IllustrationVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, SPEED 20MPH, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
1996 Geo Prizm
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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 61 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 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports2 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
61 reportsVEHICLE'S ROOF CAVED IN DUE TO WEAK AND DEFECTIVE METAL. ONLY ABOUT 2 FEET OF SNOW WAS ON TOP. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHE HIT THE CURB AT NO MORE THAT 8-10MPH AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. OWNER QUESTIONS THE SAFETY OF VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE VERY LOW SPEED DEPLOYMENT AND THEIR WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, SOMETIMES BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL LOCK UP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL COMPUTER DIAGNOISTICS ARE COMPLETED. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL LOCKS UP. *AK
TRUNK RELEASE MECHANISM OPENS TRUNK, BUT IT DOESN'T SPRING BACK TO ALLOW THE TRUNK TO CLOSE PROPERLY.
REAR SPINDLE SHEARED OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTIN GIN A COLLISION. *AK
DRIVING AT SPEED OF 70MPH, VEHICLE IMPACTED AT A 1:00 POSITION, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
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