1994 GEO PRIZM Complaints

FRONT LEFT BRAKE WEARS UNUSUALLY FAST. HAD BRAKES REPLACED 2 TIMES IN AS MANY YEARS. ABS NOT WORKING. HAD MY GEO FOR 9 YEARS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRAKING SYSTEM.*AK

NEVER INFORMED OF RECALLS FOR AIR BAG LIGHT AND DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. FOUND RECALLS ON NHTSA WEBSITE. NOTIFIED GM, WAITING ON RESPONSE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE AIR BAG HAD A DELAY DEPLOYMENT UPON IMPACT.*AK

MY CONCERN ARISES FROM HAVING PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAG SENSOR. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR HAD DAMAGED DUE TO A SPILL ON THE CONSOLE BOX AREA WHERE THE SENSOR IS LOCATED. I THEN LOOKED INTO THIS FURTHER BY GOING ON LINE TO NHTSA AND WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL ON MY 1994 GEO PRISM VIN#1Y1SK5364RZ0763 FOR THE SAME SENSOR. IT ALSO LISTED HOW THE DAMAGED WOULD BE CAUSED WORD BY WORD TO WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER WAS THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. THE RECALL LISTED CAMPAIGN #96V107000; I THEN CONTACTED CHEVROLET IN ORDER TO GET MORE INFORMATION. I WAS TOLD BY A REPRESENTATIVE, THAT MY CAR VIN# DID NOT COME UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. I FIND IT VERY ODD THAT THIS WOULD BE THE CASE. SINCE WHAT DEALER DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR SENSOR TO MATCHING WORD TO WORD WITH THE SUMMARY LISTED IN NHTSA RECALL NOTICE SUMMARY. I HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS SITUATION. SINCERELY, NORA

ON THE 4-DOOR MODEL OF THE GEO PRIZM LSI, THE REAR DOOR LATCH/LOCK MECHANISMS FAIL, MAKING THE DOOR UN-OPERABLE FROM INSIDE, OR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHOULD THIS FAILURE OCCUR AS A RESULT OF A CRASH, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE BACKSEATS CANNOT EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING TO CRAWL OVER THE FRONT SEATS (WHICH MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE, BASED ON THE SEVERITY OF THE CRASH...). IN MY CASE, THE TWO, SEPARATE FAILURES WERE NOT THE RESULT OF ACCIDENTS, BUT BOTH REAR DOOR MECHANISMS DID FAIL (AT DIFFERENT OCCASIONS...), WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ABILITY TO USE THE BACK SEATS FOR OCCUPANT USAGE IN THE METHOD DESIGNED/INTENDED. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE CENTER (SUPERSTITION SPRINGS TOYOTA, MESA, AZ), THE ELECTRICAL SOLONOID THAT CONTROLS THE LOCK MECHANISM CAN FAIL, CAUSING THE LOSS OF OPERABILITY (AT A COST OF $300 TO REPLACE), AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE LOCK/LATCH MECHANISM. THE SAME MECHANISM IS ALSO USED ON THE FRONT DOORS, AS WELL.

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25MPH UNDER RAINING CONDITIONS CONSUMER STATES' LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT THE TRAILER HITCH OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

THE SEAT BELT ANCHORS ON CONSUMERS VEHICLE BROKE. CONSUMER RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RECALLS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE BELTS FOR THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER SPOKE TO A GEO REPRESENTIVE WHO EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE ANCHOR STRAPS. THE REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT CONFIRM IN WRITING WHAT WAS TOLD TO THE CONSUMER. *JG

AT APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND WAS REPLACED BY OWNER. AT 170,000 MILES BOTH REAR RETRACTABLE SEATBELT'S STARTED JAMING BECAUSE THE BELT ITSELF FOLDS IN HALF WHILE RETRACTING, CAUSING SEATBELT TO "LOCK" UP. SEATBELT CAN BE REMOVED AND UN AMMED, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES TO REPEAT ITSELF.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A STOP THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. CONSUMERS FACE WAS INJURED BY THE AIRBAG. *JB.*JG

VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE DIVIDER ON HIGHWAY AT 80 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUFFERED BRUISED RIBS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK *YH