2000 Suzuki Esteem Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2000 Suzuki Esteem, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure926.5%
- Suspension823.5%
- Engine411.8%
- Seat belts25.9%
- Visibility25.9%
- Brakes25.9%
- Interior & seats25.9%
- Airbags25.9%
- Transmission25.9%
- Steering12.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
2000 SUZUKI ESTEEM. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FRONT END PROBLEMS AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT FOR UNAUTHORIZED REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR FRONT END PROBLEMS. WHILE THERE, HE WAS INFORMED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR A FRAME PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY CONFIRMED, THAT IN FACT, THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER, STATING A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS FIVE MONTHS OLDER THAN THE RECALLED COVERED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $603.26 AFTER DEDUCTING $300 FROM THE ORIGINAL BILL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEVER AUTHORIZED THEM TO PERFORM THE WORK, SINCE THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER VALID.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUZUKI ESTEEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, SHE WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE SUB FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 125,000.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUZUKI ESTEEM. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER BAR FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
2000 SUZUKI ESTEEM. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FRONT END PROBLEMS AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT FOR UNAUTHORIZED REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR FRONT END PROBLEMS. WHILE THERE, HE WAS INFORMED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR A FRAME PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY CONFIRMED, THAT IN FACT, THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER, STATING A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS FIVE MONTHS OLDER THAN THE RECALLED COVERED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $603.26 AFTER DEDUCTING $300 FROM THE ORIGINAL BILL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEVER AUTHORIZED THEM TO PERFORM THE WORK, SINCE THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER VALID.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AND RUMBLED UPON TURNING... APPARENTLY SUZUKI KNOWS OF THE RECALL BUT IS NOT WILLING TO REPAIR OUTSIDE MARCH 2012. *TR
SAFETY IMPROVEMENT REPAIR ON VAPOR VALVE WAS DONE IN MAY OF 2002. IN JULY 2002 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER STATED A DIFFERENT VAPOR VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE CHILD CAME OUT OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT, ALTHOUGH THE CHILD WAS PROPERLY RESTRAINED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH HIT A DEER HEAD-ON , AND DUAL AIRBGAS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING BACK INJURIES. CONSUMER HAD TO EMBRACE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO PREVENT OTHER INJURIES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WINDSHIELD MAKES A CRACKLING NOISE WHEN IT IS WET, THE CONSUMER FEELS IT MAY GIVE IN AT ANY TIME. *SLC
THIS IS THE WORST NEW CAR I HAVE EVER SEEN, VERY POOR QUALITY. THE DEALER HAS LOOKED AT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM 4 TIMES, SAYS CAR IS BEING DRIVEN WRONG. BANGING NOISE HAPPENS IN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS, WINDSHIELD SEAL IS BAD, VIBRATES AND CRACKS IN COLD WEATHER, BOTH PROBLEMS REPORTED TO SUZUKI.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT WHEEL ON PASSENGER SIDE TILTED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD,THE DEALER INSPECTED AND DISCOVERED STRUT BOLTS WERE MISSING. *YH
WINDSHIELD MAKES A CRACKLING NOISE WHEN IT IS WET, THE CONSUMER FEELS IT MAY GIVE IN AT ANY TIME. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE LATCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS BROKEN AND OWNER IS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. OWNER HAS TO UNLOCK THE DOOR BY USING THE REAR DOOR. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER.*AK
I HAVE A 2000 SUZUKI ESTEEM. BOTH DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKEN. THE FIRST BROKE ABOUT A MONTH AGO. NOW A MONTH LATER, THE OTHER HAS BROKEN. I CANNOT LOCK MY CARE AND MAY ONLY ENTER FROM THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, HERE IN BATON ROUGE. I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE BECAUSE I FELT THAT THIS MUST BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. I WAS TOLD THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE DOOR HANDLES IN LOTS OF SUZUKI ESTEEMS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE $58.00 PER DOOR HANDLE AND $70.00 PER DOOR FOR LABOR. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OTHERS WHOSE CARS ARE LOTS OLDER THAN MINE. THEIR DOOR HANDLES HAVE NOT BROKEN. THIS PROBLEM HAS ARISEN FROM A REASONABLY ANTICIPATED USE OF THE PRODUCT AND I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS HAD TO BE REPEATEDLY ADDRESSED IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR (AS I WAS INFORMED BY THE SUZUKI SERVICEMAN. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUZUKI ESTEEM. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN A DEER CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH, THE FRONT AXLE, CV JOINT, HOOD, RADIATOR, HEADLIGHTS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FENDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,931.
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH HIT A DEER HEAD-ON , AND DUAL AIRBGAS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING BACK INJURIES. CONSUMER HAD TO EMBRACE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO PREVENT OTHER INJURIES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES NOISE AND IT FEELS LOOSE WHEN TURNING, IT WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YH
THIS IS THE WORST NEW CAR I HAVE EVER SEEN, VERY POOR QUALITY. THE DEALER HAS LOOKED AT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM 4 TIMES, SAYS CAR IS BEING DRIVEN WRONG. BANGING NOISE HAPPENS IN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS, WINDSHIELD SEAL IS BAD, VIBRATES AND CRACKS IN COLD WEATHER, BOTH PROBLEMS REPORTED TO SUZUKI.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES NOISE AND IT FEELS LOOSE WHEN TURNING, IT WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .