IllustrationAT 35-40MPH AND WITH NO WARNING, ENGINE STALLED, COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CONNECTOR AT THE FUEL INJECTOR, THE CONNECTORS CONTACT HAD SLIGHTLY OPENED, CONSUMER CLOSED SOME OF THE CONTACTS AND NOW THE ENGINE RUNS WELL. *SLC
1997 Geo Metro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 4 of 63 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
5 reportsVEHICLE STALLS WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE SOMETIMES DOES NOT START. SOMETIMES GOES AWAY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THEN COMES BACK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER TUNED UP VEHICLE TO FIX PROBLEM. BUT, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK THE MANUFACTURER HAD AGREED TO REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTION HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. *YH
FUEL GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN FUEL TANK IS ONLY HALF TO LESS THAN HALF EMPTY. FRIGHTNIG WHEN TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES AND NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE FUEL TO GET TO THE NEXT GAS STATION. *AK
CONTINUALLY WON'T START - DOESN'T GET GAS (IT IS NOT THE STARTER) TURNS OVER BUT NO GAS.*AK
CAR WOULD NOT REACH SAFE STARTING SPEED.IT WOULD NOT ACHIVE ANY POWER EVEN WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL. THIS WAS A OPERATING HAZARD WHEN IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE FIXED THEY SAID IT WAS MY FAULT THE CAR WAS NOT WORKING RIGHT THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A MAINTAINANCE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM I …
Read full complaint
CAR WOULD NOT REACH SAFE STARTING SPEED.IT WOULD NOT ACHIVE ANY POWER EVEN WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL. THIS WAS A OPERATING HAZARD WHEN IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE FIXED THEY SAID IT WAS MY FAULT THE CAR WAS NOT WORKING RIGHT THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A MAINTAINANCE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM I HAD A MAJOR TUNE UP DONE.THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER,THAT CAUSED THE CATALITIC COVERTOR TO FAIL. THEY ALSO AJUSTED THE TIMMING BELT.THIS REPAIR WAS COVERED BY MY EXTENDED WARANTY.THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE IT WAS MY FAULT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST OF THE RENTAL CAR.SO I PAID FOR THE REPAIR $ 50.00 PLUS THE COST OF THE RENTAL FOR THREE DAYS.ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER I TURNED ON MY AIR CONDITIONING THEN I WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED NO SPEED EVEN WITH MY FOOT FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL.THEN I STALLED IN TRAFFIC.ISHUT OFF MOTOR THEN TRIED TO RESTART IT FAILED.THEN I SHUT OFF A/C THEN TRIED TO START AGAIN IT STARTED.I TOOK IN MY CAR AGAIN THEY LOOKED AT IT FOR TWO DAYS SAID IT WAS THE TIMING AND THEY AJUSTED IT FOR FREE.THE CAR WORKED APROX TWO WEEKES AFTER THAT THEN THE SAME PROBEM HAPPENED AGAIN WITHOUT THE A/C ON IT WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET TO A SAFE STARTING SPEED.I WENT HOME WITH MY CAR AND TO SEE IF MY CAR WOULD STALL AGAIN I PUT ON THE A/C IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND WENT FOWARD ABOUT FIVE FEET,TAKING OF TO ABOUT 15MPH TOOK 10 TO 15 SECONDS THEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE WITH A/C ON AND IT MOVED BACK FROM GRAVITY EVEN WITH ME FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL I HAD NO SPEED AT ALL.SO I PUT ON THE BRAKES AND THE ENGINE STALLED.I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AGAIN.I HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP FOR TWO DAYS WITH NO CALL BACK.SO I CALLED THEM AND TALKED ,TO MIKE ATKINS.HE SAID HE DIDNT KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY SO I WOULD NEED T///// IF YOU ARE READING THIS I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP FOR OVER TWO WEEKS WITH LOTS OF QUESTIONS NO REAL ANSWERS E- MAIL ME FOR THE REST OF MY STORY THANKS.
Official recalls
198V225001 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:park/neutral Start Interlock Switch
Sep 21, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE. THE SHIFT LEVER APPEARS TO BE IN "PARK," BUT CAN EASILY BE MOVED FROM THE "PARK" POSITION WITHOUT THE USE OF THE KEY, TRANSAXLE LEVER DETENT BUTTON, OR DEPRESSING THE BRAKE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SHIFT LEVER WERE TO COME OUT OF "PARK" WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A NON-LEVEL SURFACE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED, OWNERS ARE ADVISED WHEN SHIFTING TO "PARK," ALWAYS APPLY THE PARK BRAKE BEFORE RELEASING THE SERVICE BRAKE.
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.