Total Complaints
11 filings
GEO PRIZM · model year
1998 GEO PRIZM
11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998GEOPRIZM carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 1998 PRIZM is suspension:front:stabilizer bar with 1 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (1). 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 1998 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.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES | 1 |
| CHILD SEAT | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20071107STRUCTURE:BODY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GEO PRIZM. THE ROOF HEADLINER IS DRY ROTTED, CORRODED, AND HANGING DOWN IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DOOR GASKETS ON EACH DOOR HAVE CRACKED, MELTED, AND HARDENED. THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE HAS WHITE HAZE SPOTS, WHERE THE PRIMER IS COMING THROUGH THE PAINT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES BEGAN RIGHT AFTER THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY ENDED ON THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE BLACK METALLIC PAINT. THE RECALL WAS GOOD FOR THREE YEARS AND THEN IT WAS EXTENDED TO FIVE YEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT CHEVROLET GAVE HIM THE RUN AROUND UNTIL THE SAFETY RECALL EXTENSION EXPIRED. HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE PAINTED UNDER THE RECALL, HOWEVER, THE PAINT JOB FAILED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE, IF NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.
20041028LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
ALL OF THE HANDLES INSIDE THE VEHICLE DO NOT WORK. NO ONE CAN EXIT THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HANDLES DO NOT WORK, AND ONE CANNOT OPEN THE VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE.*AK
Mileage: 96,200
20041013STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR CAUGHT THE CONSUMER ON THE HEEL TAKING PART OF HER HEEL. THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR WAS VERY SHARP. *JB
Mileage: 78,000
20031202AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER STATES WIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK *MR
Mileage: 69,000
20010822VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS TOLD BY MY TRANSMISSION/MECHANIC EXPERT THAT EVEN THOUGH CHEVROLET MADE THE PRIZM IT HAD A TOYOTA ENGINE WHICH IS WHY I BOUGHT THE CAR TO BEGIN WITH. THEN WHEN THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WENT OUT HE WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE USUSALLY THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL YOU HAVE A LOT OF MILES LIKE 200,000 MILES ON A CAR. I EXPECTED BETTER THAN THE FACT THE THIS WENT OUT ON MY CAR AND I BASICALLY HAD 55,000 MILES. *AK
20010725SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE SEAT BELT SENSOR DOES NOT ACTIVATE DASH LIGHT WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS NOT IN USE. WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS IN USE BY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT NEED TO PULL THE BELT OUT VERY FAR (I.E. SLENDER, TALL PEOPLE WHO LEAVE THE SEAT AT THE BACK OF THE TRACK), THE DASH LIGHT MISTAKENLY IS LIT.*AK
19991129CHILD SEAT
WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE HARDWARE NEEDED TO ATTACH THE TETHER TO THE CAR. THE ANCHOR NUTS APPEAR TO BE WELDED TO THE REAR SHELF OF THE CAR BUT NEITHER THE OWNERS MANUAL OR THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL HARDWARE NEEDED TO CREATE A TETHER ATTACHMENT POINT. WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO USE THE TETHER STRAP ON OUR CAR SEAT, BUT AT THIS POINT WE ARE UNABLE TO DO SO.
19990303SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
BRAKE PEDAL HEIGHT IS HIGHER THAN THE GAS PEDAL WHICH CAUSES OCCUPANT'S FOOT TO GO UNDERNEATH THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND CAUSES PEDAL MISAPPLICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19981119CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE RIGHT REAR AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
19981119SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS BECAUSE THE BRAKES LOCK UP. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
19980425SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR
VEHICLE HAS NO STABILIZER BARS. ACCORDING TO CONSUMER REPORT, TOYOTA WILL INSTALL STABILIZER BARS ON ALL PRIZMS/COROLLAS.
Compare 1998GEOPRIZM to Similar Vehicles
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 GEO PRIZM have?▼
The 1998 GEO PRIZM has 11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 GEO PRIZM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 GEO PRIZM is SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1998 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.