IllustrationDRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
1996 Geo Metro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Geo Metro do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 36.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Metro years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 88 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports5 fire reports18 injury reports
What owners actually said
88 reportsSEAT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE ROCKS AND HAS GLOBS OF LUBRICANT UNDER THE SEAT. ALSO GEARS DO NOT SHIFT PROPERLY/MUFFLER IS RUSTED/SIDE DEFROSTERS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND VEHICLE SLIDES IN RAIN WITH NO TRACTION ON TIRES. *AK
THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE'S WINDOWS FOG UP UNTIL ONE CAN'T SEE OUT OF THEM. HAVE TO RUN THE AIR-CONDITIONER AND THE DEFOGGER AT THE SAME TIME IN ORDER TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDOWS. *AK
SUNROOF CAME OFF AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE, BREAKING WINDSHIELD. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH , HAD AN ACCIDENTAND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE BRAODSIDE, KNOCKED THE ENTIRE FRONT BUMPER OFF AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT SPEEDS OF 45MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AT 50 MPH, CAUSING HIS VEHICLE TO REAREND THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF HIM IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE THE STEERING COLUMN NEAR THE FEET OF THE DRIVER. *AK
TIRES CUPPING.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END CRASH IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION AND FELL INTO REAR ON TOP OF TODDLER'S SAFETY SEAT. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.