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1994 Geo Prizm

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Prizm years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Geo Prizm are substantially higher than the model-year median of 46.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 12 of 134 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 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

38 crash reports6 fire reports34 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

13 reports
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200 miles · Sep 22, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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 MA…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10243135

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

ABS: AT FIRST, THE LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS RUN, AND A SENSOR WAS REPLACED (ALL THAT WAS OVER $400). NOW THE LIGHT COMES ON (AND STAYS ON) AT 49 MPH. ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST WILL HAVE TO BE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG. AS FOR THE WINDOW: ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING WITH THE WINDOW HALFWAY D…

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ABS: AT FIRST, THE LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS RUN, AND A SENSOR WAS REPLACED (ALL THAT WAS OVER $400). NOW THE LIGHT COMES ON (AND STAYS ON) AT 49 MPH. ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST WILL HAVE TO BE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG. AS FOR THE WINDOW: ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING WITH THE WINDOW HALFWAY DOWN. WHEN I TRIED TO ROLL IT BACK UP, IT WOULDN'T GO. IT JUST STAYED THERE, THEN STARTED SLIDING DOWN. A REPAIR SHOP FIXED IT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #754992

Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2001
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 50MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER STOPPED. CONSUMER STEPPED ON BRAKES AND HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #878743

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES WEAR AT UNUSUAL RATE, BRAKES FIRST REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES, REPAIRS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS TOTAL OVER $1000.00, CONSUMER WOULD LIKE GENERAL MOTORS TO REIMBURSE HIM FOR OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS. *CJ

NHTSA ODI #559063

Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury

I HAVE E-MAILED CHVROLET ON SEVREL OCCASIONS AND HAVE RECEIVED UNSATISFACTORY ANSWERS. I AM REPORTING THE INCIDENT NOW BECAUSE I AM JUST NOW BECOMING AWARE OF THIS PART OF YOUR WEBSITE. MY SISTER, MY MOTHER AND MYSELF WERE HEADED TO NEWARK AIRPORT TO DROP MY MOTHER OFF AS SHE WAS GOING TO ATLANTA TO CATCH A BOAT FOR A CRUISE. …

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I HAVE E-MAILED CHVROLET ON SEVREL OCCASIONS AND HAVE RECEIVED UNSATISFACTORY ANSWERS. I AM REPORTING THE INCIDENT NOW BECAUSE I AM JUST NOW BECOMING AWARE OF THIS PART OF YOUR WEBSITE. MY SISTER, MY MOTHER AND MYSELF WERE HEADED TO NEWARK AIRPORT TO DROP MY MOTHER OFF AS SHE WAS GOING TO ATLANTA TO CATCH A BOAT FOR A CRUISE. WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT AS WE WERE GETTING CLOSER TO HER AIRLINE (CONTINENTAL) GATE IN A HURRY AS WE WERE RUNNING LATE. I WAS DRIVING (CHARLES) MY MOTHER'S CAR WITH HER IN THE PASSENGERS SIDE. I WAS DOING ABOUT 55-60MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I BEGAN SKIDDING. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE ROADS WERE DRY AND HER 1994 GEO PRIZM EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. I WOULDN'T HAVE MINDED SO MUCH IF I WAS ACTUALLY PRESSING THE BRAKES, HOWEVER I DIDN'T TOUCH A THING. I WOULD ALSO TAKE ALL THE BLAME IF THE WARNING LIGHT HAD COME ON AT ALL, BUT NO WARNING EITHER. WE SPENT HOURS JUST TRYING TO GET THE THING INTO LONG-TERM PARKING. CHEVY IS TELLING ME TO BRING THE CAR IN AND BE CHARGED $80.00/HOUR BUT MY MOTHER AND I JUST ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS ANSWER. I WANT TO BE TOLD FROM A, HOPEFULLY, NUETRAL PARTY AS TO WHAT WE SHOULD DO. THE CAR HAS REMAINED PARKED SINCE THE INCIDENT. MY MOTHER INFORMS ME THAT EVEN IF THE CAR WAS REPAIRED SHE WOULD STILL BE TO AFFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. AS I WOULD NOT WANT HER TO DRIVE THIS DEATH TRAP EITHER. IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM THAT YOU LOOK AT IT, THIS HAS DEFECT WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. I CAN UNDERSTAND IF THE CAR SOMEHOW BROKE DOWN AND GRADUALLY CAME TO A STOP. HOWEVER A SCREECHING HAULT IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE-FOR ANY CAR! I WAS INFORMED THAT THE "VACUUM ON THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE WENT." THIS IS STILL A SEVER DEFECT IF YOU ASK ME AND ONE I SHOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR! IT IS HECTIC AS ANYTHING SHARING A CAR AROUND HERE BUT WE'LL DO ANYTHING UNTIL WE GET ACCEPTABLE ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS! PLEASE HELP US! THANKYOU - MY MOTHER AND IARE ANXIOUS TO HEAR FROM YOU! CHARLES C. DOYLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721202

