Comments: 1-15, 16-28
There seems to be a problem with the dashes on these cars drying out early, especially if they aren't kept in a garage. As one of the previous posters mentioned, these cars really don't like climbing those steep hills very much. I have been having some problems with the alternator and the belt on my little Metro. Before that, I had gratefully enjoyed a few trouble-free years of service out of her. The alternator and/or alternator belt squeals a little within a couple of days after I first get the belt on, then progressively gets worse, and usually within a few days it starts squealing and squeaking even more, until finally the belt burns up, or the rubber dust shorts the alternator, or the alternator bearings wear out. The rubber dust from the belt gets everywhere under the hood too, and I am afraid that my little precious darling is having to breathe in a lot of that rubber dust. A mechanic told me that the pulleys weren't lined up, and showed me, but he didn't fix it like he said he would and ripped me off! Only a couple of days after I got the car back from the shop, it started making the noise again. I don't really think this is the problem anyway, because the pulleys are only very slightly mis-aligned, and the belt started squeaking and squealing only after I had to leave my Metro parked, and then let the car set up for about 9 months. The noise got progressively worse after I started running her again after that, until finally I changed the belt. The noise, though, hasn't stopped since. So far I have gone through 4 belts and 3 alternators! I have done a lot of the work to her myself, and only took her in to a "pro" as a last ditch attempt to fix her. Obviously though, she likes me more than the mechanics :o) If anyone has any suggestions or stories to share, they would certainly be appreciated. I don't want to have to get rid of my darling, but after several of months of this problem, and trying to get the problem rectified, it is becoming a little bit frustrating, what's even worse, many times I don't have a ride when I need one!
I like my little red Metro a lot! She is an LSI 3cyl 1.0L with manual transmission, manual windows, manual door locks, cassette player, rear window defrost delete, rear window wiper delete, and sunroof delete. I love it-less stuff to go bad. Besides, ultimately you don't really NEED all of that jazz anyway. The interesting look of this vehicle turns heads. I think the styling and the fuel economy are the two main reasons why I dig them so much. Sometimes I go sooo long without having to pump gas, that it spoils me, and I dread the inconvenience of having to pump it when the time comes! What can you expect though from a motor that's smaller than the size of a lot of motorcycle engines.
On your car eating alternator belts, if your alternator is misaligned that will happen, but it should just line back up unless someone changed something that would cause that. Did the exact same alternator get put back in or is this a replacement that might be slightly different? I just looked at my alternator to see what could be causing the problem you mentioned and all that is being run off the same belt is the alt. and the water pump. I have a 2000 with a 1.3 so it might be slightly different of course. Also, the bearings going out is usually caused by grossly over tightening the belt and this could also have an adverse impact on your water pump as well, assuming of course that the alt. bearings were good to begin with. A serpentine belt doesn't need to be real tight anyway unless the alt is way far out of alignment and over tightening is the only way to keep the belt from jumping off the pulley. One thought is that if this is a replacement alt. and it didn't come with a pulley already on it did the old pulley get put on the new alt. properly or could the mis alignment be caused by the new pulley not being put on in the right position, say too far one way or the other on the alt. shaft? Anyway, hope this helps you some as it really should be a very simple thing what ever is causing it and if you can find it you will probably laugh about having been thinking about getting rid of the car. Keep at it and you will find the cause!
I have a metro with the alternator problem I think it is the daytime running light moudle it is hooked to the alternator.HAROLDA102@AOL.COM
Great review! I have also a Metro 1995 LSi and have absolutely the same problem with the alternator. I changed 2 alternators already, but noise comes back again, especially when I start the car.. after few minutes it goes away. in the later phase (when it goes really bad) it squeaks even when I'm driving and I have to go to neutral, to make it go away..
Did you figure out how to fix this?
Thanks!
Please write to chervensky@yahoo.com.
I have a 1995 Metro (Sedan, 1.3L manual) that had the same problem. The belt would squeal only during the few moments after start-up at first, then began to do this more and more until pretty soon it would never stop squealing. The belt eventually failed completely. I replaced the belt, and had the same thing happen again. I have never changed the alternator in my car (it has 220K). Try doing what I did, which is outlined below.:)
When an accessory drive belt squeals, it is usually because the belt is slipping on the crankshaft pulley. When the belt slips friction is created, and that friction creates heat... a lot of heat. This heat eventually melts off the inner portion of the belt, and the belt weakens, disintegrates, and eventually fails. Greasy residue from the melted rubber belt adheres to the pulleys, and this causes most subsequent replacement belts to slip, squeal, melt, disintegrate, and fail in the same manner. The residue is difficult to see because both it and the pulley are black, so at a glance the pulley will appear to be clean. This stuff MUST be cleaned off of the pulleys COMPLETELY! I used a wire brush and brake parts cleaner to clean my pulleys. Make sure the pulleys (all of them) are ABSOLUTELY CLEAN before installing the new belt, and make sure the new belt is TIGHT! There are three bolts holding the alternator on (two pivot bolts and an adjustment bolt), and it is necessary for ALL of the bolts to be tightened to specification. The back pivot bolt is pretty difficult to get to, and is often overlooked or ignored (especially by lazy or shady mechanics). If any of the bolts is left loose, the belt WILL squeal. I know this from personal experience because I tried to let the back pivot bolt go untightened, and my belt squealed pretty much constantly until I tightened it up.
