Geo · Prizm · 1996
1
Recall
61
Complaints
N/A
NCAP overall
The 1996 Geo Prizm has 1 recall and 61 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most frequent stored component label: air bags (19 reports).
Stored NHTSA configuration: 1996 Geo Prizm 4-DR. NCAP Vehicle ID: 3626
Ratings describe one stored NHTSA configuration, not every trim, body style or drivetrain for this model year. How this configuration is selected
Source: NHTSA Public Records
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Sep 11, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.
The 1996 Geo Prizm page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is an older model year, the complaint history often reflects a longer ownership window and multiple maintenance stages. That makes pattern-reading more useful than a one-number comparison against a much newer vehicle. On this page, the most frequent complete stored component label is air bags with 19 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Stored NHTSA configuration: 1996 Geo Prizm 4-DR. NCAP Vehicle ID: 3626
Ratings describe one stored NHTSA configuration, not every trim, body style or drivetrain for this model year. How this configuration is selected
No overall score is available in our current dataset. The individual results below are not a combined safety rating; compare vehicles within the same test program and model year.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Rollover Resistance
No rollover risk estimate available in this dataset
Safety Features
RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FRONT STRUT MOUNTS DID NOT CONTAIN A WELD JOINT BETWEEN THE BEARING HOUSING AND THE RATE PLATE.
Remedy Status
RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RIDE CONTROL AT 1-248-458-1396.
There is no summary currently available
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GEO PRIZM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG AND FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG ABRUPTLY DEPLOYED WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURN INJURIES TO BOTH ARMS AND CHEST. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE VEHICL...
Preview excerpt
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GEO PRIZM. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO OR THREE TIMES PER DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING A...
Preview excerpt
REAR SEAT BELTS WOULD UNLOCK FROM THE BUCKLE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING. *MR THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT A PULL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *SC (DAYTON TIRE). *JB
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT BUCKLE. THE BELT DOES NOT COME OUT OF HOLDER. *AK
THREE OF MY DOORS ON MY 1996 GEO PRIZM LOCKS HAVE FAILED, SHUTTING THE DOORS PERMANENTLY. I HAVE ONLY ONE DOOR TO GET IN/OUT OF MY CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER GEO OWNERS AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE TO SE IF I CAN FIND A SHOP TO GET THE DOORS UNLOCKED...
Preview excerpt
MY REAR WINDOW LITERALLY SHATTERED TODAY (JUNE 5, 2003) WHILE I WAS A WORK THE CAR WAS PARKED THE TWO FRONT SIDE WINDOWS WHERE ROLLED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 INCHES THE TEMPERATURE HERE TODAY REACHED ONLY 71 DEGREES WITH A SLIGHT WIND AND IT WAS OVERCAST SO IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY...
Preview excerpt
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEALER NOTIFIED. TS *NLM
IN AN ACCIDENT VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO DRIVER.*AK
WHILE DRIVING REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE CAME COMPLETELY OFF OF AXLE. DRIVER LOST CONTROL , RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. *AK
Showing 10 recent complaints from 61 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 1996 Geo models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 1996 Geo Prizm has 1 recall recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 61 owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Geo Prizm.
An overall NHTSA safety rating is not available in our current dataset for the 1996 Geo Prizm. Individual crash-test results may still be available.
The most frequent complete stored component labels for the 1996 Geo Prizm are air bags (19 reports), seat belts (14 reports), service brakes, hydraulic (5 reports). These are exact-label counts, not broader component-group totals or confirmed defects.
Yes. NHTSA has 1 recall on record for the 1996 Geo Prizm. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.