42 of the
805 complaints filed about the GEO Metro
are about the electrical system —
5% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1996.
THE WINDOW DEFROST BLOWER MOTOR FAILS TO WORK AFTER STARTING THE CAR. ALSO THE REAR WINDOW ELECTRIC DEFROST FAILS. THIS COULD LEAD TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY DURING WINTER OR RAIN CONDITIONS WHEN THE WINDSHIELD FOGS OR ICES UP. THERE IS AN APPARENT SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSING THIS. AFTER ENGAGING THE STARTER, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILS TO RETURN TO THE PROPER POSITION FOR THE ABOVE ACCESSORIES TO WORK. THE DRIVER MUST JIGGLE THE KEY AND IGNITION SWITCH BACKWARDS TO ALMOST THE OFF POSITION TO RESTORE POWER TO THE BLOWER MOTOR AND REAR DEFROST. SOMETIMES, WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE DEFROST BLOWER MOTOR STOPS WHEN HITTING BUMPS IN THE ROAD. IN ADDITION TO THIS, MY WIFE ONCE SMELLED AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AFTER TRYING TO START THE CAR. AFTER READING ABOUT THE NHTSA RECALL OF CHEV. CAVALIERS FOR FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES (CAMPAIGN ID #04V036000), I WONDERED IF THIS IS A RELATED SAFETY PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10128153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY WIFE'S CAR, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, HAVE BECOME ALMOST OPAQUE. AFTER HAVING THE LIGHTS REPAIRED AT SUBSTANTIAL COST I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS DUE TO UV EXPOSURE AND THAT IT DOES NOT AFFECT ALL MAKES. APPARENTLY SOME MANUFACTURERS PRODUCE LIGHTS THAT CONTINUE TO FUNCTION AFTER EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT. SOME DO NOT. I FEEL THIS IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD. IT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE LIGHT OUTPUT AND IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES LOOKING ABOUT ANY PARKING LOT TO REALIZE THAT MOST GO UNCORRECTED. WHY CAN'T ALL MANUFACTURERS USE HEADLIGHTS THAT DO NOT TURN YELLOW?
NHTSA complaint #10123831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUSE BOX/HEADLIGHT CONNECTION BURNT/MELTED. HEADLIGHTS NON OPERATIVE, ONLY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AVAILABLE. REPLACED FUSEBOX FOR SECOND TIME. REPLACED BUTT CONECTOR FOR FOURTH TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10096260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHERE WIRING HARNESS FOR HEADLIGHT SWITCH PLUGS INTO FUSE BOX BURNT CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. MECHANIC TOLD ME HE HAS HAD NUMBER OF THESE AT A COST OF $550 TO REPAIR. I SAY IF THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM THEY NEED TO RECALL THEM. HEADLIGHT FAILURE AT ANY SPEED I FEEL IS VERY DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #742191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING WHEEL ABLE TO SPIN IN CIRCLES WITH NO RESISTANCE, OR ANY EFFECT ON STEERING MECHANISM, CONDITION FINALLY STOPPED, NEXT FEW DAYS A NEW IGNITION LOCK WAS INSTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #557506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
DIMMER SWITCH CONNECTION BURNT CAUSING HEADLIGHTS NOT TO WORK ,AFTER REPLACEING DIMMER SWITCH FUSE BOX THAT IT CONNECTS TO BURNT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH 1991 METRO.
NHTSA complaint #735460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. WIRING HARNESS FOR HEADLIGHTS PLUGGED IN THE HEAD DUE TO PIN CONNECTORS BEING TOO SMALL TO HANDLE THE CONNECTION AND STARTED BURNING. COMBINATION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #867614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
(TWICE WITHIN SIX MONTHS) A SHORT IN THE STEERING COLUMN HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HAS RESULTED IN THE HEADLIGHTS BECOMING INOPPERATIVE, SO I HAD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH ONLY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. TURNING TO THE LEFT CAUSES THE PARKING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO GLOW, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT CAUSES THE LIGHT TO EXTINGUISH. THIS COULD BE DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE? ANOTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS THAT THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS NO LONGER WORK.
NHTSA complaint #721004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
(TWICE WITHIN SIX MONTHS) A SHORT IN THE STEERING COLUMN HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HAS RESULTED IN THE HEADLIGHTS BECOMING INOPPERATIVE, SO I HAD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH ONLY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. TURNING TO THE LEFT CAUSES THE PARKING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO GLOW, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT CAUSES THE LIGHT TO EXTINGUISH. THIS COULD BE DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE? ANOTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS THAT THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS NO LONGER WORK.
NHTSA complaint #721004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
OWNER'S MANUEL STATES IF FLASHING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN STARTING, VEHICLE HAS ABS BRAKES. ALSO, CONSUMER HAS CHECKED VEHICLE , AND THERE'S NO MAIN FUSE OR RELAY IN FUSE PANELS.
NHTSA complaint #860130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
TURN SIGNALS BEGAN TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY EVEN THOUGH I CLEANED SOCKETS AND REPLACED BULBS. THEN HEADLIGHTS FAILED AT 2AM 0N 11/15/99 AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THAT AFTERNOON. THEY FOUND THE HARNESS SHORTING OUT INTERMITTENTLY AND THEY REPLACED IT. LOOKING AT THE PLUG-INS ONE OF THEM LOOKED DISCOLORED FROM THE SHORTING OUT.
NHTSA complaint #714864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAME TO STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START BACK UP. LOW VOLTAGE READING OR DIM LIGHTS.CHANGED ALTERNATOR IN NOVEMBER. WAS TOLD THAT WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED, AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #844519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHEN STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT. THE WAY THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED, THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE A/C AND RADIO. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #844171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHEN STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT. THE WAY THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED, THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE A/C AND RADIO. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #844171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH CAUSED WIRES/CONNECTION AT FUSE BOX (UNDER DASH) TO BURN AND MELT. THE EFFECT OF THIS WAS THAT ONLY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND PARKING LIGHTS WOULD WORK. THE HEADLIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS WOULD NOT WORK. JUST WONDERING WHY A FUSE WOULD NOT BLOW TO INDICATE A PROBLEM INSTEAD OF WIRES BURNING AND FUSE BOX BURNING?
NHTSA complaint #700574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.