1997 GEO PRIZM Complaints

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

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.

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

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"