The alternator belt on the Metro is very narrow, and it needs all of the help it can get to keep from slipping... especially when the alternator is operating under high electrical load. Make sure the pulleys are clean, all of the bolts are tightened to spec, and more-than-adequate belt tension is applied, and that should fix the problem permanently. It worked on my car. Good luck. Regards, Aaron.
The noise may not actually come from the alternator.
I went through the same problems with noises, and FINALLY got it solved when I replaced the catalytic converter. The connection at the base of the exhaust manifold is a flexible one, and squeaks when it gets old and rusty.
It sounds exactly like a fan belt. Shifting into neutral seems to help.
Try pressing your foot against the exhaust pipe as it squeaks and see if it goes away.
My Geo Metro also had a noisy alternator belt. I believe
that it's a problem because the alternator pulley is so
small. I finally decided to thoroughly clean the alternator
pulley with naval jelly. Using heavy gloves and an old
tooth-brush, I applied the naval jelly to the grooved
surfaces of the alternator pulley, the water pump pulley
and the crankshaft pulley. I made sure I ran a box fan
to vent the fumes away. After the acid worked for about
ten minutes I used a wire brush to scrape out all paint
and burned belt residue. The result was nice gun metal
gray surface which has a higher coefficient of friction
than paint and glazed fan belt rubber. I then bought a
new fan belt and followed the seating and break-in
instructions on the box. The result was a good working
fan belt.
Henry.
Boy, Metros seem to have lots of belt problems. The thing is, they're not gas guzzlers, so why should they loosen their belts after a meal? Ha Ha ha, get it? Well... just a joke. Anyway, my '99 Metro's belt also squeals, but just while idling. I think it is just a little defect in these engines that comes out after a while. The good thing is that this is only a minor problem that's easy to fix. And about the fading dashes, try coating it with armor-all every spring. I did, and it keeps it looking fresh and new.
I have a geo metro lsi hach, back and a geo metro lsi 4 door. and both with nos and k@n filters for horse power. I had no problems with the two geo's beside's the driver window. and the locks on the driver side. never any alternator problem. I run a mean 1800 amps in it. I pump power in her, but nuten bad happens. the geo metro is the best on gas and can take a lot of punishment. every one should have a car like this.
I have a 1990 Metro Hatch back. I purchased it for 100.00 dollars. It sat in a barn yard for two years, up to the frame in dirt.
Purchased new windshield, used transmission, got the valves done, junk yard alternator, and a new battery. Replaced the rear wheel bearings, and, tonight on leaving work, I heard the CV (right front) growling like a wounded coon dog. Done all this in the late summer of 2004 and drove it all winter, 350 miles per week, to work. All interstate driving, 65-70 mph.
Whats all this talk about 38 mpg, I have been getting 50 to 55 mpg on the interstate! In an old Geo with 140k on the odometer.
I cannot understand how this car handles better on snow and ice than my Ford F150. But, it does. Somebody said the little tires are the trick, and the "lack" of vehicle weight. The little GEO went past several late model SUV's with their tires pointing to the sky this winter. Four wheel drive and weight doesn't matter on ice. A false sense of security driving a big vehicle is far more dangerous than being cautious because your in a little car.
Now figure this, 240 dollars per month in the F 150 going to work (last couple of years). Same trip, 12-14 dollars per week in the Geo at today's prices. I kept the gas receipts, my friends at work didn't believe me.
I'd rather be driving a hummer, but who can afford these gas prices! My pretty 2000 ford F150 sits in the garage, the GEO brings home the bacon. So what if her driver door window is a pain.
GEO proved we can get reasonable gas mileage. With today's prices, we should all demand inexpensive, economy cars to get to work in. Take the big vehicle on a family outing make the outing possible by driving a Geo to work saving all that cash.
Hello
I have got a 1995 4 door Geo Metro and I have had some problems with it. I have the same belt problems, but will take the advice given earlier. The driver side window falls off the track and is very difficult to roll back up. Any suggestions on that would be good. Also my back doors don't open from the outside. my idiot brother put the child lock on one of the back doors, so it won't open either way now.
Any feed back or links to get these problems resolved would be most appreciated. If this is the wrong forum to post these questions some direction would be helpful to. Thanks.
I also have two 1995 Geo metro cars.There great I also had the belt thing happen. The door problem to. The belt squeal is just clean the pulleys and change the belt. The door is easy to fix,just take off the inside panel and straiten out the rods that connect to the outside door handle it is more likely bent. Ours got bent when the wife locked her keys in the car and had the door opened by lock smith. When they put the tool down the door and hooked the rod to unlock the door they bent the rod inside the door. The plastic clips that hold this rod on also breaks, you can replace these as well if you have to.
My 1995 3 cyl. Geo Metro Hatchback has been through 2 belts. An earlier message about cleaning the pulleys was what I did also.
The car has over 190k miles and is still going on the original battery.
A new problem just occurred. Gas leaking from top of gas tank. Bringing it to a shop soon to drop the tank and see what exactly is causing the leak.
Hard to shift into 1st and 2nd gear. Car has some rust spots now.
Fix it up or buy another car? What to do, what to do?
I just bought a 2001 Geo metro 4 door. The back doors will not open at all. The previous owner tried to fix it, but couldn't. They have the child safety locks and I think it caused it. Please help.
I have a 1995 Geo Metro and the back doors on it don't open either - any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
nunziatardita@hotmail.com
Anyone had any luck on figuring out how to disengage the child locks? Both the rear doors on my 95 Metro won't open.