GEO PRIZM · model year

1996 GEO PRIZM

68 NHTSA complaints, 27 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996GEOPRIZM carries 68 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 27 crashes, 2 fires, 29 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 1996 PRIZM is air bags:frontal with 20 filings, followed by seat belts (4) and seat belts:front:retractor (4). 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 1996 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.

68
Complaints
27
Crashes
2
Fires
29
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

68 filings

Crashes Reported

27 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:FRONTAL20
SEAT BELTS4
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE3
WHEELS2
AIR BAGS2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL2
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER2
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY1
STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER1

Recent Complaints

20190401AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GEO PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG AND FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG ABRUPTLY DEPLOYED WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURN INJURIES TO BOTH ARMS AND CHEST. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 228,194.

Mileage: 228,194

20160705SUSPENSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GEO PRIZM. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO OR THREE TIMES PER DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, AT 40,000 MILES, THE TIRES BECAME WORN OUT WITHIN 10,000 MILES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,140.

Mileage: 55,140

20160705STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GEO PRIZM. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO OR THREE TIMES PER DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, AT 40,000 MILES, THE TIRES BECAME WORN OUT WITHIN 10,000 MILES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,140.

Mileage: 55,140

20050715LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

THREE OF MY DOORS ON MY 1996 GEO PRIZM LOCKS HAVE FAILED, SHUTTING THE DOORS PERMANENTLY. I HAVE ONLY ONE DOOR TO GET IN/OUT OF MY CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER GEO OWNERS AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE TO SE IF I CAN FIND A SHOP TO GET THE DOORS UNLOCKED SO I NO LONGER HAVE TO CLIMB OVER THE SEAT TO GET IN TO DRIVE. HEAVEN HELP ME IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT.

20040902TIRES:TREAD/BELT

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING. *MR THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT A PULL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *SC (DAYTON TIRE). *JB

20040604SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

REAR SEAT BELTS WOULD UNLOCK FROM THE BUCKLE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 109,132

20040601SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE SEAT BELTS LOCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION THEY ARE UNABLE TO BE USED. THIS USUALLY STARTS WITH THEM STICKING WHEN YOU TRY TO PULL THEM DOWN TO BUCKLE. I HAVE TWO GEO PRIZMS A 1996 AND A 1997 THEY BOTH HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME.*AK

20040422UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY REAR WINDOW LITERALLY SHATTERED TODAY (JUNE 5, 2003) WHILE I WAS A WORK THE CAR WAS PARKED THE TWO FRONT SIDE WINDOWS WHERE ROLLED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 INCHES THE TEMPERATURE HERE TODAY REACHED ONLY 71 DEGREES WITH A SLIGHT WIND AND IT WAS OVERCAST SO IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY HOT YET IT SHATTERED HAVE YOU HAD ANY SIMULAR REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING

20040225SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT BUCKLE. THE BELT DOES NOT COME OUT OF HOLDER. *AK

20021129SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RAR SEAT BELTS.DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THE CALL. PH

20021017FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEALER NOTIFIED. TS *NLM

20020911CrashTIRES

WHILE DRIVING REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE CAME COMPLETELY OFF OF AXLE. DRIVER LOST CONTROL , RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. *AK

20020911CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

IN AN ACCIDENT VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO DRIVER.*AK

20020821POWER 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?. *AK

20020723CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND IT HIT DRIVERS SIDE OF OTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20020620SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE DRIVERS SEATBEALT COMPLETLY UNWOUND WHILE BUCKLED AND WILL NOT RETRACT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT PULL OUT EASILY. IN ORDER TO GET IT BUCKLED IT MUST BE TUGGED CONTINUOSLY MOVING A QUARTER INCH AT A TIME.*AK

20020509SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR SHOULDER BELT WOULD TIGTHEN DOWN ON USERS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED SEAT BELT SYSTEM. AT PRESENT MILEAGE OF 71,000 MILES PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20020509SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

REAR LAP SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE, BELT WILL NOT LATCH. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20020425CrashSEATS

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE, AND CONSUMER ENDED UP IN BACK SEAT OF VEHICLE.*AK

20010712VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THIS RESULTS IN INOPERATIVEWINDSHIELD WIPERS WHICH REDUCE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASES RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST BECAUSE PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, AND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

Compare 1996GEOPRIZM to Similar Vehicles

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 GEO PRIZM have?
The 1996 GEO PRIZM has 68 NHTSA complaints, 27 crashes, 2 fires, 29 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GEO PRIZM?
The most-complained component for the 1996 GEO PRIZM is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 20 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1996 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.