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1994 Geo Prizm

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Prizm years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Geo Prizm are substantially higher than 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: 12 of 134 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

38 crash reports6 fire reports34 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

50 reports
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23,902 miles · Mar 18, 2009
Air BagsFireInjury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GEO PRIZM. ON FEBRUARY 19, 2009, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS TURNING THE VEHICLE. SHE SUFFERED SECOND DEGREE BURNS ON HER NECK, CHEST, AND FACE. IN ADDITION, HER NOSE AND FINGER WERE SWOLLEN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A MANUFA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GEO PRIZM. ON FEBRUARY 19, 2009, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS TURNING THE VEHICLE. SHE SUFFERED SECOND DEGREE BURNS ON HER NECK, CHEST, AND FACE. IN ADDITION, HER NOSE AND FINGER WERE SWOLLEN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND WOULD LIKE THE ISSUE INVESTIGATED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,902.

NHTSA ODI #10262377

238,975 miles · Feb 18, 2009
Air BagsInjury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GEO PRIZM. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAGS IMMEDIATELY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND CUTS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HER FACE. HER FACE WAS SWOLLEN AND SHE COMPLAINED OF A SEVERE BURN-LIKE INJURY TO HER CHEST AREA. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN N…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GEO PRIZM. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAGS IMMEDIATELY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND CUTS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HER FACE. HER FACE WAS SWOLLEN AND SHE COMPLAINED OF A SEVERE BURN-LIKE INJURY TO HER CHEST AREA. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 238,975.

NHTSA ODI #10259235

125,000 miles · Jun 4, 2004
Air BagsInjury

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. AS A RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK LACERATIONS, AND TEMPORARY LOSS OF HEARING IN THE LEFT EAR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10075684

100,000 miles · Oct 15, 2003
Air BagsInjury

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. DRIVER SUSTAINED BURN ING FACE INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10043976

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2003
Air BagsSeat Belts

NEVER INFORMED OF RECALLS FOR AIR BAG LIGHT AND DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. FOUND RECALLS ON NHTSA WEBSITE. NOTIFIED GM, WAITING ON RESPONSE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10025614

135,000 miles · Jun 13, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE AIR BAG HAD A DELAY DEPLOYMENT UPON IMPACT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10024012

115,000 miles · Feb 18, 2003
Air Bags

MY CONCERN ARISES FROM HAVING PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAG SENSOR. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR HAD DAMAGED DUE TO A SPILL ON THE CONSOLE BOX AREA WHERE THE SENSOR IS LOCATED. I THEN LOOKED INTO THIS FURTHER BY GOING ON LINE TO NHTSA AND WAS INFORMED OF A RE…

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MY CONCERN ARISES FROM HAVING PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAG SENSOR. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR HAD DAMAGED DUE TO A SPILL ON THE CONSOLE BOX AREA WHERE THE SENSOR IS LOCATED. I THEN LOOKED INTO THIS FURTHER BY GOING ON LINE TO NHTSA AND WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL ON MY 1994 GEO PRISM VIN#1Y1SK5364RZ0763 FOR THE SAME SENSOR. IT ALSO LISTED HOW THE DAMAGED WOULD BE CAUSED WORD BY WORD TO WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER WAS THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. THE RECALL LISTED CAMPAIGN #96V107000; I THEN CONTACTED CHEVROLET IN ORDER TO GET MORE INFORMATION. I WAS TOLD BY A REPRESENTATIVE, THAT MY CAR VIN# DID NOT COME UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. I FIND IT VERY ODD THAT THIS WOULD BE THE CASE. SINCE WHAT DEALER DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR SENSOR TO MATCHING WORD TO WORD WITH THE SUMMARY LISTED IN NHTSA RECALL NOTICE SUMMARY. I HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS SITUATION. SINCERELY, NORA

NHTSA ODI #10007743

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2002
Air BagsInjury

CONSUMER STATES WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A STOP THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. CONSUMERS FACE WAS INJURED BY THE AIRBAG. *JB.*JG

NHTSA ODI #8010775

Mileage unknown · May 15, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE DIVIDER ON HIGHWAY AT 80 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUFFERED BRUISED RIBS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK *YH

NHTSA ODI #8009886

Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2001
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT AT 55 MPH VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER IN FRONT, AND NONE OF AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 50 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND NONE OF AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER IMFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #890475

Official recalls

1

96V107000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Jun 20, 1996

IF LIQUID IS SPILLED IN THE CONSOLE BOX AREA, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAN ILLUMINATE AND STAY "ON" DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS LEAKAGE CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE AIR BAG SENSOR TO PREVENT POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION CAUSED BY THE SPILLING OF LIQUID SUBSTANCES ON THE SENSOR. AIR BAG SENSORS DAMAGED BY PREVIOUS LIQUID SPILLAGE WILL BE REPLACED.

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

1

EA97015 · Turn Signal Failures

Opened Jul 22, 1997 · Closed Sep 21, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

There is no summary currently available