1994 GEO PRIZM — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
173
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1994 GEO PRIZM
The 1994 GEO PRIZM has received a total of 173 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SUSPENSION, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bagsfrontal (41 complaints), Air Bags (12 complaints), and Seat Beltsfrontretractor (11 complaints).
Recalls for the 1994 GEO PRIZM
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 1994 GEO PRIZM, potentially affecting up to 679,017 vehicles.
Recall 10E002000 — SUSPENSION
| 12,657 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
View full details →Recall 96V107000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
| 627,858 vehicles affected
Defect: IF LIQUID IS SPILLED IN THE CONSOLE BOX AREA, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAN ILLUMINATE AND STAY "ON" DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.
Consequence: THIS LEAKAGE CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE AIR BAG SENSOR TO PREVENT POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION CAUSED BY THE SPILLING OF LIQUID SUBSTANCES ON THE SENSOR. AIR BAG SENSORS DAMAGED BY PREVIOUS LIQUID SPILLAGE WILL BE REPLACED.
View full details →Recall 94E021002 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
| 38,502 vehicles affected
Defect: THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ANCHOR STRAPS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAN SEPARATE FROM THE ANCHOR STRAP. THIS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
Consequence: IF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE SEPARATES FROM THE ANCHOR STRAPIN A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT, THE SEAT OCCUPANT IS EXPOSED TO INCREASED RISK OFPERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY ANCHOR STRAPS AND REPLACE THOSE WITH SUSPECT DATE CODES "52733D 032" OR "52733D 042".
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1994 GEO PRIZM
173 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1994 GEO PRIZM. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
MY HOOD BLOW OFF THE CAR AT 35/40 MPH -- THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF THE HOOD RELEASE OR THE HOOD HINGES MY HOOD WAS THERE BUT ALSO FEEL OFF - *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GEO PRIZM. ON FEBRUARY 19, 2009, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS TURNING THE VEHICLE. SHE SUFFERED SECOND DEGREE BURNS ON HER NECK, CHEST, AND FACE. IN ADDITION, HER NOSE AND FINGER WERE SWOLLEN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND WOULD LIKE THE ISSUE INVESTIGATED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,902.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GEO PRIZM. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAGS IMMEDIATELY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND CUTS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HER FACE. HER FACE WAS SWOLLEN AND SHE COMPLAINED OF A SEVERE BURN-LIKE INJURY TO HER CHEST AREA. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 238,975.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A VIBRATION THAT WAS GETTING WORSE AS I DROVE ALONG. THE ROAD APPEARED TO BE IN VERY GOOD (SMOOTH) CONDITION SO, AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES, I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND EXAMINED THE TIRES BY FEEL TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING NOTICEABLE. THE LEFT REAR (DRIVERS SIDE) TIRE HAD A LARGE BULGE IN THE TREAD AREA. THE FAILURE OCCURRED UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: * CAR IS A 1994 GEO PRISM LSI WITH 2 PASSENGERS AND A LIGHT LUGGAGE LOAD * TIRE WAS A WYNSTAR PHASER R23 SIZE 185/65R14 86T M&S * HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 8 HOURS AT 65 MPH * TIRE PRESSURE HAD BEEN PRESET AT 32 PSI * WEATHER CONDITIONS CLEAR AND DRY - TEMPERATURE APPROX. 85 DEG. *TR
DURING LIGHT TO MEDIUM BRAKING, THE ABS ACTIVE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD BEGIN UN-LOCKING THE BRAKES. THIS WOULD BE DESIRABLE IN THE WINTER, ON ICE, IN A PANIC SITUATION. IT WAS HOWEVER DRY AND SUNNY ON THE NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. NOBODY WAS INJURED DURING THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF OTHER TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTIONS INVOLVED. I TEMPORARILY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REMOVING THE MAIN ABS RELAY. THE ABS IS DISENGAGED BUT THE VEHICLE CAN NOW STOP. *TR
Safety Rating for the 1994 GEO PRIZM
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1994 GEO PRIZM in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1994 GEO PRIZM
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1994 GEO PRIZM
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the GEO PRIZM
- 1989 GEO PRIZM — 0 complaints
- 1990 GEO PRIZM — 54 complaints
- 1991 GEO PRIZM — 72 complaints
- 1992 GEO PRIZM — 75 complaints
- 1993 GEO PRIZM — 95 complaints
- 1994 GEO PRIZM (current)
- 1995 GEO PRIZM — 130 complaints
- 1996 GEO PRIZM — 68 complaints
- 1997 GEO PRIZM — 63 complaints
- 1998 GEO PRIZM — 11 complaints
- 1999 GEO PRIZM — 33 complaints
Other GEO Models
- GEO METRO — 805 total complaints
- GEO TRACKER — 450 total complaints
- GEO STORM — 346 total complaints
- GEO SPECTRUM — 12 total complaints