IllustrationREAR WHEELS HAVE TILTED TOO FAR INWARD, AND CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR OF TIRES. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO ROCK WHEN MAKING A TURN. INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REA RWHEELS DID NOT MEET SPECIFICATION. *AK
1995 Geo Prizm
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Geo Prizm do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 46.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Prizm 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: 4 of 96 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 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 20 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.
26 crash reports1 fire reports22 injury reports
What owners actually said
96 reportsWHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 APPLIED BRAKES PEDAL, AND DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK
THE RIGHT AND LEFT CV JOINT BROKE FAILED. NLM
WHILE PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY LESS THEN 5 MPH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. INJURIES WERE REPORTED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
THE REAR RIGHT-SIDE PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT WORK. IT IS FULLY EXTENDED AND WILL NOT RETRACT, THUS THE SEATBELT IS UNUUSEABLE AND I CANNOT HAVE A PASSENGER RIDE IN THAT SEAT AREA. THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE RETRACTOR WITHOUT COST. THE COST OF REPAIR IS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $100. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS SAFETY EQUIP…
Read full complaint
THE REAR RIGHT-SIDE PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT WORK. IT IS FULLY EXTENDED AND WILL NOT RETRACT, THUS THE SEATBELT IS UNUUSEABLE AND I CANNOT HAVE A PASSENGER RIDE IN THAT SEAT AREA. THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE RETRACTOR WITHOUT COST. THE COST OF REPAIR IS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $100. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
REAR SHOULDER SEATBELT BEHIND DRIVER SIDE FAILS TO RETRACT BACK, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD-ON, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSAGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
BRAKES WILL NOT STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATED BRAKES WERE NOT OPERABLE. SHE HEARD SOME TYPE OF NOISE, AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 20 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED INJURING DRIVER. AIRBAG HIT LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S FACE, BREAKING HER EYE GLASSES, RESULTING IN LOSS OF SIGHT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
AIR VENT KNOBS BROKEN. NLM
Official recalls
296V107000 · 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.
95V195002 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
Oct 11, 1995
THE BATTERY CAN HAVE A DEFECTIVE WELD INSIDE THE POSITIVE AND/OR NEGATIVE TERMINAL ALLOWING THE CONNECTION INSIDE OF THE TERMINAL TO SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION, OR A BATTERY EXPLOSION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE DEFECTIVE BATTERIES.
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
1EA97015 · 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