IllustrationCONSUMER WAS IN A COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT OWNER AND WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF. CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES WITH BOTH FEET, AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SURGE FORWARD. CONSUMER EVENTUALLY GOT THE VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
7 reportsTHE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT MARK CHRISTOPHER CHEV. IN ONTARIO, CA IN THE BEGINNING AND NOW ALL BRAKE REPAIRS SINCE 8-31-98 HAVE BEEN DONE THROUGH PEP BOYS IN RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA. NOBODY CAN SEEM TO TELL ME WHY THE BRAKES ARE WEARING OUT AS FAST AS THEY ARE (BESIDES LAYING THE BLAME ON EACH OTHER). I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NEW NO…
Read full complaint
THE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT MARK CHRISTOPHER CHEV. IN ONTARIO, CA IN THE BEGINNING AND NOW ALL BRAKE REPAIRS SINCE 8-31-98 HAVE BEEN DONE THROUGH PEP BOYS IN RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA. NOBODY CAN SEEM TO TELL ME WHY THE BRAKES ARE WEARING OUT AS FAST AS THEY ARE (BESIDES LAYING THE BLAME ON EACH OTHER). I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NEW NOV. 1996 AND I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPAIRED 6 TIMES, GOING ON THE SEVENTH TIME ON AUGUST 19, 2000. THE LAST TWO HAVE BEEN SINCE AUGUST OF 1999 AND APRIL OF 2000. I PLACED A CALL TO MARK CHRISTOPHER TODAY AT 909-390-2900 TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE REGARDING THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THEY TOLD ME NO. PLEASE CONTACT ME REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, THANK YOU.
THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. YH
OWNER'S MANUEL STATES IF FLASHING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN STARTING, VEHICLE HAS ABS BRAKES. ALSO, CONSUMER HAS CHECKED VEHICLE , AND THERE'S NO MAIN FUSE OR RELAY IN FUSE PANELS. *AK
WHILE PULLING OUT FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT 5MPH BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKED UP WITHOUT BEING APPLIED. SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE BRAKE ROTORS. BRAKE SYSTEM CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY ITSELF. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
AT TIME OF SALE ALL OF THE GOODYEAR TIRES WERE WORN OUT.
THE VEHICLE'S DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM MAKES A NOISY SOUND AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM HAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACE CALIPER. BEEN IN SHOP 3 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
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.