GEO PRIZM · model year

1993 GEO PRIZM

95 NHTSA complaints, 25 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1993GEOPRIZM carries 95 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 25 crashes, 2 fires, 24 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 1993 PRIZM is air bags:frontal with 17 filings, followed by visibility:power window devices and controls (8) and air bags (7). 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 1993 PRIZM 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.

95
Complaints
25
Crashes
2
Fires
24
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

95 filings

Crashes Reported

25 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL17
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS8
AIR BAGS7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE6
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR5
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE5
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP3
SEAT BELTS3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER2
SEATS2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM2
SUSPENSION2

Recent Complaints

20070726SERVICE 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.

Mileage: 180,000

20061205LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

1993 PRIZM HOOD UNLATCHED AND OPENED HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. *TS *JB

20060830CrashSUSPENSION

1993 CHEVROLET PRIZM WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TS THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE TURNED AROUND AND TRAVELED OFF THE ROADWAY AND INTO A DITCH. BOTH PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THEIR HEAD AND BACK. *NM

20060830CrashSTEERING

1993 CHEVROLET PRIZM WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TS THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE TURNED AROUND AND TRAVELED OFF THE ROADWAY AND INTO A DITCH. BOTH PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THEIR HEAD AND BACK. *NM

20051219AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V107000 CONCERNING THE AIR BAG SENSOR CONTROL MODULE. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUTIT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK.

Mileage: 160,000

20040616AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

PURCHASED A 1993 GEO PRIZM FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, BEFORE THE PURCHASE WE NOTED THAT THE NHTSA DESCRIBED A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE AIR BAG SENSOR MODULE. WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME OF OUR OWNERSHIP OF THIS CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL REPAIR BECAUSE MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT PART OF THE DEFECTIVE SERIES OF CARS. HOWEVER, IN REVIEWING THE NHTSA WEBSITE I FIND THAT MANY OTHERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE, AND IN ADDITION, THE 1993 TOYOTA COROLLA, WHICH THE GEO PRIZM IS ITS COUNTERPART, HAVE ALSO HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. WHAT MAKES CHEVROLET SO SURE THAT MY CAR'S AIR BAG SENSOR MODULE IS NOT DEFECTIVE? I HAVE NOT HAD A REASONABLE EXPLANATION FOR THIS PROBLEM, OTHER THAN "MY CAR'S VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH." *AK

20040305FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVER PULLED OVER, AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. *AK

20031124ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

DANGEROUS LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE LEAKING INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DUE TO CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. REPLACED CRACKED MANIFOLD TWO TIMES, THE SECOND ONE LASTED 16 MONTHS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE CARBON MONOXIDE!! EXHAUST REPAIR SHOPS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GEO PRIZM AND TOYOTA COROLLA MODELS. AT OVER $300 TO REPLACE EACH TIME, I CAN NOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING. THE MAIN CONCERN I HAVE THOUGH IS WITH THE CARBON MONOXIDE ISSUE. IS THIS BEING INVESTIGATED? *LA

Mileage: 95,000

20031018ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

WHILE DRIVING CAR HOME FROM WORK I NOTICED ENGINE NOISE GETTING LOUDER. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION THE FOLLOWING MORNING I FOUND THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED COMPLETELY INTO TWO SEPERATE PIECES.ALSO NOTICED ODOR FROM EXHAUST LEAKING INTO PASENGER COMPARTMENT.APARENTLY I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD THINK THAT EXHAUST FUMES ARE A LARGE PROBLEM FOR MY EIGHTEEN MONTH OLD SON.I WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE HAS OR IS INVESTIGATING THIS AND WHAT IF ANYTHING WAS OR WILL BE DONE ABOUT IT. *LA

20021120AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ILLUMINATED. TS

20021115AIR BAGS

WHEN DRIVING 60MPH THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ILLUMINATED. TS

20011213ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

DEAR SIR OR MADAM: I OWN A 1993 GEO PRIZM. TWICE, I HAVE HAD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPAIRED BY A WELDER BECAUSE IT WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE VEHICLE. DESPITE THE WELDER'S BEST EFFORTS, THE MANIFOLD KEEPS DEVELOPING MORE CRACKS. I WANTED TO REPLACE IT WITH A USED MANIFOLD. HOWEVER, A CALL TO SEVERAL SALVAGE YARDS REVEALED THAT IT'S VERY HARD TO OBTAIN A GOOD, USED MANIFOLD FOR THAT VEHICLE. THE REASON IS THAT SO MANY OF THE 1993 PRIZMS THAT ARE IN SALVAGE YARDS ALREADY HAVE CRACKED MANIFOLDS. IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON AMONG THAT MAKE AND MODEL. SHOULDN'T YOUR ORGANIZATION BE CONCERNED WITH WHAT MAY BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IN THESE VEHICLES? I THOUGHT SO, AND THAT'S WHY I'M WRITING, TODAY.*AK

20010828CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER STATES SHE HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT, AFTER THE INCIDENT CONSUMER LEANED OVER THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOOK AT THE BACK OF THE OTHER VEHICLE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE, AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF LOOKING, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHIN THREE INCHES OF CONSUMERS NECK, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE TO EITHER VEHICLE, HOWEVER CONSUMERS AIR BAG DEPLOYED ABOUT SEVEN SECONDS AFTER THE INCIDENT, CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. *JB

20010514SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DRIVER'S RESTRAINT DOES NOT RETRACT OUT. DEALER HAS REPLACED RETRACTOR PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT,AND PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED WITHIN 12 MONTHS.*AK

20010504AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYED ON. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS RECALL 96V107000 ON THIS FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR OF VEHICLE, HOWEVER,THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. SENSOR IN AIR BAG WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

20010321AIR BAGS

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. THERE IS A RECALL ON AIRBAGS , BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

20010117AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

RECALL 96 V 107 000/PASSIVE RESTRAINT AIR BAG: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINING ON DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND BOTH INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

20000705VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

REGULATORS FAILING, CAUSING POWER WINDOWS TO BECOME INOPERATIVES. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND SHARE IN HALF THE COST ON THE 1ST. INCIDENT(DRIVER SIDE); 2ND INCIDENT(PASSENGER SIDE); CONDITION REOCCUR AGAIN, AND INFORMED TO CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE.*AK

20000623ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

THE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DESIGN DEFECT FOR THE SECOND TIME AT THE SAME PLACE. I HAVE OWNED SEVEREAL VEHICLES DURING MY LIFE AND THIS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS HAD A CRACKED MANIFOLD. THE FIRST TIME IT BROKE IT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE SECOND TIME THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE IT BECAUSE OUT OF WARRANTY. ESITMATED COST TO REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE PART OVER $300.00. *AK

20000309AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR A YEAR . CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Compare 1993GEOPRIZM to Similar Vehicles

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1993 GEO PRIZM have?
The 1993 GEO PRIZM has 95 NHTSA complaints, 25 crashes, 2 fires, 24 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 GEO PRIZM?
The most-complained component for the 1993 GEO PRIZM is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 17 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS and AIR BAGS.
Is the 1993 GEO PRIZM 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.