1999 Suzuki Esteem

MY 99 ESTEEM STARED PULLING TO ONE SIDE WHILE DRIVING. AS I ATTEMPTED TO GET IT HOME THE WHEEL WOULD RUB ON THE INNER FENDER WELL WHEN TURNING. UPON INSPECTION WHEN I GOT HOME I FOUND THE DRIVER SIDE SUBFRAME RUSTED THROUGH ON TOP AND OUTER SIDES WITH ONLY THE INSIDE PORTION INTACT. THIS PART HAD BENT ALLOWING MY WHEEL TO CHANGE POSITION. THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE SEEMS TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE WHILE THIS SECTION HAS RUSTED AWAY. THANKFULLY, THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED OR THAT I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD HAVE BROKEN AND CAUSED TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL, ENDING IN INJURIES AND/OR FATALITIES NOT ONLY TO THE OCCUPANTS OF MY VEHICLE BUT TO OTHER CARS IN MY VICINITY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON ON THIS VEHICLE AN SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MERITS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. *TR *KB

NHTSA ID

10446634

Incident

Jan 29, 2012

Mileage

149,000 mi

SUB FRAME OF 1999 SUZUKI ESTEEM HAD RUSTED THRU .I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE SUB FRAME CRACKED AND PUSHED THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BACK AGAINST THE FENDER CAUSED THE FRONT TIRE TO LOCK UP WHICH CAUSED ME TO WRECK. I SPOKE WITH SUZUKI AND GAVE THEM MY VIN NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT PART WAS ON RECALL AND TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED IN AND THEY WOULD FIX THAT PART. TWO DAYS LATER I WAS CALLED AND TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED 3 MONTHS EARLIER. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND WAS ALSO WONDERING HOW A RECALL ON A SAFETY ISSUE COULD EXPIRE. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON FORUMS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE AND IT IS ALWAYS THE PASSENGER SIDE. *KB

NHTSA ID

10419916

Incident

Aug 15, 2011

Mileage

83,532 mi

THE OUTSIDE PLASTIC DOOR HANDLES BREAK INSIDE THE DOOR WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. THEN TO ENTER THE CAR ANOTHER DOOR MUST BE USED. THESE HANDLES ARE VERY WEAK, AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. I HAVE REPLACED FOUR ON THE DRIVERSIDE FRONT DOOR, TWO ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT DOOR, AND ONE ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE REAR DOOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10314822

Incident

Feb 7, 2010

Mileage

35,000 mi

FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER CORROSION OF 1999 SUZUKI ESTEEM GLX WAGON I HAVE THIS VEHICLE AND RUNNING OK FOR 5 YEARS. WHEN I DID MY ANNUAL CHECK UP THIS WEEKEND, IT WAS FOUND OUT THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER HAS BEEN RUST-THROUGH AND FORMED A CRACK IN THE AREA OF THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BRACKETS. BY VISUAL INSPECTION, THIS MEMBER IS HIGHLY CORRODED COMPARED WITH OTHER PARTS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC DID MY INSPECTION WAS SURPRISED THAT I WAS STILL DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE IF I HIT A POTHOLE ON THE ROAD AND THIS SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER COULD EASILY BREAK AND WOULD LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND I COULD BE KILLED. I DID A LITTLE SEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN SIMILAR MODELS OF SUZUKI VEHICLES. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE. I THINK THIS IS A VERY SERIES ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE SERIES INJURIES AND FATALITIES NOT ONLY OF THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE BUT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. I WOULD NOT HAVE FOUND OUT OF THIS ISSUE IF I HADN'T DONE THE ANNUAL CHECK UP. A SIMILAR CORROSION PROBLEM WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE 1999-2004 CHEVROLET TRACKER AND GM INITIATED A RECALL ON THIS. I WILL TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO FIX IT BUT I FEEL I SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT TO LET OTHER OWNER KNOW THIS PROBLEM AND HOPEFULLY SAVE SOME LIVES. THANK YOU. WEI TU *TR

NHTSA ID

10248931

Incident

Nov 15, 2008

Mileage

90,302 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI ESTEEM. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH IN DRY CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND PRODUCED A RUBBING NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ARRIVING AT THE MECHANIC SHOP THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL COLLAPSED. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED THAT A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS THE AIR CONDITIONER LEAKING AND MAY HAVE RUSTED THROUGH THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 130,000.*AK THE CONSUMER HAS INCLUDED PICTURES OF THE FRAME DAMAGES. UPDATE 5/3/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10187453

Incident

Apr 5, 2007

Mileage

130,000 mi

CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 45 MPH; BRAKES WERE APPLIED HARD; SUBFRAME (PART THAT ALL BALL JOINTS AND SUSPENSION ARMS BOLTS INTO) COLLAPSED ON PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME UNSTABLE AND SEVERELY OUT OF ALIGNMENT. (WHEN MEASURED, THE PASSENGER WHEEL WAS +/-1-1/2" CLOSER TO THE REAR OF INNER FENDER, AND WOULD GRIND ONTO THE INNER FENDER. THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT PART. THE OLD PART WAS RUSTED THROUGH AT SEVERAL POINTS. THE OLD PART IS IN MY POSSESSION AND PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147496

Incident

Dec 24, 2005

Mileage

99,980 mi

I OWN A 1999 SUZUKI ESTEEM, 55,000 MILES, CAR IS KEPT IN A GARAGE. MY SUB FRAME RUSTED IN HALF AND BROKE. THE AAA PERSON THAT TOWED THE CAR, 2 MECHANICS, AND EVERY MALE I HAVE TOLD ARE APPALLED THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. MY MECHANIC CALLED FRED MARTINS SUZUKI, WHERE IS WAS PURCHASED, AND SPOKE TO THE MECHANIC THERE. HE WAS TOLD 3 SUBFRAMES HAD BEEN FIXED DURING THE MONTH OF JULY, BUT NO RECALL WAS MADE. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST PARTS OF THE CAR. FRED MARTIN SUZUKI HAS INFORMED ME THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE , AFTER ALL THE CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD, NOT UNDER WARRANTY, ETC. DO I HAVE A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT, SEEING AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT HAD IT BROKEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. IS THIS SOMETHING TO BE EXPECTED OF A SIX YEAR OLD CAR? THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $1,100. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE CAR, BUT HAVEN'T THE OPTION OF BUYING A NEW ONE AT THIS TIME. *NM

NHTSA ID

10133020

Incident

Jul 16, 2005

Mileage

55,000 mi

THE POWER WINDOWS ARE VERY SLOW GOING UP AND DOWN. FIRST STARTED ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BUT IS NOW ALL WINDOWS. HAD IT INTO SHOP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY JUST GREASED THEM AND THEY WORK BETTER FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. ALSO, AIRBAG NEVER OPENED DURING COLLISION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT SLIGHTLY OPENED UP ON ONE SIDE AND THE COVER IS SLIGHTLY RAISED ON ONE SIDE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10045330

Incident

Nov 20, 2002

Reminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension and related parts that could be caused by road salt or other chemicals applied to the roadway.

This Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki automobile distributors in the U.S., explaining the importance of proper inspection and maintenance of suspension lower arm ball joints to prevent the ball stud from becoming separated from the suspension lower arm.

SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE - IMPROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS. *TT

SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE DAMAGE TO THE VAPOR CONTROL VALVE. *SLC

THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE REVISED CLAIMS SUBMISSION PROCEDURES FOR REPLACEMENT BATTERIES UNDER WARRANTY. *TT

CORRECT COOLANT USAGE. *EH