IllustrationTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GEO PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CARBON MONOXIDE WAS PRESENT BECAUSE THE MANIFOLD HAD BEEN FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 190,000.
1991 Geo Prizm
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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
Compare all Prizm 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: 3 of 46 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.
- Structure. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. 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.
3 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
10 reportsJAN/01 - DISCOVERED CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WAS TOLD BY SALVAGE YARD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GEOS AND THEY CAN'T KEEP MANIFOLDS IN STOCK BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY. NEW MANIFOLD INSTALLED TO REPLACE CRACKED ONE. THE NEW ONE CRACKED APPROX. 1-2 MONTHS LATER.*AK
EXHUAST MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES TO LEAK INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
RIGHT REAR WINDOW IS VERY HARD TO ROLL UP OR DOWN. YH
EXHAUST MANIFOLD.
EHAUST FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE RESULTED FROM A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.
UPON DRIVING THE VEHICLE THERE IS A VERY LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH HAS A CRACK, CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE MANIFOLD. PLASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. *AW
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THAT GOES BACK TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS CRACKED THIS IS THE SECOND OWNER. TT
EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED IN TWO PLACES. *SKD
Official recalls
190V191000 · Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Nov 9, 1990
LUG NUTS THAT RETAIN WHEELS AND WHEEL COVERS MAY HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO LOWER THAN RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INSUFFICIENT CLAMPING OF LUG NUTS RETAINING THE WHEELCOVER AND WHEEL COULD RESULT IN A LOOSE WHEEL THAT COULD FALL OFF WITH POTENTIALFOR LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REMOVE ORIGINAL WHEEL COVER, TORQUE LUG TO SPECIFICATION, AND INSTALL FULL WHEEL COVERS THAT ARE RETAINED BY SPRING CLIPS.
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.