IllustrationCONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT AIRBAGS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD FOR SHORT PEOPLE.
1995 Geo Prizm
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 4 of 96 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 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 20 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.
26 crash reports1 fire reports22 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
31 reportsWHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, BROADSIDED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DEPLOYMENT FROM THE AIR BAGS CAUSED DRIVER TO SUFFER BURNS ON RIGHT SIDE OF FACE/DAMAGE TO JAW JOINT AND LOSS OF HEARING. *AK
VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT A TREE, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK. THE DRIVER WAS HURT BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HER IN THE SEAT. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 30MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
VIOLENT DWPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG, RESULTING IN ARM INJURY PRIOR TO RECALL (96V-107). *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO COMPLETE CYCLE, LEAVING DRIVER UNABLE TO SEE THROUGH WINDSHIELD.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, WASN'T IN AND ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40MPH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, VEHICLE WENT INTO OPEN THROTTLE POSITION, LOST CONTROL IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TT
DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON FRONTAL COLLISION AT 10-20 MPH. TT
Official recalls
296V107000 · 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.
95V195002 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
Oct 11, 1995
THE BATTERY CAN HAVE A DEFECTIVE WELD INSIDE THE POSITIVE AND/OR NEGATIVE TERMINAL ALLOWING THE CONNECTION INSIDE OF THE TERMINAL TO SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION, OR A BATTERY EXPLOSION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE DEFECTIVE BATTERIES.
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
1EA97015 · 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