Suzuki Vitara Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

FROM NEW THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES (WHEN THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS REPLACED), THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL ABRUPTLY WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS APPLIED FROM A STAND STILL. THIS HAPPENED SIX TIMES AND EACH WAS AT AN INTERSECTION WHERE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME COULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY AS IT IS A MOTORCYCLE. THE SELLING DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND THEY INITIALLY HAD NO SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THE POSSIBLE CAUSE. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER SUZUKI WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THEY LOGGED THE COMPLAINT WITH THE DECLARATION THAT THEY HAD NO REPORTS OF SUCH FAILURES AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP WHICH I HAD. THE DEALER FINALLY GOT UNOFFICIAL WORD THAT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR MAY BE AT FAULT. IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEM SOLVED. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHERS WITH THE SAME MODEL MOTORCYCLE WHO EXPERIENCED SIMILAR STALLING AND THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AS WELL. IT IS MY CONCERN THAT MOTORCYCLES ARE BEING SOLD THAT COULD STALL UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. EVEN THOUGH MY BIKE IS FIXED, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MANUFACTURER TAKE RESPONSIBILITY INSTEAD OF REMAINING IGNORANT. A RECENT CALL TO THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER BY A FRIEND REVEALED THEY STILL DENY ANY KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH A PROBLEM EXISTS, DESPITE SEVERAL OWNERS PREVIOUSLY REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THEM! DT

THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER POP'S OUT WHEN IT DONE TO WERE I CAN'T FIND IT, IT HAS BURNT SEVERAL ITEMS IN MY TRAY,AND FLOOR. ALSO THE GAS PEDAL STICK'S WHEN YOU PUSH DOWN ON IT TO GIVE A VERBAL ACCELERATION TO GET AROUND SOMEONE ETC. THE AIR IN THE TIRE'S ARE ALWAYS GOING DOWN. THE OIL SAYS IT LOW EVERYTIME I LOOK AT IT ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. THE BELT ON THE AC KEEP LOSING AND NOW IT NEEDS REPLACED BECAUSE IT NOW HAS FREEZED UP ON ME. THE RADIO AT 12:00 AM AND PM READS 00. THEN THE MINUTES ONLY DISPLACED. THERE'S A RATTLE UNDER THE CAR, DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS? WHEN I PUT THE 4X4 ON IT HAS A HARD TIME GOING BACK INTO THE REGULAR GEAR. SO REALLY JUST NEEDED TO SEE IF THERE WERE RECALLS ON THESES PROBLEM'S? *TR

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE SUZUKI GRAND VITARA XL7 (2001) THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY IN MY HANDS. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RIP IN THE RUBBER BOOT UNDER THE SUV ON THE DRIVERS SIDE (FRONT). I BELIEVE IT WAS CALLED A 1/2 SHAFT. I STUCK MY FINGER IN THE RIP OF THE RUBBER BOOT AND FELT A BUNCH OF PIECES ON METAL & LARGE BALL BEARINGS LAYING IN THERE. I HAD TO PARK THE SUV AND CALL SOMEONE TO PICK UP MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN SO THAT WE COULD PICK UP THE WIFE WHICH WAS BEING RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL. I RENTED A U-HAUL TRUCK WITH A TRAILER (185.00) AND DROVE IT BACK FROM MILWAUKEE. DECEMBER 24TH. I PLACED THE SUV ON JACK STANDS AND TOOK OFF THE TIRE AND THE CAP FOR THE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE OUTER PART BY THE BREAK DRUM, I FOUND A RETAINER CLIP ABOUT 1" IN DIAMETER. I REMOVED IT AND THE INNER PART OF THE 1/2 SHAFT FELL OFF FROM THE INNER PART OF THE BREAK DRUM. I FOUND OUT THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WAS HOLDING THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE WAS THE RETAINING CLIP. WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEALERS IN THE AREA ANYMORE. I CALLED EVERY PARTS STORE IN THE AREA AND NO ONE COULD SUPPLY ME WITH A NEW PART. I CALLED A NUMBER OF JUNK YARDS TO FIND THE PART AND FOUND 1. THE USED PART COST ME 75.00 I REPLACED IT WITH EASE BUT KNOW THE SUV SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT PULLS TO THE LEFT. WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE CAN AFFORD TO HAVE THE SUV CHECKED OUT BY A SERVICE STATION FOR ALIGNMENT. IT MAY COST US MORE IF THERE IS MORE PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT NOTICED BY THE EYE. P. S. THERE WAS NOT WARNING THAT THE SUV WAS HAVING ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THANK YOU. *NM

