60 of the
795 complaints filed about the GEO Prizm
are about the braking system —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1994.
DURING LIGHT TO MEDIUM BRAKING, THE ABS ACTIVE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD BEGIN UN-LOCKING THE BRAKES. THIS WOULD BE DESIRABLE IN THE WINTER, ON ICE, IN A PANIC SITUATION. IT WAS HOWEVER DRY AND SUNNY ON THE NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. NOBODY WAS INJURED DURING THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF OTHER TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTIONS INVOLVED. I TEMPORARILY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REMOVING THE MAIN ABS RELAY. THE ABS IS DISENGAGED BUT THE VEHICLE CAN NOW STOP.
NHTSA complaint #10243135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 GEO PRIZM. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD TRAVEL LONGER THAN EXPECTED BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL SENSOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT CONSTANTLY REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 183,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
NHTSA complaint #10197554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP COMPLETELY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS/ PADS, AND CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10105111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP COMPLETELY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS/ PADS, AND CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10105111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP COMPLETELY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS/ PADS, AND CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10105111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT LEFT BRAKE WEARS UNUSUALLY FAST. HAD BRAKES REPLACED 2 TIMES IN AS MANY YEARS. ABS NOT WORKING. HAD MY GEO FOR 9 YEARS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRAKING SYSTEM.
NHTSA complaint #10025615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE BRAKES ENGAGED WOULD ENGAGE AND THEN DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING, AND AT ONE PINT WOULD NOT RELEASE, THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, ON THE SECOND OCCASION CONSUMER'S DAUGHT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN SHE TRIED TO STOP, SHE PRESSED THE BRAKES BUT THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP,
NHTSA complaint #785991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE WOULD ENGAGED AND DISENGAGE ON THEIR OWN, THE DEALER REPLACED THE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS BUT WAS NOT SURE IF THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, AND THE BRAKES STILL DON'T WORK 100%.
NHTSA complaint #785991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT 40MPH, BRAKES ENGAGE AND CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER ADDS BRAKE LINE, FRONT AND BACK BRAKES FAILED 8,000 MILES LATER RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED TO FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP. MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #8011211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
AT 40MPH, BRAKES ENGAGE AND CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER ADDS BRAKE LINE, FRONT AND BACK BRAKES FAILED 8,000 MILES LATER RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED TO FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP. MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #8011211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE BRAKES MAKE HIGH PITCHED SOUNDS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT WORN OUT, THE CONSUMER CHANGED THE 2ND SET OF BRAKES BECAUSE SHE CAN NOT TAKE THE NOISE ANYMORE.
NHTSA complaint #785684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED DRIVERS RESTRAINT DOES NOT LOCKS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8008339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKING LIGHT COMES ON DASHBOARD WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE WILL SLIDE WHEN BRAKING AND PULSATING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8002630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS: AT FIRST, THE LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS RUN, AND A SENSOR WAS REPLACED (ALL THAT WAS OVER $400). NOW THE LIGHT COMES ON (AND STAYS ON) AT 49 MPH. ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST WILL HAVE TO BE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG. AS FOR THE WINDOW: ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING WITH THE WINDOW HALFWAY DOWN. WHEN I TRIED TO ROLL IT BACK UP, IT WOULDN'T GO. IT JUST STAYED THERE, THEN STARTED SLIDING DOWN. A REPAIR SHOP FIXED IT.
NHTSA complaint #754992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE BRAKES MAKE HIGH PITCHED SOUNDS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT WORN OUT, THE CONSUMER CHANGED THE 2ND SET OF BRAKES BECAUSE SHE CAN NOT TAKE THE NOISE ANYMORE.
NHTSA complaint #785684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT A LOSS OF BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES WITH GM. THIS TIME, I MANAGED TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL AROUND AND A LARGE LOG TRUCKL MISSED ME BY INCHES. GM CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, I HAVE A VEHICLE I DON'T DARE TO DRIVE ANYMORE.
NHTSA complaint #749887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I HAVE INCONSISTANT, "INTERMITENT" LOSS OF BRAKES. 3 PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKES WILL TAKE AT FIRST, DISAPPEAR FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE RETURNS (SO FAR). THE LOSS HAPPENS IN BOTH COLD/HOT WEATHER & WET/DRY CONDITIONS WITHOUT WARNING. I AM TOLD THE CAR IS 'SAFE' TO DRIVE, ALTHOUGH I CONSIDER THIS PROBLEM 'UNSAFE'.
NHTSA complaint #746815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON JUNE 4TH, 2001 VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET, CAUSING IT TO RUN HEAD-ON INTO A TREE AFTER THE CONSUMER HAD JUST SLOWED VEHICLE DOWN TO 2 TO 5 MPH. BODY SHOP IS IN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE AND HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER. *AK INDEPENDENT ADJUSTER EXAMINED VEHICLE AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT UNDERTAKE AN EXAMINATION AS IT WOULD NOT BE COST EFFECTIVE. IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT ALWAYS TURN, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEMS, HOWEVER LUBED THE SWITCH. EXHAUST SYSTEM REPLACED. BATTERY REPLACED. STARTER REPLACED. TIMING BELT REPLACED. RADIATOR REPLACED. BRAKE PADS REPLACED, ROTORS TURNED TWICE, BRAKE SPRING KIT INSTALLED. ROAD SALT AND DEBRIS CORRODED AXLE WHOSE COVER HAS BEEN DESTROYED, NEEDS REPLACED. *SCL
NHTSA complaint #889820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WOULD BE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP WITHOUT BEING APPLIED. PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. COULD SMELL BRAKES BURNING. HAD MECHANIC LOOK AT BRAKES, AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY OVERHAULED. HAD AN ACCIDENT PREVIOUSLY WHEN BRAKES LOCKED UP. CURRENTLY, BRAKES BEING REPAIRED AGAIN AFTER BEING TEST DRIVEN & AND LOCKING UP ON MWCHANIC.
NHTSA complaint #889588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.