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1997 Geo Prizm Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

63 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 2.11 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious10E002000

Suspension

THE ABSENCE OF THE WELD CAN ALLOW THE STRUT TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION UNDER CERTAIN EXTREME DRIVING CONDITIONS WHICH COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING VEHICLE COMPONENTS raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious97V043002

Air Bags

UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE AIR BAG COMPUTER.

IF THE AIR BAG COMPUTER IN A SUBJECT VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A MECHANICAL SHOCK (I.E., RAPIDLY MOVING THE FRONT SEAT BACK AGAINST THE STOPS OR A SUDDEN RELEASE OF THE PARKING BRAKE) WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED, THE AIR BAG CAN DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY.

Complaint volume

63 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

16Crashes
3Fires
23Injuries
0Deaths

Across 63 complaints. Severity Index 2.11.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Air Bags · Frontal13 · 21%Seat Belts · Front · Retr…7 · 11%Seat Belts5 · 8%Air Bags2 · 3%Seat Belts · Front · Anch…2 · 3%Tires2 · 3%Exterior Lighting · Brake…2 · 3%Steering · Hydraulic Powe…2 · 3%
  1. Air Bags:Frontal — 13 reports
  2. Seat Belts:Front:Retractor — 7 reports
  3. Seat Belts — 5 reports
  4. Air Bags — 2 reports
  5. Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage — 2 reports
  6. Tires — 2 reports
  7. Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights — 2 reports
  8. Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Pump — 2 reports
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 2 reports
  10. Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (3) · 1996 (1) · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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