OIL LEAK THAT HAS BEEN A KNOWN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND NOT YET CORRECTED BY SUZUKI

2001 SUZUKI GR.VITARA 25,000 MILES ON ENGINE. TICKING NOISE FROM ENGINE,LOSS OF POWER. SUZUKI STATED TIMING TENSIONER IS THE CAUSE. REPAIRED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY 3 TIMES, WITHIN 6 MONTHS. EXTRA COSTS PLACED ON COMSUMER. SUZUKI RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF TIMING CHAINS,AND WOULD NOT COVER THE COST. THE ENGINE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND COULD HAVE SEIZED. FIRST REPAIR ON 12-21-04, SECOND ON 03-15-05, LAST REPAIR ON 06-06-05. AT PICKUP ON DATE OF LAST REPAIR, BELTS FROM FRONT OF ENGINE WERE SHREDDING OF THE PULLEYS! ON THAT DAY I TRADED-IN THE CAR, AS I WAS TIRED OF FIGHTING WITH SUZUKI AND MY FORMER DEALERSHIP FOR RERPAIRS.

OWNED VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS HAD OIL CHANGES EVERY 3 MONTHS NO PROBLEM TIL ON THE MARCH 14TH, 2005 I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A NEIGHBOR GOING AROUND 10 MPH AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE ENGINE MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE AND STOPS. ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. DID NOT START THE VEHICLE UP. HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. MECHANIC HAD TROUBLE GETTING IT STARTED AND ONCE HE GOT IT STARTED HE TOLD ME THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG BUT HE ADVISED THAT MY ENGINE HAD GONE BAD. I THEN HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MY NEPHEW'S WHOM I CAN TRUST. AND THEY FOUND OUT THE THE TIMING CHAIN APPARENTLY JUMPED STOPPED AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE WHICH THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

DRIVING AND SUDDENLY ENGINE MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE AND STOPPED. ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHT CAMEON, I DID NOT START THE VEHICLE. HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. ONCE THE MECHANIC GOT IT STARTED HE TOLD ME THAT HE THOUGHT I HAD MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS. DECIDED TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY NEPHEW'S MECHANIC WHOM I WOULD TRUST, AND THE FOUND THAT THE TIME CHAIN APPARTENTLY JUMPED STOPPED WHICH CAUSED MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. ALSO, THEY HAD COME TO THE CONCLUSION THE REASON WHY THE TIMING CHAIN DID THIS WAS DUE TO A FOREIGN PIECE OF MEDAL THAT LOOKED LIKE A WASHER WHICH EVIDENTIALLY WORKED ITS WAY AND GOT CAUGHT INTO THE THE CHAIN. HE SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY THIS PIECE OF MEDAL COULD HAVE GOTTEN THERE WAS DURING THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT. SUZUKI WAS NOT MUCH HELP. THEY SAID THAT I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHICH WAS NOT CLOSE BY NOR DID I KNOW AT THE TIME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS.*AK

AT 48,000 MILES THE TIMING TENSIONER WENT OUT IN MY SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THIS HAS CAUSED COMPLETE DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE ENGINE REQUIRING A COMPLETE REBUILD BECAUSE OF A PART THAT WAS DEFECTIVE. SUZUKI HAS DENIED RESPONSIBILITY AND WOULD NOT HELP FIX THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY THAT THEIR VEHICLES HAVE ZERO-MAINTENANCE AND SELF-ADJUSTING TIMING CHAINS. THE PART CLEARLY FAILED LONG BEFORE IT'S RATING AND NEED FOR REPLACEMENT (60,000MILES) AND I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE ON THE WEB WITH THE SAME ISSUE (AROUND 500 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS). SUZUKI HAS A PART OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO FOR THE SAKE OF ALL CONSUMERS OUT THERE. *JB

WHENEVER THE VEHICLE RUNS OVER A BUMP IT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL LINE. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK

DRIVING AT NIGHT I HAVE BEEN STOPPED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR FAULTY REAR TAILLIGHTS. IT SEEMS THE LIGHT BULBS WILL WORK THEIR WAY OUT OF THE SOCKETS AND LIGHT UP SOME OF THE TIME BUT USUALLY NOT AT ALL. *NM

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION OF MY 2001 SUZUKI VITARA. I WAS TOLD BY THE LOCAL SUZUKI DEALER THAT THIS HAPPENS TO ALL OF THEM. I FEEL THAT IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO ALL OF THESE VEHICLES, SUZUKI SHOULD RECALL THE DEFECTIVE PART AND REPLACE IT WITH ONE THAT WILL NOT WEAR OUT.*AK