1997 Geo Metro

CAR CAUGHT FIRE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER MAKING A BACKFIRE NOISE. HAD MY CHILDREN BEEN IN THE CAR IN THEIR CAR SEATS, THEY WOULD HAVE BURNED TO DEATH. THE CAR BURNED SO FAST MY WIFE ONLY HAD TIME TO SLAM IT IN PARK AND JUMP OUT. SHE DID NOT EVEN HAVE TIME TO PULL IT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT MELTED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY.

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.

WHILE PARKED AND LEFT IN GEAR CAR ROLLS EVEN ON SLIGHT INCLINE. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER WHAT GEAR CAR IS LEFT IN. IN THE REVERSE GEAR CAR MAKES SMALL JUMPS, HAVE TO MAKE SURE PARKING BRAKE IS SET EVEN IN FREEZING TEMPS. I COMPLAINED TO DEALER THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE AT THE 1000 MILE CHECKUP BUT WAS TOLD THEY HAD CHECKED IT OUT AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE GEARS NOT HOLDING AND WAS TOLD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I REALIZE YOU HAVE TO BE SAFE ON A HILL AND SET THE BRAKE BUT SEEMS THE GEARS SHOULD HOLD THE CAR ON APPROX. A 1-2% GRADE. I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE GEO METRO.