Underhood Wiring problems of the 1997 GEO Prizm

Two problems related to underhood wiring have been reported for the 1997 GEO Prizm. The most recently reported issues are listed below.

1 Underhood Wiring problem

Failure Date: 03/07/2004

A few minutes after I started my 1997' Geo Prizm on the evening of 3/7/04, it began to make a strange noise. I drove the car about six blocks to a service station; by the time I pulled in and popped the hood, it started to smell hot- although temp gauge was still normal. I popped the hood, saw smoke coming from fuel injection system, and tried to turn vehicle off. I removed the key from the ignition, but the car kept running, and trying to continuously restart itself. I searched the trunk for tools to disconnect the battery; at this point the engine ignited, and there was so much smoke that I could not get close to the vehicle safely any longer. I called 911 on my cell phone, and less than ten minutes later, a fire truck came and put the fire out. I am told that there is about a thousand dollars worth of damage in parts alone: my starter, ignition system, two out of four fuel injectors, the entire wire harness, computer, positive cable to the battery, and possibly the battery itself will all need to be replaced. Prior to this incident, there was no indication that anything was wrong with my car. All maintenance was current.

2 Underhood Wiring problem

Failure Date: 03/17/2001

Under hood fire due to an electrical short. Manufacturernotified, and informed consumer that vehicle was out of its warranty, and nothing could be done. Please provide any further details on this matter.


Other Electrical System related problems of the 1997 GEO Prizm

Underhood Wiring problems
2
Starter problems
1


Fuel Economy of Prizm Vehicles
Prizm Service Bulletins
Prizm Safety Recalls
Prizm Defect Investigations