Geo metro tire recalls & safety complaints
NHTSA tire-safety data for the Geo Metro: recall notices matched to its factory tire fitment, plus owner-reported complaint volume. Recalls require a free remedy; complaints are unverified owner reports. Both are shown so you can judge the full safety picture.
NHTSA-reported issues for geo metro
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (16) · Tread / Belt (2) · Sidewall (1)
Reported across: 1991 – 2000 (9 years)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 11% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 9 reports covering every model year of the Geo Metro that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 11% | 20% | 0.6× |
| Sidewall failure | 11% | 15% | 0.7× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 11% | 6% | 1.9× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 11% | 9% | 1.2× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 11% | 8% | 1.3× |
| Premature or uneven wear | 11% | 1% | 8.5× |
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Geo Metro. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW WAS REPORTED YESTERDAY 11/12/1999. I FORGOT TO ADD THAT IT MAY NOT CAUSE SAFETY PROBLEMS NOW BUT MONTHS DOWN THE LINE AND DEPENDING ON THE TEMPERATURES, THE SEEPAGE OF THE SEALANT CAN CAUSE THE SEAL AROUND THE WINDOW TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND ULTIMATELY CAUSE WATER TO ENTER THROUGH THE CABIN AREA. WHEN THAT HAPPENS IT COULD CAUSE SHORTAGE AND RISK TO MAJOR COMPONENTS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES ARE THAT THEY SHOWED PRE-MATURE UNEVEN WEARING ON THE OUTER TREADS OF ALL TIRES AT APPROXIMATELY 1,500 MILES. THIS WEARING CAN BE HAZARDOUS DURING WET DRIVING CONDITIONS AS THE GRIP OF THE TIRES TO ADHERED TO THE ROAD CAN BE LIMITED. I REPORTED 3 TIRES/FAILURES BECAUSE I HAD TO REPLACE ONE ORIGINAL BECAUSE OF A FLAT THAT WAS UNREPAIRABLE.
THE GOODYEAR INVICTA GL 155-80-13 TIRES ON THE VEHICLE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FLAT TIRE ON ONE, TIRE HAD A FIST SIZED BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL, INSPECTION SHOWED REMAINING TIRES WERE ALSO DEFECTIVE, CONSUMER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO DEFECT TIRES. *MJS
ONE OF THE WHEEL HUB CAPS CAME OFF AND THE TREAD OF TWO TIRES BEGAN PEELING OFF.*NM A TICKING SOUND WAS HEARD WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AND GETTING LOUDER EVERY DAY. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID APPEARED BROWN INSTEAD OF PINK. THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE WORN OUT. THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP CRACKED, THE OIL SWITCH WAS BAD, AND THE PCV VALVE WAS BAD. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHEED THE 25 MPH MARK. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT RESTART.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND AIR COMING OUT BETWEEN THE VALVE STEM AND THE TIRE. AFTER TEN DAYS, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND AIR COMING OUT IN THE SAME AREA. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS PRIOR TO THESE INCIDENTS. THE PROPER PRESSURE RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNKNOWN AND PRESSURE CHECKS WERE NOT PERFORMED. THERE WAS ALSO NO VIBRATION BEFORE THE INCIDENT. HE BRAND NAME OF THE TIRE IS TURISMO TWO.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
What to do if a tire on your vehicle is recalled
- Find your tire's DOT code. The DOT date code is on the tire sidewall; the last four digits are the week and year of manufacture (e.g.
2419= week 24 of 2019). Recalls apply to specific production windows, so this tells you whether your tire is in scope. - Check the campaign. Enter the NHTSA campaign number (linked in each notice above) at the free NHTSA recall lookup, or search by your tire brand and model.
- Claim the free remedy. Under U.S. law, a recalled tire is remedied at no cost by the manufacturer; typically free replacement. Contact the tire maker or the dealer that sold the tire; you do not pay for a recall remedy.
- Register your tires. Registering with the manufacturer (tire shops can do this at install) means you are notified directly of future recalls instead of finding out by chance.
Related pages
- Geo Metro fitment specs; OEM sizes, load/speed ratings, and recommended tires by year
- Best tires for the Geo Metro; data-backed rankings by category
FAQ
Is there a tire recall for the Geo Metro?
How do I check if my tire is recalled?
What do I do if my tire is recalled?
Are tire complaints the same as a recall?
Sources
Last verified 2026-10-07 against the sources below.
- NHTSA Recalls database (recall campaigns), nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation; owner complaints dataset (unverified owner reports).
- 49 CFR Part 573; Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports (free-remedy requirement).