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 1999
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

TWO TIRES NEEDED REPLACING. YH

NHTSA ODI #549763

Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

HELLO, LET ME START BY TELLING U WHO I AM MY NAME IS [XXX] I LIVE IN [XXX]. MY VEHICLE WAS JUST INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 395 AND MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME FOR NO REASON. THE STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS IT WAS…

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HELLO, LET ME START BY TELLING U WHO I AM MY NAME IS [XXX] I LIVE IN [XXX]. MY VEHICLE WAS JUST INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 395 AND MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME FOR NO REASON. THE STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS IT WAS BROUGHT USED FROM A DEALERSHIP IN WOODBRIDGE, VA. THE DEALERSHIP NAME IS EASTERN OF WOODBRIDGE. THIS CAR HAD A SOME MECHANICAL DEFECTS WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THAT I WAS NOT AWARE UNTIL AFTER I SIGNED THE PAPER. BUT EVEN BEFORE I SIGNED THE PAPER I DID NOTICE SOME THINGS LIKE THE TIRES WERE BALD AND THE CAR HAD BEEN IN ACCIDENT. I INFORMED THEM OF SOME OF THE DEFECTS AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX THEM. I HAVE A PAPER STATING THAT THE CAR HAD PASSED INSPECTION BUT I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES 2 WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. LIKE I SAID THE CAR HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE ALIGNMENT ON THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY BAD AND IF I DROVE CAR OVER 45 MILES THE CAR SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. I STILL HAVE A CAR NOTE ON THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THE HAS BEEN PRONOUNCED TOTAL. GETTING BACK TO WHAT I WRITING FOR, THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE BRAKES JUST LOCKED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. SO I PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND WAS WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK, WHEN A VEHICLE CAME BY AND WENT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SLAM RIGHT INTO MY CAR. THE PERSON THAT WAS DRIVING MY CAR WAS SERIOUSLY AND PUT INTO THE HOSPITAL AND IS NOW SEEKING MEDICAL CARE. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS THERE ANYWAY POSSIBLE THAT I CAN FIND OUT IN THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BRAKES FOR THAT VEHICLE. IF I COULD PLEASE! PLEASE! GET SOME INFORMATION ON WHAT DO ABOUT THIS SITUATION. MY INSURANCE IS GOING TO PAY THE WHOLE CAR NOTE OFF. THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT MY FAULT THE BRAKES SHOULD NEVER HAVE DONE THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE HAS TO BE SOME LEGAL CLAUSE TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AND CITIZEN THESE THINGS HAP INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F

NHTSA ODI #710996

Mileage unknown · Apr 6, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #533852

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

POWER BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #525998

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 1997
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT, ALSO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WAS VIOLENT, CAUSING INJURY TO EYES/NOSE.

NHTSA ODI #516172

Official recalls

1

96V107000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Jun 20, 1996

IF LIQUID IS SPILLED IN THE CONSOLE BOX AREA, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAN ILLUMINATE AND STAY "ON" DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

Consequence & remedy

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.

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

1

EA97015 · Turn Signal Failures

Opened Jul 22, 1997 · Closed Sep 21, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

There is no summary currently available