GEO METRO · model year

1990 GEO METRO

45 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1990GEOMETRO carries 45 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1990 METRO is latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch with 13 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (6) and seat belts:front:retractor (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

No open NHTSA investigation overlaps the 1990 METRO in the current dataset. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

45
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

45 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH13
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE2
INTERIOR LIGHTING2
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK1
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT1
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR1

Recent Complaints

20030326SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

INQUIRING ABOUT WHETHER RECALL # 95V103007 IS AN ACTUAL RECALL .

20011005LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

THE DOOR LATCH HANDLES STAY UP WHEN OPENED. I HAVE 2 DOOR HANDLES DOING THIS, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE & REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPENEN THE HANDLES STAY UP AND WHEN THE DOOR IS PULLED SHUT THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH. THE WINDOW HAS TO BE ROLLED DOWN AND THE HANDLE PUSHED DOWN TO LATCH DOOR. NOTE: THIS IS NOT A POOR LUBRICATION PROBLEM. IT MAY IMPROVE SLIGHTLY, BUT ONLY TEMPRORARILY. IF THE PASSENGER THINKS THE DOOR IS LATCHED IT WILL OPEN SUDDENLY WHEN THE VEHICLE TURNS RISKING FALL OUT OF PASSENGER OR PROPERTY OR PERSONAL INJURY LIABILITY FROM THE DOOR SWINGING OPEN.

20000501ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE IS BURNING OIL WHILE DRIVING, AND SMOKE COMES OUT REALLY BADLY. DRIVER CAN'T SEE TRAFFIC BEHIND HER. CONSUMER FEELS UNSAFE. *AK

20000301STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT 75 MPH, LATCH ON THE HOOD ON DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE, CAUSING THE HOOD TO FLY UP AND BREAK WINDSHIELD. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SHOULDER SAFELY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. HOOD AND WINDSHIELD HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE HOOD LATCH YEARS AGO, BUT IS UNSURE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS DONE. *AK *ML

19990929EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE DASH LIGHTS CAME BACK ON BUT THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

19990929INTERIOR LIGHTING

THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE DASH LIGHTS CAME BACK ON BUT THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

19990729LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

HOOD LATCH STRIKER BROKE AFTER TWO YEARS. *AK

19990629SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DEALER HAS NOT HONORED NHTSA RECALL 95V-103.007/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 91C-52, CONCENING SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE SINCE AUGUST 10, 1997 UP TO THE PRESENT. CONSUMER HAS BEEN TOLD ON SERVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE KIT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, OR THEY WOULD CONTACT CONSUMER WHEN IT ARRIVED, NEED NHTSA'S HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

19990620LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

IT'S BEEN 1 MONTH SINCE CONTACTING THE DEALER CONCERNING HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY RECALL. HOOD LATCH IS BROKEN SO BADLY THAT THE ENTIRE HOOD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER IS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. I'VE CALLED THEM 3 TIMES ALREADY THIS WEEK. THE DEALER IS SAYING THAT THEY NEED APPROVAL TO REPAIR IT AND THAT THE MAIN OFFICE IS CHECKING TO SEE IF RECALL IS STILL IN EFFECT. I'VE BEEN HAVING TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR A MONTH FEARING THAT THE HOOD WILL FLY UP AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

19980831ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

EXCESSIVE CO EMMISSIONS. A TSB WAS ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM.

19980805SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELT RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED.

19971113LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE HOOD LATCH RELEASED, CAUSING THE HOOD TO GO IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION WHICH CAUSED NO VISIBILITY AND A BROKEN WINDSHIELD. *AK *SLC

19971002SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

RECEIVED NOTICE (395V10300). CALLED DEALER & SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. TOOK VEHICLE IN. DEALER HAD VEHICLE FOR OVER 2 HOURS BEFORE INFORMING OWNER THEY HAD NO PARTS FOR VEHICLE. WOULD HAVE TO GET PARTS FROM ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, IF THEY HAVE ANY. NOT SATISFIED. *AK

19970707SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOESN'T RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. *AK

19970228LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

STRUCTURE OF THE HOOD ASSEMBLY LATCH RECALL NUMBER 93V189001, CONSUMER HAD THE WORK CORRECTED IN APRILOF 95 AND ON FEB 27, 1997 WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE HOOD FLEW UP. *AK

19970128CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

HEAD REST FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER SUPPORT IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING HEAD INJURY.

19961029LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

HOOD LATCH BROKE, CAUSING HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING, PRIOR TO RECALL.

19961021CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT ACCIDENT AT 25 MPH, FRONT SEAT BELT FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE UPON IMPACT.*AK

19960923INTERIOR LIGHTING

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON. *DH

19960923VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STRIPPING TRIM BENT SO THAT WINDOW WILL NOT SEAL, CAUSING A LEAK. *DH

Compare 1990GEOMETRO to Similar Vehicles

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1990 GEO METRO have?
The 1990 GEO METRO has 45 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 GEO METRO?
The most-complained component for the 1990 GEO METRO is LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1990 GEO METRO safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.