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NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 1997 Geo Prizm.
| Trim | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4 cyl Automatic 3-spd | 22 | 27 | 24 | $2,500 |
| 1.8L 4 cyl Automatic 4-spd | 23 | 31 | 26 | $2,300 |
| 1.6L 4 cyl Manual 5-spd | 26 | 31 | 28 | $2,150 |
| 1.8L 4 cyl Manual 5-spd | 25 | 32 | 28 | $2,150 |
| Overall Rating | Not Rated |
| Frontal Crash | Not Rated |
| Side Crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
Component: SUSPENSION
RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FRONT STRUT MOUNTS DID NOT CONTAIN A WELD JOINT BETWEEN THE BEARING HOUSING AND THE RATE PLATE.
Consequence: THE ABSENCE OF THE WELD CAN ALLOW THE STRUT TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION UNDER CERTAIN EXTREME DRIVING CONDITIONS WHICH COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING VEHICLE COMPONENTS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RIDE CONTROL AT 1-248-458-1396.
Component: AIR BAGS
IF THE AIR BAG COMPUTER IN A SUBJECT VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A MECHANICAL SHOCK (I.E., RAPIDLY MOVING THE FRONT SEAT BACK AGAINST THE STOPS OR A SUDDEN RELEASE OF THE PARKING BRAKE) WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED, THE AIR BAG CAN DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY.
Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE AIR BAG COMPUTER.
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
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
The 1997 Geo Prizm has 2 NHTSA recalls and 53 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of Not Rated out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
Enter a specific VIN to get the full report — specs, recalls, safety ratings, complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins.
DURING AN ACCIDENT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT FAILED TO LOCK.*MR EVERYONE INSIDE THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SOME TYPE OF INJURY (GEO PRIZM). *NM UPDATED 12/22/05 *JB
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.
THE SEAT BELTS LOCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION THEY ARE UNABLE TO BE USED. THIS USUALLY STARTS WITH THEM STICKING WHEN YOU TRY TO PULL THEM DOWN TO BUCKLE. I HAVE TWO GEO PRIZMS A 1996 AND A 1997 THEY BOTH HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME. *AK
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
REAR SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR CONSUMER TO INSTALL ANY TYPE OF CHILD SEAT. *AK
I HAVE A 1997 GEO PRIZM. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT FULLY EXTEND AND LOCKS UP MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN TRYING TO PULL IT OUT TO LOCK IN PLACE FOR SAFE DRIVING. THIS IS MY SECOND GEO PRIZM THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A VOLUNTARY RECALL BY THE MANUFACTURER TO GET THIS FIXED ON ALL THEIR CARS. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED AT 12,611 MI (3/29/99) AND AGAIN AT 24,000 MI. (OUT OF WARRANTY TIME BY A FEW MONTHS). CENTRAL CHEVROLET IN FREMONT, CA FIXED BOTH TIMES. 2ND TIME COST $200+ AND RENTAL CAR CHARGE. CENTRAL ADVISED THEY WOULDN'T REDUCE THE COST OF 2ND FAILURE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE MY MAINTENANCE SERVICE WORK DONE BY THEM. BACK SEAT, PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS ALSO FAILED (WON'T RETRACT). CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE FIXED. ONLY HAVE 2 USEABLE SEAT BELTS IN BACK SEAT. ISN'T THIS A SAFETY ISSUE?*AK
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR AND HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE. FIRST FAILURE AT 27000 MILES, AND SECOND FAILURE AT 88000 MILES.*AK
THE DRIVER SEAT BELT LOCKED UP AND DID NOT RELEASE. (THE LOCK MECHANISM WAS BROKE) *TS. THE REAR SEAT BELT ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
WHILE DRIVING DOWN MAJOR HIGHWAY, REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 25MPH. RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT END, AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED!
NO SUMMARY. DT
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
Showing 15 of 53 complaints