1997 Geo Prizm Problems & Complaints

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

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

THE BRAKES ENGAGED WOULD ENGAGE AND THEN DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING, AND AT ONE PINT WOULD NOT RELEASE, THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, ON THE SECOND OCCASION CONSUMER'S DAUGHT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN SHE TRIED TO STOP, SHE PRESSED THE BRAKES BUT THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP,

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOCKS AND DOESN'T RETRACT AS NORMAL. CONSUMER HAS TO PULL, INCHING THE STRAP OUT SO THAT IT WON'T LOCK UP. THIS WAS SECOND TIME SEAT BELT WAS REPAIRED.*AK

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)

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN IT WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD RUN A STOP SIGN WITH FRONT END. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MUSCLE INJUIRES.*AK

VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPOLY . CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER DID NOT DO ANYTHING. ALSO, OWNS A 1996, GEO, PRIZM, AND SAME THING HAPPENED TO THAT VEHICLE. *AK *JB

A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A PONTIAC VEHICLE IN WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. *AK *JB

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

DRIVER'S/ PASSENGER'S AND REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE ALL BECOME JAMMED IN RETRACTING MECHANISM, AND WILL NOT RELEASE, CAUSING SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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

AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON STARTING VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A REPRESENTATIVE BEING SENT TO INSPECT VEHICLE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY FAST ENOUGH, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

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

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKING UP. *AK

HAVING A PROBLEM FINDING A CAR SEAT THAT FITS IN THE BACK SEAT OF MY VEHICLE. *AK

THE STEERING BECAME HEAVY WHILE MAKING A SLOW SPEED (25 MPH) TURN AND EVENTUALLY LOCK (WOULD NOT TURN FURTHER) AND POWER ASSISTING AGAINST MY TURN (DIRECTION). DEALER INVESTIGATION FOUND THE RACK SEALS BLOWN OUT AND IS REPLACING RACK ASSEMBLY.

DASHBOARD COVER FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG APPEARS TO BE MELTED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM A STOP POSITION AND FORCED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. SPEED OF IMPACT WAS UNDETERMINED, BUT BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPOLY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME. *AK

SEAT BELT WON'T PULL OUT TO RESTRAIN DRIVER . *AK

THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON RANDOMLY.

1ST INCIDENT - WIFE EXITED HIGHWAY ONTO RAMP AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND RR WHEEL STRUCK CURB CAUSING $350 IN DAMAGES. AT THIS TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS DRIVER ERROR, BUT A MONTH LATER, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER EXTENSIVE DIAGNOSIS AND REPLACEMENT OF MASTER CYLINDER AND 1 BRAKE CALIPER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE WAS FAULTY, SINCE AIR COULD NOT BE BLED FROM THE LF CALIPER. COST OF NEW VALVE FROM DEALER - $250. I THEN RESEARCHED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF OTHERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND AN ARTICLE ON TOYOTA'S SITE (GEO PRIZM'S ARE MADE IN THE SAME PLANT IN FREMONT, CA ALONGSIDE TOYOTA COROLLAS) STATING THAT THE "FACTORY SUPPLYING BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVES TO TOYOTA'S AUTO PLANTS HAD A MAJOR FIRE ON 2/1/97" THE FIRE AT THIS COMPANY "AISIN" DESTROYED THE MACHINERY THAT FABRICATES PROPORTIONING VALVES. THEY THEN CONTACTED OUTSIDE COMPANIES (BROTHER INDUSTRIES, A SEWING MACHINE MANUFACTURER) TO MAKE THE PROPORTIONING VALVES DESPARATELY NEEDED BY TOYOTA. WHAT A COINCIDENCE THAT MY "AISIN" PROPORTIONING VALVE WAS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE KEPT THE VALVE AND ARTICLE. YOU MAY READ THE ARTICLE AS "HTTP://WWW.TOYOTA.COM/TIMES/MANU/FEATURE/NUMMI.HTML"

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

TAIL LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

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

WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT THE VEHICLE MAKES NOISES. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP TWICE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE HIT A DEER AT A FRONTAL IMPACT WHICH CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO FRONT END. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH DRIVER'S SIDE SAFETY BELT. SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO RELEASE, THEY TEND TO JAM UP IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

SEAT BELT FAILED SEVERAL TIMES RESULTING IN LOCKING UP.

SEAT BELT HAS LOCKED UP AT THE RETRACTOR. THE BELT WILL NOT RELEASE ITSELF OUTWARD. *AK

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION.

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

REPLACED TWO TIRES AND EXPERIENCED FLAT TIRE AFTER REPLACEMENT. (GOODYEAR).

BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND BULBS FAILED.

VEHICLE DOES NOT CONTAIN A FRONT STABILIZER BAR, RESULTING IS LOSS OF CONTROL OF STEERING.

HAD APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKES ON SLIGHT GRADE; VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL; EMERGENCY GEAR WOULD POP LOOSE. HAPPENS WHEN CONSUMER IS IN/OUT OF VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS TOTALED FROM RUNNING INTO A WALL AND GUARDRAIL AT 60MPH, AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

RECALL REPAIR NOT PERFORMED ON AIR BAGS DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PART.

RECALL REPAIR NOT PERFORMED ON AIR BAGS DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PART.