The 1990 Geo Tracker has 1 safety recall and 25 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is seat belts (12 complaints).
Recalls1safety recalls
Complaints25filed by owners
Crashes · fires3 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths1 · 1reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
NHTSA recall 95V103007 · May 24, 1995 · 466,902 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Risk: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
1990 Geo Tracker 2-DR.
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Tracker Convertible 4WD
24mpg combined
City / highway
23 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $2,800/year to fuel
Tracker 4WD
24mpg combined
City / highway
23 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $2,800/year to fuel
Tracker Convertible 4WD
22mpg combined
City / highway
21 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 3-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
Tracker 4WD
22mpg combined
City / highway
21 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 3-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Seat belts Front › Buckle assembly; Front › Webbing
12
1
0
0
—
Service brakes, hydraulic Foundation components; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
5
0
0
0
—
Structure Frame and members; Body › Door › Hinge and attachments
3
0
0
0
—
Seats Front assembly › Recliner
2
1
0
1
—
Visibility Windshield
1
0
0
0
—
Engine and engine cooling Engine › Gasoline
1
0
0
0
—
Latches/locks/linkages Hood › Latch
1
0
0
0
—
Steering Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
1
0
0
0
—
Tires Tread/belt
1
1
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
May 21, 2002 · crash · 1 injurySeats › Front assembly › Recliner WIFE INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION. HER VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. UPON INPACT THE DRIVERS SEAT BACK FELL ALL THE WAY BACK, SHE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND WHIP LASH INJURY AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO CHELSEA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. THE SEAT BEING IN THE DOWNWARD POSITION WAS POINTED OUT TO THE STATE POLICE AND EMS PERSON BY MY WIFE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY HOME, SEAT PHOTOGRAPHED IN DOWNWARD POSITION. WHEN SEAT IS RAISED IT WILL NOT STAY IN PROPER UPRITE POSITION, IT GOES BACK AT APPROX 45 DEGREE ANGLE AND TWISTED BACK ON RT SIDE. CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS, THEY SAY THAT THE SEAT CONDITION DID NOT CAUSE THE ACCIDENT SO THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE.*AK
Aug 23, 1999 · crashTires › Tread/belt PE00 020 ;WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 61MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND SHE LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER FOUR TIMES AND WHEN DOWN INTO AN ENBANKMENT. FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN. THERE WERE TWO TIRES THAT EXPLODED; DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE AND THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE. TIRE WERE FIRESTONE, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
Aug 19, 2000Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly BUCKLES ON THE SEAT BELTS JAM PASSAGERS CAN'T REMOVE BELTS
May 20, 2000Seat belts › Front › Retractor BOTH SAFTEY BELTS IN THE FRONT "LOCK-UP" AND YOU ARE STUCK IN THE VEHICLE. YOU GET OUT ONLY WHEN THE THE SEAT BELT FINALLY POPS OUT OF IT'S HOUSING. THE MORE YOU STRUGGLE, THE TIGHTER IT GETS. THESE SEAT BELTS WERE ONCE RECALLED, I TOOK THE CERTIFICATE TO DEERY BROTHERS IN BURLIGTON IOWA. THEY SAID THEY KNEW ALL ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND SO I SCHEDULED THE APPOINTMENT AND TOOK IT IN. THEY HAD MY VEHICLE THREE DAYS, AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP, THEY HAD DONE NOTHING TO IT. STILL ALL ORIGINAL SEATBELTS, HOUSINGS, ETC. WHEN I QUESTIONED THEM AT THIS TIME, THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE SEAT BELTS. I ASKED FOR THE CERTIFICATE BACK SO I COULD GO ELSEWHERE, AND THEY SAID "NO,THEY HAVE TO GET…
May 27, 2000Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components SOMETIMES WHEN TRYING TO STOP AT EITHER HIGH SPEEDS OR LOW, BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. PEDAL CAN BE PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN, VEHICLE WILL SLOWLY STOP. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. OCCURS MOST OFTEN WHEN TRYING TO STOP QUICKLY. ALSO WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD, BRAKE PEDAL CAN BE PRESSED ALL THE DOWN AND VEHICLE WILL DO THE SAME THING. *AK
Apr 22, 2000Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly NEITHER THE CHEVROLET DEALER NOR CHEVROLET HEADQUARTERS WILL FIX THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS. CLAIM IT IS NOT PART OF A RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE SEAT BELT LATCH FAILED EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN ID # 95V103007. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT ASSEMBLY HAS A BROKEN WELD, LEAVING THE SEAT ANCHORED IN ONLY 3 OF THE 4 CORNERS. CHEVROLET HEADQUARTERS CLAIMS THAT SINCE GEO IS NO LONGER SOLD BY CHEVROLET, THEY HAVE NO RECORDS OF OLDER GEO VIN NUMBERS AND CAN NOT TELL ME IF THIS VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE. THEY CLAIM IT WOULD BE UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL DEALER'S DISCRETION. TAYLOR-PARKER HAS ALREADY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE SEAT BELT AT THEIR EXPENSE, DESPITE MY TELLING THEM…
May 1, 1996Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 95V103007. DEALER ONLY REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ALSO BROKE, BUT DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED LATER, BUT IT BROKE NOT LONG AFTER. *AK *ML
Nov 6, 1998Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components BEFORE VEHICLE IS WARMED THE BRAKES ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO APPLY, EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IS NEEDED WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
EA95014 · opened Apr 25, 1995 · closed Jul 28, 1995 · led to recall 95V103007SEAT BELT BUCKLES FAILURE There is no summary currently available
PE94092 · opened Dec 21, 1994 · closed Apr 25, 1995TAKATA SEAT BLT BCKLS FAIL There is no summary currently available
EA92001 · opened Jan 14, 1992 · closed Nov 20, 1992EXHAUST LEAK/FIRES There is no summary currently available