1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara Owner Complaints

BRAKE LINE ROTTED AWAY ALL BRAKES AND FLUID LOST

NHTSA ID

11030588

Incident

Sep 5, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A FUEL ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 01V146000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND 04V427000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED TO DUE THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

NHTSA ID

10764563

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

163,000 mi

THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FROM 45 TO 55 MILES PER HOUR WILL LOSE COMPLETE POWER DROPPING FROM 45 OR 55 TO 10 OR 15 MPH VERY RAPIDLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OF ACCELERATION OR VEHICLE TILL IT REACHES THE 10 TO 15 MPH RANGE LEAVING YOU IN A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION IF YOU ARE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO PULL OFF LEAVING YOU THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING IN A COLLISION WITH FASTER APPROACHING VEHICLES FROM THE REAR THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD RESULT IN DEATH FROM A REAR END COLLISION AND APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS AND THE DEALERS HAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS FAILURE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM FROM JULY OF 2012 TO THE CURRENT DATE OF 2/4/2013. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496399

Incident

Jul 5, 2012

Mileage

131,559 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, SHE WOULD HEAR A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. ALSO WHEN SHE MADE TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS, THE NOISE GETS LOUDER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10382635

Incident

Jun 14, 2010

Mileage

98,000 mi

CONSUMER EXPRESSES DISCONTENT REGARDING RECALL FROM SUZUKI CORPORATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER STATING IT WAS THE SECOND NOTICE, BUT HE NEVER RECEIVED THE FIRST NOTICE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE REPAIRS WOULD NEED TO BE PERFORMED BY TRAINED MECHANIC WHICH WAS 80 MILES AWAY.

NHTSA ID

10334873

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES MADE A GRINDING NOISE AND THE BRAKE ADJUSTMENT PIN IN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS LOOSE. THE SPRING THAT HELD THE WHEEL IN PLACE FAILED, WHICH ALLOWED IT TO MOVE FREELY INSIDE THE BRAKE DRUM. THE SPRING FLIPPED UP AND CAUSED THE BRAKE SHOE, DRUM, AND BRAKING KIT TO FAIL. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, AAMCO INSPECTED THE REAR AND FRONT BRAKES AND STATED THAT THEY WERE 50% WORN. THE CONTACT PLACED THE WHEEL BACK ON THE VEHICLE AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY SIX BLOCKS WHEN HE HEARD THE NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO AAMCO BECAUSE THE GRINDING NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD. AAMCO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE INSPECTION. THE CONTACT CALLED SUZUKI'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE TO FIND OUT IF THE FAILURE WAS COMMON. SUZUKI STATED THAT NO ONE COULD TALK TO THEIR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT UNLESS THEY WERE A DEALER. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE SUZUKI DEALER SO THAT THEY COULD CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 31,734.

NHTSA ID

10216603

Incident

Jan 30, 2008

Mileage

31,734 mi

WHEN I BRAKE MY CAR PULLS TO ONE SIDE AND LOSES CONTROL. IT IS LIKE IT IS ON ICE AND ONE TIME IT SPUN AROUND, EVEN THOUGHT I WAS GOING SLOW. MY CAR IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214831

Incident

Nov 10, 2007

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM MODULE TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 06/19/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159127

Incident

Jul 22, 1999

Mileage

33,000 mi

VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LOSES COMPLETE ENGINE POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND VEHICLE SPEED RAPIDLY DROPS TO UNDER 10 MPH. ENGINE RUNS VERY ROUGH AND THERE IS NO RESPONSE WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MUST IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER (IF POSSIBLE) AS VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, ENGINE OPERATION RETURNS TO NORMAL BUT POWER LOSS WILL USUALLY REOCCUR ANYTIME AS QUICKLY AS WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL MINUTES OR AS LONG AS A DAY OR TWO. ENGINE POWER LOSS MAY LAST AS LITTLE AS A MINUTE OR TWO OR FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. *JB

NHTSA ID

10146941

Incident

Dec 25, 2005

Mileage

95,850 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING THERE NO LONGER BEING A SUZUKI DEALER IN HIS AREA AND CAN NOT GET RECALL WORK DONE. *TS *THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT SUZUKI COULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE 120 MILES IN ORDER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. *SC

NHTSA ID

10145321

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V427000L FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE REGULATOR FIRST IN 2004. WHEN CALLING THE DEALER SHE LEFT A MESSAGE ON THEIR ANSWERING MACHINE, AND THEY DID NOT CALL HER BACK. SHE RECEIVED A SECOND RECALL NOTICE . AGAIN, SHE LEFT A MESSAGE WITH THE DEALER'S ANSWERING MACHINE AND NO ONE HAS CALLED HER BACK. WHEN TRYING TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER SHE WAS UNABLE TO GET THROUGH THEIR PHONE SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10143037

Incident

Nov 17, 2005

DT: DRIVERS' SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. *AK

NHTSA ID

10124589

Incident

Mar 13, 2005

Mileage

125,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IT THEN SKIDDED AND FLIPPED OVER, HITTING THE FRONT FIRST. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10115113

