1997 GEO Metro Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1997 Geo Metro most often describe the engine stalling or refusing to restart, sometimes while driving, and say repeated dealer visits failed to resolve it. Parking-brake and shift-lever complaints that the car rolls out of gear, plus brake complaints and airbags that did not deploy in collisions, are the other recurring themes. Mileage data in the sample is sparse, but several reports involve vehicles with well under 50,000 miles.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalls or will not restart

   • 11 complaints (17%)
   • typically at 3.6 yrs old
   • filed 1999–2005

   Complaints describe the engine dying at low speeds, when pulling away from a stop, or while cruising, and sometimes failing to start at all even though it turns over. Several owners report the problem comes and goes and that dealers could not find a cause, or attributed it to maintenance, fuel quality, or not driving the car enough. Repairs mentioned in the complaints include tune-ups, fuel-injection cleaner, a fuel-injection harness replacement, and fuel-injector connector work. Reported across a wide mileage range, often in warm-to-hot weather and during stop-and-go driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for repair records covering stalling or no-start complaints, and have the fuel-injection connectors, ignition components and idle behavior checked during a test drive that includes stop-and-go traffic.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car would not reach safe starting speed.it would not achive any power even when I put my foot all the way down on the gas pedal. This was a operating hazard when in stop and go traffic. I took my car in to be fixed they said it was my fault the car was not working right they told me it was a maintainance problem. I told them I had a major tune up done.they said it was the fuel filter,that caused the catalitic covertor to fail. …”

   NHTSA complaint #707021, filed 1999-05

   “Car has been in the shop broke down 10+times in two year's. Everytime they say it is fixed something else happen's I am handycap and on oxygen I have got stuck out in my car at least three times waiting for help. The reason I bought the Metro is for safety I have had noting but trouble. All my life my family has went to chevrolet but now I am wondering why, I am afraid to get out in my car alone because for the last two week's I have had it a total of one night.”

   NHTSA complaint #731833, filed 2000-09
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Car rolls or shifts out of Park

   • 7 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 3.7 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2002

   Owners describe the car moving with the parking brake set or slipping out of the gear it was left in, and the shift lever moving between positions without pressing the button or the brake. Some say dealers told them the behavior was normal or advised using the parking brake; one notes a recall notice covering the same symptom. Another complaint describes the shifter cable being found damaged. Reported on vehicles of varying age, with complaints filed between the late 1990s and early 2000s; no clear mileage pattern in the sample.

   Recall 98V225001

   What to check: Check whether the recall for the shift interlock was performed for this vehicle, and test that the lever holds firmly in Park and Reverse and requires the brake and button to move.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle was parked, the emergency brake was engaged, vehicle rolled, jumped a parking block, uprooted a fence, the top of the fence hit the windhsield causing it to crack, the fence went up over the vehicle causing damage from the front, to the back. I have the estimate from the body shop that it was taken to. I also have witnesses that saw that the parking brake was engaged.”

   NHTSA complaint #765427, filed 2002-08

   “While parked and left in gear car rolls even on slight incline. It doesn't seem to matter what gear car is left in. In the reverse gear car makes small jumps, have to make sure parking brake is set even in freezing temps. I complained to dealer the car was difficult to shift into reverse at the 1000 mile checkup but was told they had checked it out and found no problem. I told them about the gears not holding and was told to use the emergency brake. …”

   NHTSA complaint #701714, filed 1998-12
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbags did not deploy in a collision

   • 9 complaints (14%)
   • median 73,505 mi at 5.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2003

   Several owners report front airbags failing to deploy in collisions that damaged the vehicle, including a head-on impact and a rollover. One complaint describes both front airbags deploying without any impact. Most of these reports note that the dealer or manufacturer had not yet been contacted or had not responded. Mostly reported on vehicles above 50,000 miles in the sample, with complaints filed between 1998 and 2002.

   What to check: Check that the airbag warning light comes on at start-up and then goes out, and ask whether any airbag-related diagnostics or repairs have been recorded.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The two injuries were slight, neck and back sprains. Both occupants were wearing lap and shoulder belts. I am concerned that the air bags did not deploy. The speed at impact was somewhere between 30 and 35 MPH. The accident occurred on a rainy evening, just about dusk. The other driver, coming the opposite direction had started a left turn across the other lanes when he apparently froze and stopped the car. My daughter, driving the Metro, tried to stop but couldn,t because of the proximity and the slick road surface. …”

   NHTSA complaint #700191, filed 1998-10

   “Consumer was traveling about 50mph on highway and heard a snapping noise. Front wheel broke, and vehicle rolled three times and landed on roof upside down, and airbags didn't deploy. There were no injuries.”

   NHTSA complaint #880154, filed 2001-02
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake wear, noise and long stopping distance

   • 6 complaints (10%)
   • median 19,850 mi at 8.1 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2004

   Complaints describe brakes making noise, taking longer to stop, wearing out repeatedly, or locking up without being applied, with one report of smoke and fire at the rotors. Owners say some repairs were done under warranty or by independent shops and that the underlying cause was never explained. One complaint concerns an unexpected surge while braking in a parking lot. Reported from low mileage up to roughly 20,000 miles in the sample, with complaints filed between 1997 and 2005.

   What to check: Have the brakes inspected for pad and rotor condition and uneven wear, ask how often they have been replaced, and confirm the ABS warning light behaves as the owner's manual describes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The repairs were done at mark christopher chev. In ontario, ca in the beginning and now all brake repairs since 8-31-98 have been done through pep boys in rancho cucamonga, ca. Nobody can seem to tell me why the brakes are wearing out as fast as they are (besides laying the blame on each other). I have owned the car since new nov. 1996 and I have had the brakes repaired 6 times, going on the seventh time on august 19, 2000. The last two have been since august of 1999 and april of 2000. …”

   NHTSA complaint #728310, filed 2000-08

   “Consumer was in a commercial parking lot owner and while parking the vehicle applied brakes and vehicle took off. Consumer stepped on the brakes with both feet, and vehicle continued to surge forward. Consumer eventually got the vehicle to stop.”

   NHTSA complaint #10099754, filed 2004-12, 19,850 miles
5. 5
   Seats

   Seat back collapses or shifts under load

   Mentioned in 4 of 49 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the driver's seat back breaking or reclining unexpectedly during a rear impact or hard braking, leaving the occupant unsupported. Owners report that the seat could not be returned to an upright position and describe injuries in the reports. No repair outcome is described in these complaints. Reported on vehicles of unspecified mileage, with complaints filed mainly in 1999 and 2000.

   What to check: Sit in both front seats and check that the backrest locks firmly in position and does not move when pushed backward.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I wouldn't recommend the car, in fact I would discourage people from purchasing the car and I have. My daughter was in critical condition and seriously injured because of the seat breaking.”

   NHTSA complaint #709290, filed 1999-07

   “To avoid an accident consumer pressed on the brakes, and driver's side seat jerked out of position, and caused consumer to fall against steering wheel. Consumer sustained fractured ribs and a concussion due to her head hitting against front glass. Vehicle was only going 5 MPH, and just entering an intersection from a red stop light when incident occurred.”

   NHTSA complaint #861923, filed 2000-05

Buying note. Given the number of stalling and no-start reports, a thorough test drive in stop-and-go traffic and a pre-purchase inspection are worth the cost on this model year. Confirm whether the shift-interlock recall was completed, and budget for brake work if service records are missing.

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.