Selling a dead or junk Geo Metro

If your Metro has stopped running, rusted out or just isn't worth fixing, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Two Metros, two sets of complaints

These Geo Metro counts came from NHTSA on October 10, 2026. Every entry is a single Metro owner telling their story, not a ruling on the car. These Metros are 29 to 37 years old, so the file is small and most of it was written long ago.

First generation, 1989-1994: hood, belts and locks

Wikipedia says production of the first Metro began at Suzuki's plant in Hamamatsu, Japan, in late 1988, and that the car replaced the Chevrolet Sprint in the US in 1989. CAMI Automotive is listed as the maker for 1989-1994.

These six years hold 288 complaints. Latches, locks and linkages lead on the 1990 (16 of 39). Seat belts lead on the 1991 (15 of 50) and the 1994 (14 of 68). Structure leads on the 1989 and 1993.

Two recalls fit those patterns:

• Hood latch (93V189001), 1989-1993. Spot welds on the hood striker were put in the wrong place, which can crack the hood's inner panel. A cracked panel can keep the striker from catching the latch. GM dealers added two bolts and nuts to hold the striker. That 356,097 is the whole campaign's size, and Metros may make up just part of it.
• Seat belt buckles (95V103007), 1989-1991. On early Metros, the red plastic release button stamped "PRESS" can snap, and loose bits inside stop the buckle from working right. NHTSA lists this same campaign on the Geo Tracker and Geo Storm too, so its 466,902 vehicles are not all Metros.

Second generation, 1995-1997: air bags and crashes

The second Metro was built at Ingersoll, Canada, per Wikipedia, with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder or a 1.3-liter four. Its three Geo years hold 260 complaints. On the 1995 Metro, air bags lead with 26, and on the 1996 with 28. On the 1997, engine and engine cooling lead (12), with power train next (9).

• Rear brake drums (94V213000), 1995. The drums were not machined correctly, so the wheel can lose clamp load and the wheel studs end up carrying the load. Dealers replaced the drums. Only 435 vehicles are in this campaign.
• Shifter leaves Park (98V225001), 1997. On Metros with an automatic, the lever can look like it's in Park but slip out of it without the key or the detent button. Dealers swapped in a new shifter assembly. That campaign's 32,903 vehicles may not all be Metros.

NHTSA's file also holds 33 complaints listed as 1998 Geo Metro. Wikipedia says the car was sold as the Chevrolet Metro from 1998 until CAMI ended production in April 2001.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Metro rows below match NHTSA's October 10, 2026 file. Recall campaigns are counted under each year they cover, so one campaign shows up in more than one row.

Across all years, the file lists 2 deaths and 10 fire reports.

Worth fixing at this age?

With a Metro from 1989 to 1997, you're rarely deciding on a single repair. You're deciding on the next three. Work through it like this:

1. Check the Metro's VIN with NHTSA's recall lookup. On a 1989-1993 car, a hood that won't stay latched is worth asking a dealer about first.
2. Engine trouble on a 1996 or 1997? On the 1997, engine and cooling tops the list (12); on the 1996 it sits third (7). The blown engine guide covers how to weigh a dead engine against the car.
3. Rust in the floor or frame? Structure is the third-most named component overall (52). See failed inspection or rust.
4. Parked a long time? Tires, fuel and battery all go bad on a parked car. Car sitting for years walks through it.

If the fixes add up to more than a running Metro would bring, selling it whole is the simpler path. What a junk car is worth explains what moves an offer.

Selling your Metro whole

1. Gather what you know about the Metro: VIN, odometer reading, what's broken, and whether it can be pushed.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Say where it is: a driveway, a backyard, a carport, a shop lot. The Metro is a small car, but our driver still needs to know if its wheels turn and how much space there is for loading. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Keep the Metro complete. The engine, seats and wheels stay on. If something is missing, mention it.
5. On pickup day, the driver will want the Metro's title and to see your ID. Plates follow each state's own rules; after you sell lists them.

Can't find the paperwork for a 1990s Metro? Our no-title guide starts there. Other Geos: the Prizm, Tracker, Storm and Spectrum, or all Geo models.