Smokes intermittently - inexplicably will start puffing a huge cloud of smoke on the same part of the freeway on the way home... but stops after a few minutes & I can't get it to smoke any other time - when starting, idling, high-revving, etc., runs great. There was a little oil in the air cleaner, so I don't know if the PCV valve is out or what.
Speedo/odometer/trip meter quit about 2 days after I bought the car. Have checked all the fuses, & the speedo cable didn't squeak before it quit - it just suddenly died.
Starter clicks 10-15 times before the car will start. Previous owner stated that several starters were installed, most recently in 6/06, but problem persists. Starter and solenoid are on one assembly.
Temp gauge fluctuates wildly... will be at near 0 most of the time, then jump to half or more. Both radiator hoses get hot & the car doesn't overheat.
Check Engine light on - Code 42: I replaced the pickup coil, distributor cap, rotor, plugs & wires, & reset the computer. Light went off.
AC compressor out.
Hood doesn't close right.
Cigar lighter not working; fuse intact.
Stereo shuts off at moderate volume.
Loses power appreciably on hills; I've had to go all the way down to 3rd gear on occasion. This could be par for the course for a small engine & not a defect.
I drive about 110 miles a day & wanted a super-economical ride to get me there. I did my research and checked out this site & found almost all favorable reviews, so I went for it. I love my Geo; it's fun to drive, cute, & surprisingly roomy... I just can't believe how much is wrong with it. It has 115k on it, but supposedly 40k was towed behind a motor home, so it shouldn't be this worn out already.
I do most of my own repairs & I'm open to ideas... if anyone has had similar problems or knows any solutions to these issues, please e-mail me at joeydreamz@yahoo.com or post a comment on this site. Any help would be appreciated.
Another person wanting new car perfection from a ten year old car with over 100,000 miles. If you want a new car get one don't buy a worn out car and expect perfection.
"Another" comment from someone trying to sound smart, which is par for the course on nearly every blog...further replies like yours will be ignored. I buy nothing but used cars, and haven't had this many problems (initially) with any. The point of this site is to share info, not feed delusional superiority complexes. Do people just browse around looking for User Reviews to rip on? If anyone has anything useful that would help me, please post a reply. Thanks.
I have a high mileage Geo too, but have never had any problems. Sounds like yours has had a lot of "hard" miles and poor maintenance. Since you have multiple unrelated problems I would advise:
STOP FIXING IT! You're just throwing good out for bad and will never finish. Just get another one from someone who can show a good vehicle maintenance history. You'll spend less in the long run.
Update: The car dumped all its oil onto the I-17 on the way to work... had to have it towed. Not sure where it's coming from - I'm gonna try some leak-finder in the oil.
To previous Comment Poster: Thanks for the intelligent non-insulting Comment. That's almost non-existent in a modern Blog. As for parking it and getting another one, I may do just that. If the oil leak turns out to be something serious (like a cracked block, etc.), I may park it and use it for parts. I'm definitely not gonna give up yet; I love the little Geos (also own a Prizm (Corolla) and looking for a Tracker/Sidekick) - best values in the used-car market.
Hi.
I'm the owner of a geo metro 1997. it was driving for about 2 years and then suddenly the distributor pickup burSt into the distributor causing all kind of electrical damage.
Some we were able to fix, but, I live on the island of curacao and the part, the distributor pickup isn't to be found on the island.
Q: does anyone know where in states beside napa auto-parts I can find this car part?
Are you talking about the Pickup Coil? Are you in the States now, or still on the island? I got my pickup coil by buying a distributor at Autozone (which comes with a new pickup coil), then just returning the "core" for my core refund (which was actually the new distributor). It waas actually cheaper that way than buying a new Pickup Coil at the dealership. Check eBay.com, Autozone.com, etc.
UPDATE:
Engine replaced. Smoking was due to worn rings. Got a decent deal - $934 total with labor and everything.
Still, I'm wondering if the shorter engine life (on average, the 1.0s seem to last about 120k. Those of you whose lasted much longer - good for you, but you're the exception - please don't flood with posts of success stories... of course there will be SOME) is offsetting the fuel economy... I've never gotten the advertised gas mileage, and most sub-compact Hondas/Toyotas go twice that mileage before a rebuild. My Geo Prizm (Corolla) went 239k before the engine went, and the gas mileage is within 5 mpg. It might be worth it just to get a slightly larger-displacement car... for the reliability and much-inhanced driveability.
Metro/Swift/mpg fans will dispute this, of course, but remember: this is coming from people who are spending hundreds (some thousands) on mods to get better MPG (check the 2-seater Metro XFi and many others).
PS - "Starter Clicking" problem persists, despite 4 different starters tried. Starter/solenoid are on the same housing. You can hear the Solenoid click. Flywheel tests fine. Ignition switch? Wiring to starter? Some relay somewhere? Any hints are appreciated: joeydreamz@yahoo.com
Go to http://www.teamswift.net/ lots of info.
Could be your grounding wires all over the car are rusted and need cleaning/resealing.
All the electrical faults could be caused by a faulty engine ground wire. Check them.
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site