FaultScore

Worst years for a GEO Prizm

Owners have filed 795 complaints about the GEO Prizm with NHTSA across model years 1990 to 2002. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

1994 GEO Prizm

173 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly airbags.

Cleanest on record

1998 GEO Prizm

11 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every GEO Prizm year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2002 3 0 0 Fuel & Propulsion
2001 9 4 0 Body & Structure
2000 9 0 0 Engine & Cooling
1999 C 33 14 4 Airbags
1998 B 11 1 0 Airbags
1997 C 63 16 3 112,650 Seat Belts
1996 D 68 27 2 Airbags
1995 D 130 40 2 96,000 Airbags
1994 F 173 50 7 107,500 Airbags
1993 D 95 25 2 Airbags
1992 75 12 0 Engine & Cooling
1991 72 3 3 Body & Structure
1990 54 5 2 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a GEO Prizm

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 177 22.3%

Worst in 1994

Seat Belts 107 13.5%

Worst in 1994

Worst in 1992

Worst in 1992

Brakes 60 7.5%

Worst in 1994

Worst in 1994

Worst in 1994

Worst in 1994

Suspension 36 4.5%

Worst in 1991

Lights 29 3.6%

Worst in 1991

Steering 24 3.0%

Worst in 1994

Tires 17 2.1%

Worst in 1995

Doors, Latches & Locks 16 2.0%

Worst in 1991

Seats 15 1.9%

Worst in 1994

Exactly what failed on a GEO Prizm

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Frontal 127 36.4%
Door 46 13.2%
Retractor 42 12.0%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 25 7.2%
Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe 24 6.9%
Buckle Assembly 22 6.3%
Anchorage 17 4.9%
Foundation Components 16 4.6%
Power Window Devices AND Controls 16 4.6%
Gasoline 14 4.0%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every GEO Prizm, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 26 Oct 2025

GEO Prizm problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the GEO Prizm

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.