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1990 Geo Prizm

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Geo Prizm do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 46.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 1 of 37 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.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

What owners actually said

37 reports
125,500 miles · Jun 2, 2006
Seat Belts

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THE SEAT BELT IS USED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED; THE SEAT BELT COULD NO LONGER BE REPLACED DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PARTS. TH…

Read full complaint

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THE SEAT BELT IS USED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED; THE SEAT BELT COULD NO LONGER BE REPLACED DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PARTS. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET PARTS AVAILABLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER DID FIND A PART, NO ONE WAS WILLING TO INSTALL THE LAP BELT FOR FEAR OF LIABILITY. UPDATED 05/30/06. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10158868

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #760518

Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 1999
Tires

GENERAL TIRES UPC 20111G165-80R18, SIZE 165-80-13. CONSUMER PURCHASED TIRES ON 02/29/96. WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, TIRES FELL APART. WIRES/ RUBBER CAME OUT. DAMAGE DONE TO FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, AND COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES AT OWN EXPENSE. AK

NHTSA ODI #836371

Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

NONE

NHTSA ODI #700073

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 1998
Seat Belts

SEAT BELTS COME APART.

NHTSA ODI #541576

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 1998
Suspension

DOOR HANDLES MALFUNCTIONED. GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE. REAR STRUTS WE WORN IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. DEALER REFUSED TO STAND BY WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #540282

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 1998
Power Train

CV JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826525

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 1998
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LURCHED INTO A STOP. THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. MECHANIC INFORMED OWNER THAT THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #825132

Mileage unknown · May 26, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainStructure

FRAME MISALIGNED CAUSING DAMAGE TO TIRES.

NHTSA ODI #536032

Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 1998
Structure

ALL OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE IN VEHICLE HAVE BROKEN.

NHTSA ODI #528864

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.