FaultScore

GEO Prizm transmission problems

37 of the 795 complaints filed about the GEO Prizm are about the transmission — 5% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1994.

37

Complaints

5%

Share of all complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year

1990 Prizm 7 18.9%
1991 Prizm 2 5.4%
1992 Prizm 5 13.5%
1993 Prizm 1 2.7%
1994 Prizm 9 24.3%
1995 Prizm 6 16.2%

Median failure at 84,000 miles

1996 Prizm 3 8.1%
1997 Prizm 2 5.4%
1999 Prizm 1 2.7%
2001 Prizm 1 2.7%

What owners said

1995 GEO Prizm at 84,000 miles Colorado Springs, CO Crash 1 injured

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 GEO PRIZM. WHILE DRIVING 50- 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SUDDEN BANG. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT MOMENTARILY, AND THEN BACK TO THE RIGHT. HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE SIDEWALL ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE SPUN APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES AND STOPPED MOVING SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE POLICE STORAGE COMPOUND. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRASH WAS CAUSED BY A FAILED AXLE. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 84,000. REMAILED 05/07/08. *LJ UPDATED 06/09/08 *BF AN INVESTIGATION WAS DONE. UPDATED06/09/08

NHTSA complaint #10220353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 GEO Prizm Ephrata, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SOMETIMES KEY WON'T TURN IN IGNITION, AND STEERING WHEEL WONT MOVE AND GEAR SHIFT WON'T MOVE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8018845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 GEO Prizm Wildomar, CA

POWER TRAIN

I GOT A REPORT FROM CARFAX AND FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR I BOUGHT TWO YEARS AGO HAD OVER 37,000 MORE MILES ON IT .THE DEALER SOLD ME THIS CAR KNOWING THAT THE ODOMETER HAD BEEN ROLLED BACK.BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS AGO,DO I STILL HAVE ANY RIGHTS?.

NHTSA complaint #765803 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 GEO Prizm Canoga Park, CA

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THE TRANSMISSION IS A MANUAL TRANSMISION. ONCE AWHILE, WHEN THE GEAR IS SHIFT TO REAR GEAR WHILE THE CAR IS IN COMPLETE STOPPED. THE CAR MOVE FORWARD INSTEAD BACKWARD. IT HAPPEN MANY TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED NEW 10 MONTHS AGO.

NHTSA complaint #763304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 GEO Prizm Trenton, NJ

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

THE RIGHT AND LEFT CV JOINT BROKE FAILED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #784609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 GEO Prizm Waycross, GA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I WAS ON MY WAY TO A FRIENDS HOUSE AND ON THE WAY I STOPPED FOR GAS AND AFTER I GOT BACK ON THE ROAD I HEARD A LOUD NOISE. ABOUT 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR LOCKED UP ON ME. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR SLAMMED ON BRAKES AND I COULDN'T CONTROL THE CAR. MY FATHER HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A PLACE WHERE THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE CHECKED. THEY PUT A TRANSMISSION IN THE CAR. I GOT THE CAR BACK AND IT WAS RUNNING PRETTY GOOD BUT AFTER A WEEK OR SO THE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES. MY DAD TOOK MY CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND ON HIS WAY HOME ,THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS JUST PUT IN THE CAR LOCKED UP ON HIM. I DID NOT FILL OUT THE DEALER INFORMATION BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE OWNER. THE PREVIOUS OWNER BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #720146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 GEO Prizm Waycross, GA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I WAS ON MY WAY TO A FRIENDS HOUSE AND ON THE WAY I STOPPED FOR GAS AND AFTER I GOT BACK ON THE ROAD I HEARD A LOUD NOISE. ABOUT 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR LOCKED UP ON ME. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR SLAMMED ON BRAKES AND I COULDN'T CONTROL THE CAR. MY FATHER HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A PLACE WHERE THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE CHECKED. THEY PUT A TRANSMISSION IN THE CAR. I GOT THE CAR BACK AND IT WAS RUNNING PRETTY GOOD BUT AFTER A WEEK OR SO THE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES. MY DAD TOOK MY CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND ON HIS WAY HOME ,THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS JUST PUT IN THE CAR LOCKED UP ON HIM. I DID NOT FILL OUT THE DEALER INFORMATION BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE OWNER. THE PREVIOUS OWNER BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #720146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 GEO Prizm Saint Louis, MO

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH DRIVESHAFT COMMENCED TO LOCK UP, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER , AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMSSION GEAR WAS CHEWED UP. ALSO, INTERNAL OIL SEAL FINL DRIVE IN TRANSAXLE FAILED, FORCING LUBE INTO OTHER HALF OF FRONT TRRANSAXLE.

NHTSA complaint #857843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 GEO Prizm Saint Louis, MO

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH DRIVESHAFT COMMENCED TO LOCK UP, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER , AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMSSION GEAR WAS CHEWED UP. ALSO, INTERNAL OIL SEAL FINL DRIVE IN TRANSAXLE FAILED, FORCING LUBE INTO OTHER HALF OF FRONT TRRANSAXLE.

NHTSA complaint #857843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 GEO Prizm Saint Louis, MO

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH DRIVESHAFT COMMENCED TO LOCK UP, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER , AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMSSION GEAR WAS CHEWED UP. ALSO, INTERNAL OIL SEAL FINL DRIVE IN TRANSAXLE FAILED, FORCING LUBE INTO OTHER HALF OF FRONT TRRANSAXLE.

NHTSA complaint #857843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1991 GEO Prizm Charleston, WV

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR, AND VEHICLE HESITATES AND MAKES LOUD NOISES.

NHTSA complaint #848503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 GEO Prizm LOS Angele, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION SEAL LEAKED. YH

NHTSA complaint #549763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 GEO Prizm Lancaster, PA

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

CLUTCH FAILED DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE PUSHROD DURING MANUFACTURING, CAUSING PRESSURE ON THE PLATE. YH

NHTSA complaint #549748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 GEO Prizm Houston, TX

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FELL OFF EVERY TIME VEHICLE WAS GOING OVER A BUMP WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL. IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #846791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 GEO Prizm Berkeley, CA

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

A VEHICLE 22 MONTHS OLD WITH LESS THAN 17,000 MILES USED IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS BY A DRIVER OF MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR 40 YEARS SHOULD NOT HAVE A CLUTCH FAILURE AND NEED

NHTSA complaint #708287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 GEO Prizm Scarsdale, NY

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

LARGE CLAMP NOT FASTENED PROPERLY FROM FACTORY CAUSING CV BOOT TO LEAK GREASE.

NHTSA complaint #543001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 GEO Prizm Riverside, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #536957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 GEO Prizm Penfield, NY

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FELL OUT DUE TO CORROSION OF THE BOLTS.

NHTSA complaint #536032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 GEO Prizm Salem, OR

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

TRANSMISSION BEARING FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #536000 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 GEO Prizm Brownsville, TX

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

CV JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE NOISE.

NHTSA complaint #826525 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other GEO Prizm problems