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1999 Geo Prizm

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 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 24 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 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

24 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 13, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE INCONSISTANT, "INTERMITENT" LOSS OF BRAKES. 3 PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKES WILL TAKE AT FIRST, DISAPPEAR FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE RETU…

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I HAVE INCONSISTANT, "INTERMITENT" LOSS OF BRAKES. 3 PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKES WILL TAKE AT FIRST, DISAPPEAR FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE RETURNS (SO FAR). THE LOSS HAPPENS IN BOTH COLD/HOT WEATHER & WET/DRY CONDITIONS WITHOUT WARNING. I AM TOLD THE CAR IS 'SAFE' TO DRIVE, ALTHOUGH I CONSIDER THIS PROBLEM 'UNSAFE'.

NHTSA ODI #746815

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2001
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

THE DRL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING SEVERAL LIGHTING ANOMILES AND ODD ENGINE REVVING FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE STOPPING. FOLLOWING THAT, THE ENGINE STARTED NORMALLY BUT DIED WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE MANUALLY ACTIVATED. AFTER THAT,THE CAR STARTED AND THE SAME LIGHTING ANOMOLIES REPEATED, THE ENGINE DIED AND THE LIGHTS WOULND'T TURN OFF. W…

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THE DRL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING SEVERAL LIGHTING ANOMILES AND ODD ENGINE REVVING FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE STOPPING. FOLLOWING THAT, THE ENGINE STARTED NORMALLY BUT DIED WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE MANUALLY ACTIVATED. AFTER THAT,THE CAR STARTED AND THE SAME LIGHTING ANOMOLIES REPEATED, THE ENGINE DIED AND THE LIGHTS WOULND'T TURN OFF. WITH THE DRL MODULE DISCONNECTED, THE LIGHTS DID NOT OPERATE. THE PART WASN'T IN STOCK AT THE DEALERSHIPS IN MY AREA AND IT HAD TO BE ORDERED. I WAS WITHOUT MY CAR FROM 5/17 UNTIL THE AFTERNOON OF 5/21.*AK

NHTSA ODI #746043

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001
Air Bags

WHILE TRAVELING AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD FLASH THROUGH TRAVEL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOUR TIMES, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #877613

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001
Air Bags

AIRBAG LIGHT INDICATING DEFECT/FAILURE OF AIRBAGS ILLUMINATES. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. OCCURRED 12 DIFFERENT TIMES FROM 36,600 TO 36,700. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739026

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2000
Air BagsElectrical SystemCrashFireInjury

I WAS REARENDED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 10-11-00 AT A STOP LIGHT, WHICH IN TURN PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS HIT AT 45 MILES AN HOUR, MY TRUNK WAS COMPACTED TO 6 INCHES. THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE HAS A 2 FOOT AREA THAT IS MISSING AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND YET MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EITHER THE PASSENGER OR DRIVERS…

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I WAS REARENDED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 10-11-00 AT A STOP LIGHT, WHICH IN TURN PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS HIT AT 45 MILES AN HOUR, MY TRUNK WAS COMPACTED TO 6 INCHES. THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE HAS A 2 FOOT AREA THAT IS MISSING AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND YET MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EITHER THE PASSENGER OR DRIVERS. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAGS THAT COULD BE SEEN OR CHECKED. THIS IS VERY TRUBBLING TO ME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #734225

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2000
Air Bags

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. DEALER REPLACED THE AIR BAG WIRING AND THE MODULE WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #866341

Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2000
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrash

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK . PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #863619

Mileage unknown · Mar 31, 2000
Air BagsSteeringCrashInjury

THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING AT 50MPH ALONG A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED MOVING VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, LEFT THE ROAD AND FLIPPED THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES LANDING UPSIDE DOWN. THE DRIVER REMOVED HER SEATBELT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THROUGH THE BACK BROKE…

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THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING AT 50MPH ALONG A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED MOVING VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, LEFT THE ROAD AND FLIPPED THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES LANDING UPSIDE DOWN. THE DRIVER REMOVED HER SEATBELT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THROUGH THE BACK BROKEN WINDOW WHEN THE FRONT AIRBAGS VERY SLOWLY STARTED TO INFLATE. THE AIRBAGS NEVER FULLY INFLATED. THE SIDE AIRBAGS NEVER INFLATED. WE ARE ANXIOUS TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A WAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER A STEERING DEFECT LEAD TO THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #720824

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

ON 4 OCCASSIONS WHEN GOING APPROX. 40-45 MPH, ENGINE SEEMED AS IF THE POWER JUST SORT OF DROPPED OUT FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS, WHEN STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT, WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN & I PUSHED ON GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, CAR COMPLETELY TURNED ITSELF OFF. DEALER COULD NOT RE-CREATE PROBLEM AND OFFERED NO EX…

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ON 4 OCCASSIONS WHEN GOING APPROX. 40-45 MPH, ENGINE SEEMED AS IF THE POWER JUST SORT OF DROPPED OUT FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS, WHEN STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT, WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN & I PUSHED ON GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, CAR COMPLETELY TURNED ITSELF OFF. DEALER COULD NOT RE-CREATE PROBLEM AND OFFERED NO EXPLANATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #720520

Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2000
Tires

CONSUMER STARTED HEARING A NOISE AT 18,000 MILES. IT WAS A CUPPING NOISE COMING FROM TIRE LOCATED ON THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE REAR TIRES DUE TO THE ANGLE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858200

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.