RoadVitals

2000 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.
7
Latest Oct 2, 2025
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.
0
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.
1
Reports on file since Jul 17, 2001

What this page shows

Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2000 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 1–7 of 7

AirbagsEngine
Filed Oct 2, 2025

The contact owns a 1997 Geo Prizm. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and air bag warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 324,000.

NHTSA ID
11691084
Incident
Sep 27, 2025
Mileage
324,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Apr 22, 2008

THE HANDLE OF THE LEFT-HAND (DRIVER) DOOR HAS STOPPED OPENING THE DOOR. THE PLASTIC FIXTURE WHERE IT SHOULD ENGAGE FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN DOES NOT FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE WINDOW STOPPED ROLLING UP AT THE SAME TIME. THIS EXACT DEFECT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR 2002 CHEVY PRISM. THE PLASTIC PIECE AROUND THE DOOR HANDLE OF THE SAME DRIVER'S SIDE HAS CRACKED AND NO LONGER CAN ENGAGE TO WORK. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR! *TR

NHTSA ID
10225323
Incident
Apr 20, 2008
Engine
Filed Feb 10, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS CONDITION, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE ILLUMINATION. THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED NO OBVIOUS PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
10149969
Incident
Feb 10, 2006
Mileage
13,294 mi
Seat belts
Filed Mar 23, 2004

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BOLT DETACHED, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10064705
Mileage
50,000 mi
Heating & air conditioningEngine
Filed Jul 17, 2002

WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE FOR NOISES,AC NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THIS HAD GONE ON WITH NO PAPERWORK DRAWN UP TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE BROUGHT IT IN UNTIL 3-16-02 WHEN THEY FINALLY AGREED TO PRINT UP A FORM BUT DID NOT HEAR OR FIND THE PROBLEMS.JUNE 3,2002 WE HAD THE CAR BACK TO BILL HEARD AND ARGUED WITH THEM THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM OR SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY FINALLY HEARD ONE OF THE NOISES AND REPLACED THE AC COMPRESSOR. THEN WE WERE TOLD THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS BAD AND WE NEEDED TO PAY AND HAVE IT REPLACED. WHEN WE ASKED THEM WHY IT WENT BAD THEY HAD NO ANSWER. WE THEN LEFT TO GO ON VACATION IN NEW YORK. WE MADE IT NEW YORK AND DURING OUR VACATION THE NOISES GOT WORSE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO FOX AUTO GROUP , INC. IN PAINTED POST,NY. 14870 AND THEY HAD FOUND THE EXHAUST PIPE SHIELD BAD, SERPENTINE BELT (THE 2ND ONE) BAD AGAIN, THE BELT TENSIONER HAD GONE BAD. THEY SAID THEY DONT SEE HOW WE MADE IT TO NEW YORK FROM FLORIDA WITH THESE PROBLEMS. WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A BAD ACCIDENT OR EVEN KILLED AS A RESULT OF THESE PROBLEMS. WE ARE VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE SITUATION , FOR NO ONE BELIEVING US EXCEPT FOR FOX AUTO WHO DID A WONDERFUL JOB. HOW CAN DEALERSHIPS, CAR MAKERS TAKE LIFE SO LIGHTLY WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLES LIVES?? WE EVEN HAD TO HAVE MY FATHER IN LAW DRIVE 101 MILES TO GET THE TENSIONER SO WE COULD LEAVE TO HEAD HOME. OUR VACATION WAS RUINED AS A RESULT OF OUR CAR BEING IN THE SHOP FOR A WEEK. NO WONDER BILL HEARD CHEVROLET IS ALWAYS ON THE NEWS FOR RIPPING PEOPLE OFF. THERE ARE A FEW OTHER MATTERS THAT MY HUSBAND WOULD LIKE TO DEAL WITH IF SOMEONE CAN CONTACT HIM AT 407-880-2271 .*AK

NHTSA ID
764362
Brakes
Filed May 14, 2002

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

NHTSA ID
785991
Incident
Feb 1, 2002
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Jul 17, 2001

CHEMICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. TOOK TO BOB BELL CHEVROLET THEY HAD CLAIMED THERE WAS A BULLETIN CLAIMING THERE WAS A KIT THAT THE CONSUMER COULD BUY FOR $650.00 TO REPAIR A MANUFACTURES DEFECT. CHEMICAL SMELL MAKING ME SICK.*AK

NHTSA ID
748638

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 .