IllustrationSEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED DURING IMPACT RESULTING IN HEAD,NECK,SHOULDER, HIP AND KNEE INJURY. NOT AIR BAG COMPLAINT (E.G., SEAT BELT, TRAILER SUSPENSION AIR BAG, ETC.,). ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *AK
1996 Geo Metro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Geo Metro do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 36.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Metro years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 88 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports5 fire reports18 injury reports
What owners actually said
88 reportsIDLE CONTROL MOTOR FAILED CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION DUE TO STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
HAD GOODYEAR TIRES CHANGED AT 8,000 MILES DUE TO BROKEN BELTS. HAD TO CHANGE THEM AGAIN AT 23,000 DUE TO BELTS BREAKING. ALSO WHEELS WERE CHOPPING. *AK.
I HAVE ALREADY SENT IN A FORM BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED SINCE BY NEITHER YOURSELVES NOR THE MANUFACTURES OF THE VEHICLE. I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITH A PERFECT, HEADLIGHT TO HEADLIGHT, FRONT END COLLISION. MY FIRST THROUGHT IS THAT THE THINGS JUST DON'T WORK OR THAT THE AIRBAG IMPRINTS ARE JUST…
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I HAVE ALREADY SENT IN A FORM BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED SINCE BY NEITHER YOURSELVES NOR THE MANUFACTURES OF THE VEHICLE. I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITH A PERFECT, HEADLIGHT TO HEADLIGHT, FRONT END COLLISION. MY FIRST THROUGHT IS THAT THE THINGS JUST DON'T WORK OR THAT THE AIRBAG IMPRINTS ARE JUST FOR LOOKS. THE OUTO BODY SHOP AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP COULD NOT EVEN SHOW ME THE SENSOR ON THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. THE OWNERS MANUAL SHOWS WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE BUT ITS NOT THERE, WHY?? ALL HELP ON THIS MATTER WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
HAZARD LAMPS FAILED.
VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER & ODOMETER NOT WORKING CORRECTLY DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING OF COMPUTER CHIP. WOULD REGISTER A DIFFERENT SPEED OR MILEAGE. ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER REPLACED ODOMETER/SPEEDOMETER, BUT NOT COMPUTER CHIP COMPONENT. *AK
STEERING COLUMN LOCK DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY.
VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PRPOERLY. OWNER HAS CHECKED THE BULBS, WIRING AND THE FUSES . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER BEGAN SMELLING EXHAUST FUMES WHENEVER RPM'S ARE UP OR AT SPEED OF (55MPH AND OVER ). DEALERSHIP HAD VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, WHENEVER DEALER HAD VEHICLE ON THE ROAD THEY WOULD FIND SMELL OF EXHAUST, BUT WHEN THEY TAKE VEHICLE BACK TO GARAGE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. DEALER WILL NOT WORK ON VEHICLE AT THIS POINT. *…
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CONSUMER BEGAN SMELLING EXHAUST FUMES WHENEVER RPM'S ARE UP OR AT SPEED OF (55MPH AND OVER ). DEALERSHIP HAD VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, WHENEVER DEALER HAD VEHICLE ON THE ROAD THEY WOULD FIND SMELL OF EXHAUST, BUT WHEN THEY TAKE VEHICLE BACK TO GARAGE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. DEALER WILL NOT WORK ON VEHICLE AT THIS POINT. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 25 MPH, APRROACHING RED LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH CONSUMER VEHICLE WHICH WAS RUNNING AT APPROX ABOVE 30 MPH. HIT HEAD ON, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO FRONT END. DROVE VEHICLE 15 FEET AFTER IMPACT , NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED,CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES IN CHEST AREA/NECK/RIGHT SHOULDER. HAD S…
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CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 25 MPH, APRROACHING RED LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH CONSUMER VEHICLE WHICH WAS RUNNING AT APPROX ABOVE 30 MPH. HIT HEAD ON, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO FRONT END. DROVE VEHICLE 15 FEET AFTER IMPACT , NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED,CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES IN CHEST AREA/NECK/RIGHT SHOULDER. HAD SEATBELT ON. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.