1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara Problems

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.

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

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

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

BRAKE LINE ROTTED AWAY ALL BRAKES AND FLUID LOST

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.

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

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

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.

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

REPEATED FAILURE OF 4WD TO REMAIN ENGAGED, EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY. LOUD POPPING NOISE IN DRIVETRAIN. VEHICLE POPS OUT OF 4WD IN, FROM 4H TO 2WD. LOUD POPPING NOISE FROM DRIVETRAIN IN 4LOW. *AK

DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE IN WET/RAINY CONDITIONS AND WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, TRANSMISSION WILL JUMP OUT OF 4-WHEEL DRIVE INTO 2-WHEEL DRIVE UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THIS WAS NORMAL. CONSUMER FEELS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE IN HEAVY WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION AND LACK OF STABILITY WHEN VEHICLE IS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *AK *TT

CONSUMER STATES AIR CONDITION IS INOPERATIVE AND HAS BEEN WAITING SINCE THE SPRING TO RECEIVE THE PART, HOWEVER CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE AIR CONDITION AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE.*YH

AIR CONDITIONING INOPERABLE. REPORTED TO DEALER APRIL 2001 AND NOW REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE YET AVAILABLE! IT IS BELIEVED THE ENTIRE HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK, AS THE DEFROSTING WAS INEFFECTINVE DURING THE 200-2001 WINTER!. *AK

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

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1999 GRAND, VITARA.P235/60R16 SIZE DOT: ELKUDMA THAT ON WET PAVEMENTS TIRES HAVE POOR TRACTION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT ON ONE OCCASION, VEHICLE DID A 180 DEGREE SPIN AT APPROXIMATELY 28 MPH ON A SLICK ROAD IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FACE ONCOMING TRAFFIC, BRIDGESTONE DUELER 687. *SLC

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

PLASTIC WINDOW GUARDS DO NOT SECURELY ATTACH TO WINDOW FRAME. IN EVENT OF HIGH SPEEDS OR HIGH WIND GUARDS WILL JUST BLOW COMPLETELY OFF. *AK WINDOW GUARDS ARE JUST JAMMED INTO PLACE, DEALER HAS DECLINED TO FASTEN THEM TO THE VEHICLE. *SLC

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE PROPERLY, DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED IT, HOWEVER IT STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. *YH

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES SHOULDER BELTS WILL LOCK UP UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING/SITTING AND WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES FOR NO APPARENT REASON, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER AND PASSNEGER TO MOVE SIDEWAYS . *AK

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.

VEHICLE TIE ROD BROKE.*MR THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CONSEQUENTLY STRUCK A CONCRETE DIVIDER WALL AND THE AIR BAGS FAIL TO DEPLOY. *PH (PER ALBERTO JIMENEZ THIS DOCUMENT IS CONSIDERED A MAILED IN VOQ) *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY INDICATED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE TENSIONER GOING BAD. THE HUB BEARING AND SENOR ALSO WENT BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AXLE ASSEMBLY SLID OUT CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

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

THE WIRES AT THE BACK OF THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER MELTED. WHEN THE CONSUMERS BRAKE ASSIST WAS PLUGGED INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER IT BURNED UP, BECAUSE THE WIRE WAS TOO THIN AND WAS UNABLE TO CARRY THAT TYPE OF LOAD. LUCKILY THE FUSE DID NOT BLOW OUT. *NLM *CB *JB

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

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

AFTER PURCHASING MY USED VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2003 THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO SHIFT HARD WHEN TAKEN OUT OF PARK, OR SWITCHING FROM FORWARD TO REVERSE AND SO ON. OCCASIONALLY IF FELT LIKE THE GAS PEDAL MAY BE STICKING A BIT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & THE DEALER HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR. BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP THE SHIFTING PROBLEM. ON DECEMBER 11, 2003 AROUND 4:00 AM, I WAS RETURNING FROM DOWN STATE ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, IT WAS RAINING AND AROUND 34 DEGREES. THE GAS PEDAL STUCK & THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. SPINNING AROUND SEVERAL TIMES, STRIKING A GUARD RAIL, AND GOING BACKWARD INTO THE DITCH. THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ROLL-OVER BUT CAUGHT ON THE BANK AND SLAMMED BACK ON IT'S WHEELS. IT STRUCK HARD ENOUGH TO BEND 3 RIMS AND EXPLODE THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR. I AM CURRENTLY RECOVERING FROM MULTIPLE BACK & NECK INJURIES, INCLUDING TWO CRUSHED VERTEBRA AND NERVE DAMAGE CAUSING LOSS OF FUNCTION AND TREMENDOUS PAIN. I RECEIVED YOUR RECALL NOTICE ON THE ACCELERATOR CABLE & CASING 3 1/2 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE ISSUED THE RECALL MORE EXPEDIENTLY. THANK GOD MY CHILDREN WEREN'T WITH ME!*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00E080000 ABOUT STEEL WHEELS, BUT SHE HAS A PROBLEM.*AK

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

DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH SINCE LAST REPLACEMENT, AND A 3RD REPLACEMENT IS NEEDED ALONG WITH A DRIVESHAFT REPLACEMENT. DEALER HAS RECOGNIZED DEFECT, BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED ACCURATE REMEDY.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HOWLING/WHISTLING NOISE FROM THE REAR AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 55 AND 65, AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT THERE WAS HEAVY VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, ANOTHER REPLACEMENT AND STILL NO REMEDY MADE, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY AND DRIVESHAFT. LATCH BROKE OFF OF THE AIR FILTER BOX, DEALER REPLACED THE FILTER BOX. CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAKS WHEN BEING RELEASED FAST. *SLC

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE PROPERLY, DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED IT, HOWEVER IT STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. *YH

SEAL BAD ON WINDSHIELD CAUSING A HIGH PITCHED HUMMING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. *MJS