1995 GEO Metro Problems

What owners report

Owner complaints for this model year center on two things: airbags that did not deploy in reported collisions, and rear door latches that will not release from the inside or outside. A third recurring theme is headlights going out while driving, usually traced by owners or mechanics to the headlight switch or the wiring connector at the fuse box. Reports are spread over many years of ownership and span both low-mileage and high-mileage vehicles, so several issues read as age- or wear-related rather than early-life problems.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbags did not deploy in a collision

   • 26 complaints (24%)
   • typically at 2.0 yrs old
   • 25 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2003

   Complaints describe frontal, side, and rollover collisions at speeds ranging from about 20 to 70 mph in which neither the driver nor the passenger airbag inflated. Several owners say the vehicle was struck or hit a guardrail head-on, and in a few cases injuries are mentioned. Some complaints note that a dealer was notified or took possession of the vehicle, without describing a resolution. Reported across a wide mileage range, including vehicles with well over 100,000 miles; no single age or condition pattern stands out in the sample.

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag warning lamp comes on with the ignition and goes out after the bulb check, and have the airbag system scanned for stored fault codes before relying on it.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was stoped at a red light and struck from behind. The seat broke backwards upon impact violently and contributed to my injuries. The airbags did not even go off when I was pushed into the car in front of me sending me forward from an almost horozantal p”

   NHTSA complaint #709552, filed 1999-08

   “Owner states while driving 45 MPH she heard a noise and vehicle started to fishtail. She notes that vehicle was thrown across the interstate and she was hurt. Owner also notes that the rear right tire had been replaced with brand new tires and she still had tire problems. In addition, airbags did not deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #810847, filed 1997-04
2. 2
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Rear doors will not open (door latch failure)

   • 19 complaints (17%)
   • median 133,000 mi at 14.1 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 1995–2009

   Owners describe rear doors that stop opening from the outside, the inside, or both, sometimes one door first and then the other. Several report having to climb over the front seats to exit, and when the child-security lock is engaged the door cannot be freed again. Complaints mention repeated dealer visits, locks sprayed with lubricant, and latches replaced only for the problem to return; some owners were told parts were on national back order. Appears from relatively low mileage up through vehicles around 130,000 miles; one complaint links it to hot weather, and others note it worsening over time.

   What to check: Open and close every door from both the inside and outside handle, test the rear child-security locks, and ask whether any latch has already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The door latches will not open from the inside. You have to roll down the window to open the door. Consumer states vent was broken, broken strut on rear passenger side, vehicle stalls but not all the time when at a stop and trying to turn leftwas advised by dealer that problem could not be duplicated, and also back door will not open.”

   NHTSA complaint #972120, filed 1995-09

   “Back doors w/child security locks fail to unlock once placed into child protection mode. Doors taken apart and repaired however chevy dealer only sprayed wd-40 into locks. Doors opened once and have not opened for the last 4 monthes.”

   NHTSA complaint #10098121, filed 2004-11
3. 3
   Seats

   Seat back collapses in a rear impact

   • 7 complaints (6%)
   • typically at 2.0 yrs old
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1999

   Owners describe the driver or front passenger seat back breaking or folding flat when the vehicle is struck from behind, with occupants thrown rearward. In one account the seat separated at the rail. Complaints also mention limited neck support from the seat design and, separately, seat belts that sit across the neck or that fail to retract after a frontal impact. Reported in collisions during the vehicle's earlier years of service; the sample gives no reliable mileage for these events.

   What to check: Push the seat back firmly and check for play or a loose recliner mechanism, and confirm both front seat belts retract smoothly and adjust to the occupant's height.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The consumer was in an accident and the seat split at the rail. Tt consumer states another vehicle pulled out and that vehicle did not see her and that vehicle spun around three times and each time consumer tried to avoid that vehicle just got closer to her vehicle and consumer lost control of her vehicle and spun around and slid backwards into guard rail, consumer suffered injuried, also passenger seat belt broke from rail passenger suffered injuries in which the seat belt broke.”

   NHTSA complaint #974299, filed 1995-11
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Headlights go out while driving

   Mentioned in 6 of 49 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe headlights, and in some cases tail lights, cutting out while driving at night, sometimes leaving the daytime running lights as the only illumination. Owners and mechanics point to the multifunction/turn-signal switch and to the wiring connector where the headlight harness plugs into the fuse box, reporting burnt or undersized pin connections; one owner reports the switch replaced twice and another that a repair lasted about a week before failing again. Reported on vehicles of varying mileage, often after years of use rather than in the first few thousand miles.

   What to check: Turn on the headlights, switch between low and high beam, and wiggle the turn-signal stalk to see whether the lights flicker; inspect the connector at the fuse box for browning or melted plastic.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Where wiring harness for headlight switch plugs into fuse box burnt causing headlights to stop working. Mechanic told me he has had number of these at a cost of $550 to repair. I say if they know this is a problem they need to recall them. Headlight failure at any speed I feel is very dangerous.”

   NHTSA complaint #742191, filed 2001-03

   “While driving the vehicle at night, the headlights and the tail lights went out. Driver was able to use the daytime running to continue driving. The vehicle was repaired by a auto repaired shop. The lights worked for about one week and the same thing happen again. Owner does not drive vehicle at night because of this reason. Please provide any further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #856025, filed 2000-02
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes soft or hard, longer stopping distance

   Mentioned in 5 of 49 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe a pedal that sinks to the floor or, conversely, becomes very hard to press because the front brakes lock, both resulting in longer stopping distances. Owners report caliper, pad, and rotor replacement without the problem going away, and one describes an antilock-system episode in wet conditions where the car spun. A separate complaint notes the parking brake releasing by itself while the vehicle was in neutral. Reported mostly on higher-mileage vehicles, with the sample including one example near 197,000 miles.

   Recall 94V213000

   What to check: Test the pedal for a firm, consistent feel and check the brake fluid level and condition; ask about the service history for calipers, hoses, and fluid, and confirm the parking brake holds on a slope.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had 95 Geo Metro, the day I wrecked it was raining. I was coming upon a curve, and I hit my brakes. It had anti lock brakes. They locked up, and the car started spinning around. I couldn't get control of the vehicle, and the car had turned on its top in a covert. My 15 year old daughter was in with me, and neither air bag had came out like it was suppose to. The whole front grill came to rest across the road from where the car was. I lost the use of the vehicle, because it could not be fixed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10149553, filed 2006-02, 197,252 miles

   “Brake pedal becomes very hard upon depressing the brake pedal due to the front brakes locking up, resulting in extended stopping distance /brakes fade away. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced the front calipers. Problem still occurs.”

   NHTSA complaint #813604, filed 1997-07

Buying note. These are old vehicles, and much of what owners report is wear and age related, so condition and maintenance records matter more than the complaint list itself. Have the airbag system and brakes inspected, and work every door latch and the headlight switch before committing.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 49 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.