FaultScore

1997 GEO Prizm airbag problems

16 of the 63 complaints about the 1997 GEO Prizm are about the airbag system — 25% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 121,325 miles.

F

16

Complaints

12

Crashes

0

Fires

4

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Frontal 13 81.3%
AIR Bags 2 12.5%
Side/Window 1 6.3%

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 112,650 miles Mcneill, MS Crash 4 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

ON 4/19/05 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 97 GEO PRISM. THE VEHICLE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH CAUSING SEVERE INJURY TO MYSELF AND MINOR PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. I ORIGINALLY FILED COMPLAINT THROUGH MY ATTORNEY KENNETH MILLER, JR. BATON ROUGE, LA. I WANT TO SETTLE THIS CASE ASAP.

NHTSA complaint #10161797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 132,000 miles NEW Market, MN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT WAS A FRONTAL IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10144524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Baton Rouge, LA Crash 4 injured

AIR BAGS

DURING AN ACCIDENT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT FAILED TO LOCK.*MR EVERYONE INSIDE THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SOME TYPE OF INJURY (GEO PRIZM). *NM UPDATED 12/22/05

NHTSA complaint #10124706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 101,000 miles Ogdensburg, NJ Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING DOWN MAJOR HIGHWAY, REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 25MPH. RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT END, AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED!

NHTSA complaint #10000228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Columbus, OH Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN IT WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD RUN A STOP SIGN WITH FRONT END. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MUSCLE INJUIRES.

NHTSA complaint #891450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Colonial, NJ Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPOLY . CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER DID NOT DO ANYTHING. ALSO, OWNS A 1996, GEO, PRIZM, AND SAME THING HAPPENED TO THAT VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #887797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coonia, NJ Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A PONTIAC VEHICLE IN WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA complaint #887522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Highland, MI

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON STARTING VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A REPRESENTATIVE BEING SENT TO INSPECT VEHICLE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #872987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rodchester, NY Crash

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY FAST ENOUGH, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #872615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brusly, LA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DASHBOARD COVER FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG APPEARS TO BE MELTED.

NHTSA complaint #716654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Laurel, MD Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM A STOP POSITION AND FORCED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. SPEED OF IMPACT WAS UNDETERMINED, BUT BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPOLY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME.

NHTSA complaint #854343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Praverse City, MI Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE HIT A DEER AT A FRONTAL IMPACT WHICH CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO FRONT END. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #835416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Herrin, IL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION.

NHTSA complaint #537863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW London, CT Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS TOTALED FROM RUNNING INTO A WALL AND GUARDRAIL AT 60MPH, AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #817589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Greenwich, RI

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

RECALL REPAIR NOT PERFORMED ON AIR BAGS DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PART.

NHTSA complaint #518699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Greenwich, RI

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

RECALL REPAIR NOT PERFORMED ON AIR BAGS DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PART.

NHTSA complaint #518699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 GEO Prizm problems

← Full 1997 GEO Prizm report