FaultScore

1996 GEO Prizm airbag problems

22 of the 68 complaints about the 1996 GEO Prizm are about the airbag system — 32% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 228,194 miles.

F

22

Complaints

18

Crashes

0

Fires

11

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Frontal 20 90.9%
AIR Bags 2 9.1%

Airbags across every GEO Prizm year

1993 29 16.9%
1994 56 32.6%
1995 34 19.8%
1996 22 12.8%
1997 16 9.3%
1999 15 8.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 228,194 miles Ruskin, FL 1 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GEO PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG AND FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG ABRUPTLY DEPLOYED WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURN INJURIES TO BOTH ARMS AND CHEST. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 228,194.

NHTSA complaint #11192847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Leonard, MI Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

IN AN ACCIDENT VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO DRIVER.

NHTSA complaint #8018411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dumfries, VA Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND IT HIT DRIVERS SIDE OF OTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8014485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Colonia, NJ Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A TREE AT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA complaint #887519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburgh, PA Crash 4 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #725299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburgh, PA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WAS TRAVING AT ABOUT45MILES PER HOUR,CAR CUT ME OFF, HIT REAR DRIVERS SIDE BUMPER, HIT MY BUMPER, WENT THROUGH MY GRILL AND HOOD, LOOKING AT FRONT OF CAR HOLE IS IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CONER OF DECRITIVE PLATE AND BUMPER,BUMPER IS DAMAGED ON TOP OF IT,AND BOWED DOWN, DONT UNDERSTAND WHY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #725448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ontario, OR Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING ON BACK ROADS CONSUMER DIDN'T SEE THE STOP SIGN. THERE WAS A CURVE IN THE ROAD, AND VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND FLIPPED OVER. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint #864689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

USR, NJ Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DURING LOW IMPACT COLLISION (KNICKED OTHER VEHICLE) STUCTURE FOLDED DUE TO WEAK MATERIAL, POSSIBLE FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS (LOW MPH), INJURY TO CONSUMER (HEAD, RIBS, FACIAL) NLM

NHTSA complaint #547283 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saddle RIV, NJ 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG RESULTING IN ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO CONSUMER (FACE AND RIBS).MJS

NHTSA complaint #546213 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

U.sr, NJ 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG CAUSED INJURIES TO CONSUMER. MJS

NHTSA complaint #545344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Milwaukee, WI Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 35- 40 MPH WHEN SHE HIT A VEHCLE HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #838006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Eyota, MN Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ON NATIONAL BACKORDER PER GM. UNABLE TO FIND ONE ANYWHERE. *AKY

NHTSA complaint #703006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Germany APO AEO 9104, UN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT, APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE HARD. REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #833771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Corway, SC Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT, AND AS COMING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A FUEL SPILL IN THE ROAD, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIDE INTO THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK, DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #832628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Whitestown, IN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AT 7:30AM CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55-60MPH WHEN SHE BEGAN TO MERGE RIGHT. CONSUMER FELT LIKE SHE HAD HIT SOMETHING, SHE SAW NOTHING. THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPIN AND SHE SAW HER WHEEL ROLLING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, VEHICLE HIT THE WALL AND SKIDDED DOWN THE SIDE. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #831775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

DRIVERS AIRBAG FAILED, NO DEPLOYMENT.

NHTSA complaint #528240 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Silver Spring, MD Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE AT A STANDSTILL, A VEHICLE BEHIND PRIZM HIT IT, CAUSING A FRONTAL COLLISION. OCCURRED AT LEAST 3 TIMES, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGES TO THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE VEHICLE. BOTH AIRBAGS DIDNOT DEPLOY WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THIS ACCIDENT AND THEY SUSTAINED INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #814399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newark, OK Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, SPEED 20MPH, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #812353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Euclid, OH

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #811147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clinton, MS Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHE HIT THE CURB AT NO MORE THAT 8-10MPH AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. OWNER QUESTIONS THE SAFETY OF VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE VERY LOW SPEED DEPLOYMENT AND THEIR WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #809884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Corpus Christi, TX Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DRIVING AT SPEED OF 70MPH, VEHICLE IMPACTED AT A 1:00 POSITION, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #801726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Salt Lake CI, UT Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE FROM UTAH TO BOSTON; ROAD & WEATHER WAS GOOD & CLEAR; AXLE BROKE & LEFT REAR WHEEL SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE; ROLLED OVER TWICE ONTO MEDIAN, ALSO NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS, RESULTING IN INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #986480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 GEO Prizm problems

← Full 1996 GEO Prizm report