5th Nov 2008, 14:11
I have a 95 Prizm that for the most part was an excellent car, great gas mileage and very dependable. But then it began to develop a problem. I would make a short or long trip and shut it off. If I let it sit for more than a few a few minutes, it wouldn't start. If I let it sit long enough, a few hours, it would start fine. Eventually it wouldn't start at all. It would turn over, fire occasionally but not run.
I took it to a mechanic and he told me that he was fairly certain, process of elimination, that it was the distributor, but that no matter how much he looked, he couldn't find the right one, new or used, for that particular car, something about maybe being a mid-year model? He says I should just junk it. Since he neither wants to buy it as junk or charge me for his time, I don't think he's trying to rip me off. Don't really want to throw it away since it was such a fine car. Any ideas?
7th Nov 2008, 00:55
I have a 93 Geo prism Lsi that I recently got from my dad's wife. It was her "let's drive as if we have no sense car".
I had to replace the passenger side boot and the muffler (cause she put a huge hole in it) and all was fine. I don't think she ever had the oil changed and it has 186k miles on it, so I changed it when I found out that she had never done it.
Now a few months pass by and now I have a huge oil leak. Not just any oil leak, I start my car for like 1 minute, then turn it off and let it sit there for 1 more minute, and I already have puddle of oil under my car. Why?
And also (only in cold weather) my car has this screaming sound when I turn the wheel, it's so loud it wakes my neighbors up, and I don't know what it is or what's causing it.
I'm wondering if I should get a new car because of how poorly it was kept, or if I should fix it?
She ripped out the headliner cause it was starting to fall out.
Her stupid children thought it was funny to cut both the back seat belts in half, so now I can't take more than one person with me.
The drivers side headlight is falling out.
The plastic on the roof inside my car, like around the windows and such, are coming off.
Its cruise control lever is not even operable.
The back passenger inside door handle has been ripped out.
The same side original seat covers are coming off.
There is an entire bottle of honey crusted to the seat, from when she was moving into our new house, that she never bothered to clean up.
It has a low knocking sound then I drive it. The car also jumps.
I have never ever seen the oil light come on (if it even has one).
The gas light doesn't work.
The gas meter floats around a lot, so I never know how much gas I have.
It takes two people to pop the hood; one to hold the release hood lever and one to go lift the hood. It also takes two people to open the gas tank door thing. It has no gas cap.
It looks like someone tried to escape from the inside of it, cause there are dents protruding from the back drivers side door.
The front and back bumpers are slowly falling off. but somehow I still manage to get to point A to point B. What do you think?
22nd Nov 2008, 10:51
I bought a 1996 Geo Prism for #1000 drove it for one year, this car was very reliable and I drove it with no problems but parked the car for three weeks, I came back from vacation started the car for ten minutes and drove it home. (ten minutes), the next day it would not start, I jump start it, it started then when I drove one block it stopped again. I jump start it again and let it run for over an hour, cut off the car then it would not start again, could you tell me if it is the battery or alternator.
11th Jan 2009, 17:17
Have a 93 Geo Prizm that has started making a grinding noise when I brake. It almost sounds like a bearing noise. Could it be wheel bearing or CV joint?
22nd Feb 2009, 14:51
I own a '96 Geo Prism, original owner, about 80K miles.
Runs great! Need the heater/ac control knobs. Both broke after parking car in AZ sun for eight years. Does anyone have some, cheap?
Thanks,
cfandsf@juno.com.
8th Mar 2009, 12:49
I've owned a 93 LSI for the past 10 years with 203,000 miles on it so far and no major issues. In that time all work that has been done on the car is just regular maintenance. Timing belt, alternator, brakes, CV joints, belts, etc.
My A/C compressor did just go out which is a bummer since the A/C was so cold. I still get 42 mpg on the highway and it's by far the most reliable car I ever owned in my 24 years of driving.
I have to say I'm sold on Toyota, seeing how that is who made the engine and tranny. The thing just keeps running. This isn't a fancy car, but it does it job and gets you from point A to point B w/out worry. The door handles inside and out are cheaply made and I have had to replace those, but they are easily found on eBay and easy to replace.
As with any car it's all about whether or not you do regular maintenance. It's surprises me how many people don't ever change their coolant, check their oil or change the transmission fluid, etc and then say the car was poorly built when something goes wrong, whatever brand they may own. Sure some cars do really have some flaws, but a lot of problems you see people having is related to lack of maintenance.
20th Mar 2009, 20:35
I own a 1997 Geo Prizm and the A/C turning knob broke (1 out of the 3). I need one and am having trouble finding one. Does anyone know where I can get one and/or do they have one for a good price?
8th Jul 2009, 10:55
I bought a 93 Geo Prizm and I just started having trouble with the tranny. It has over 200k, drives great and gets great gas mileage. At first I thought the half shafts were going out, but when I put it on the rack, found that it is something in the lower half of the tranny. Looking for another, and none of the salvage yards in my area have a 3 speed auto for the 1.6 engine. Over 700 to rebuild and the body; not worth the money. So if I could find one for a couple of hundred, then I would put it back on the road.
31st Oct 2008, 14:23
I have Geo Prism 1994 and just got a new distributor. Today at a red light my car shut off while in idle... What happened here?