1%

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 11
Body & structure
Filed Nov 7, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GEO PRIZM. THE ROOF HEADLINER IS DRY ROTTED, CORRODED, AND HANGING DOWN IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DOOR GASKETS ON EACH DOOR HAVE CRACKED, MELTED, AND HARDENED. THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE HAS WHITE HAZE SPOTS, WHERE THE PRIMER IS COMING THROUGH THE PAINT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES BEGAN RIGHT AFTER THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY ENDED ON THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE BLACK METALLIC PAINT. THE RECALL WAS GOOD FOR THREE YEARS AND THEN IT WAS EXTENDED TO FIVE YEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT CHEVROLET GAVE HIM THE RUN AROUND UNTIL THE SAFETY RECALL EXTENSION EXPIRED. HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE PAINTED UNDER THE RECALL, HOWEVER, THE PAINT JOB FAILED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE, IF NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

NHTSA ID
10208183
Incident
Nov 7, 2007
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 5, 2005

ALL OF THE HANDLES INSIDE THE VEHICLE DO NOT WORK. NO ONE CAN EXIT THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HANDLES DO NOT WORK, AND ONE CANNOT OPEN THE VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10098941
Incident
Oct 15, 2002
Mileage
96,200 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 13, 2004
1 injury reported

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR CAUGHT THE CONSUMER ON THE HEEL TAKING PART OF HER HEEL. THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR WAS VERY SHARP. *JB

NHTSA ID
10096699
Incident
Jul 27, 2003
Mileage
78,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 19, 2004

AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER STATES WIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID
10049885
Incident
Nov 17, 2003
Mileage
69,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 20, 2001

I WAS TOLD BY MY TRANSMISSION/MECHANIC EXPERT THAT EVEN THOUGH CHEVROLET MADE THE PRIZM IT HAD A TOYOTA ENGINE WHICH IS WHY I BOUGHT THE CAR TO BEGIN WITH. THEN WHEN THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WENT OUT HE WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE USUSALLY THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL YOU HAVE A LOT OF MILES LIKE 200,000 MILES ON A CAR. I EXPECTED BETTER THAN THE FACT THE THIS WENT OUT ON MY CAR AND I BASICALLY HAD 55,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
750806
Incident
Aug 2, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Jul 22, 2001

THE SEAT BELT SENSOR DOES NOT ACTIVATE DASH LIGHT WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS NOT IN USE. WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS IN USE BY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT NEED TO PULL THE BELT OUT VERY FAR (I.E. SLENDER, TALL PEOPLE WHO LEAVE THE SEAT AT THE BACK OF THE TRACK), THE DASH LIGHT MISTAKENLY IS LIT.*AK

NHTSA ID
748910
Incident
Jul 22, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Nov 29, 1999

WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE HARDWARE NEEDED TO ATTACH THE TETHER TO THE CAR. THE ANCHOR NUTS APPEAR TO BE WELDED TO THE REAR SHELF OF THE CAR BUT NEITHER THE OWNERS MANUAL OR THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL HARDWARE NEEDED TO CREATE A TETHER ATTACHMENT POINT. WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO USE THE TETHER STRAP ON OUR CAR SEAT, BUT AT THIS POINT WE ARE UNABLE TO DO SO.

NHTSA ID
715408
Brakes
Filed Mar 3, 1999

BRAKE PEDAL HEIGHT IS HIGHER THAN THE GAS PEDAL WHICH CAUSES OCCUPANT'S FOOT TO GO UNDERNEATH THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND CAUSES PEDAL MISAPPLICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
835445
Incident
Feb 12, 1999

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

030601020

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

AVOIDING OIL BAFFLE DAMAGE DURING OIL FILL PROCESS. *EH

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 Prizm by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2002300—
2001600—
2000700—
1999240044.9
1998Viewing110038.6
1997502056.9
1996611159.7
1995963165.2
19941343167.4
1993772162.4
1992501040.9
1991462051.7
1990371046.6
1989010—

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.