Incident

Mar 10, 2005

RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SUZUKI RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE 4 OXYGEN SENSORS. *BF THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE GEAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT, IT WAS DISCOVERED YEARS LATER THAT IT WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER HAD EMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS FOR TWO PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE CAME BACK WITH UNRELATED PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE BRAKES WHICH THE DEALER STATED NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, THE FRONT BUMPER WAS HANGING OFF AND WAS MISSING THE SECURING BOLTS, THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY HEAD LIGHTS, IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DETERMINED BY AN ELECTRICAL REPAIR SPECIALIST THAT THE HEAD LIGHT RELAY WAS INTERNALLY DAMAGED, THE CONSUMER STATED THE WAS ALSO AN UNIDENTIFIABLE FUEL LEAK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10109353

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING UP A STEEP HILL AND WHEN APPROACHING THE TOP OF THE HILL HE GRADUALLY PRESSED ON THE BRAKES, AS WELL AS LETTING THE GAS GO, FOR SOME REASON INSTEAD OF THE VEHICLE STOPPING, IT KEPT GOING WITH INCREASED SPEEDS. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IT JUMPED AND ACCELERATED WITHOUT PRESSING THE GAS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102047

Incident

Dec 2, 2004

Mileage

56,000 mi

THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE AS IF THE MUFFLER WAS BROKEN. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE WAS BROKEN WHERE IT COMES OUT FROM THE ENGINE. *JB MECHANIC INDICZ=ATED THAT PROBLEM WAS VERY COMMON FOR SUZUKI. *AK

NHTSA ID

10096577

Incident

Sep 22, 2004

Mileage

84,000 mi

INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR 1 DAY, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10074290

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10067523

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE MADE LOUD RATTLING NOISE AND FAILED.. AAA CALLED TO TOW VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED TIMING CHAIN FAILED. WAS MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10066510

Incident

Apr 5, 2004

Mileage

89,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE, CAUSING IT TO ROLL OVER. DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN VEHICLE HIT SNOW, AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALSO, WHEN INCIDENT OCCURRED, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM HAVING RECALL REPAIR MADE ON ACCELERATOR CABLE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10055632

Incident

Jan 11, 2004

Mileage

71,761 mi

THE KEY STICKS IN THE IGNITION AND FAILS TO TURN. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO START THE VEHICLE. THEN, WHEN THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTS AND IS TURNED OFF THE KEYS WILL NOT RELEASE. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND HAS ISSUED A REPAIR KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE KIT IS $45.00 PLUS LABOR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10065171

Incident

Aug 20, 2003

Mileage

77,000 mi

WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ON RAINY DAYS, OR IN COLD WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD FOGS UP. TURNING ON THE DEFOGGER MAKES IT WORSE EVEN ON THE HIGHEST SETTINGS. THE ONLY THING THAT CLEARS IT EVENTUALLY IS ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOWS AN INCH ON EITHER SIDE LEFT OR REAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, BUT NOW IT IS GETTING WORST. *NM

NHTSA ID

10062402

Incident

Mar 16, 2004

THE FENDER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE IS VERY LOOSE. THE ENTIRE FENDER IS HELD ON BY PLASTIC FASTENERS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE FASTENERS WITH OTHERS THAT WERE ALSO MADE OF PLASTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THREE MONTHS LATER THE FASTENERS STARTED TO FALL OUT AGAIN. *SC

NHTSA ID

10053702

Incident

Jun 17, 2003

Mileage

45,000 mi

1999 SUZUKI GRAND VARTARA AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER VEHICLE HITTING A @36'' TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A SECONDARY ROAD, POSTED SPEED 45MPH, DUE TO ICEY,AND SNOWEY CONDITIONS , DRIVER TRAVELED AT @ 30 MPH. CRESTING A HILL THE VEHICLE HIT A SNOW COVERED ICE PATCH., ON THE DOWN HILL SIDE THE VEHICLE MOVED RIGHT THE LEFT BEFORE MY DAUGHTER ( THE DRIVER) COULD REACT THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE TREE. MY DAUGHTER HIT HER HEAD AND FACE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY WIFE HIT SOMETHING THAT COULD NOT BE READALY IDENTIFIED AND RECIEVED A GASH IN THE MIDDLE OF HER FOREHEAD , A CONCUSION, AND HER LEG WAS JAMMED UNDE THE DASHBOARD. THE LEG WAS NOT BROKEN BUT SHE DOES NEED TO WEAR A KEG IMMOBILIZER FOR A FEW DAYS. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND TOWARDS THE CENTER. WITH THE SIZE OF THE TREE AND THE AMOUNT OF LEFT FRONT DAMAGE ONE WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOY AT THE VERY LEAST. WHILE NONE OF THESE INJURIES ARE LIFE THREATNING, I HAVE GREAT CONCERN , BECAUSE OUR FAMILY HAS 3 1999 GRAND VARTARS I DRIVE ONE , MY WIFE DRIVES ONE AND HER SISTER DRIVES ONE. THIS MAY ALL CHANGE VERY SOON., DEPENDING ON WHAT WE DO OR DO NOT FIND OUT ABOUT THIS SITUATION. I SEE ON YOU SITE THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF GRAND VARTAR OWNERS REPORTING AIRBAG PROBLEMS. HOW MANY WILL IT TAKE BEFORE SOMEONRE THAKES THIS PROBLEM SERIOUS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056439

Incident

Jan 29, 2004

Mileage

86,000 mi

CROSSOVER PIPE LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE BACK SEAT CRACKED. EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10056051

Mileage

50,000 mi