2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara Driver assistance Problems

I bought this car used one year ago and have had to change the low beam lights twice and now they are out again. At night I drive with the high beams on and they are so weak no one can tell. Last month the engine started surging making the car try to take off wether in neutral, park or drive. I have to hold the brake very strongly to keep the car from taking off. This is extremely dangerous for obvious reasons and someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed because Suzuki will not acknowledge or fix this problem. This will be my last Suzuki product ever. I can't afford to get another vehicle right now so I'm having to drive this nightmare daily.

NHTSA ID

11514906

Incident

Mar 15, 2022

RECORD ACCIDENT

NHTSA ID

11032173

Incident

Oct 3, 2017

Mileage

108,000 mi

MY VEHICLE WAS AT A STANDSTILL AT A RED LIGHT. I HAD THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, WITH MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE. WHILE WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE, I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE CAR INSTANTANEOUSLY SPED FORWARD AT AN UNCONTROLLABLE HIGH RATE OF SPEED CAUSING ME TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10714289

Incident

Apr 11, 2015

Mileage

69,500 mi

MY WIFE AND I JUST LEFT MY MOTHER'S CONDOMINIUM PREMISES, I TURNED RIGHT ON GENEVA AVENUE IN SAN FRANCISCO. AS I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AT 23 MILES PER HOUR, THE CAR TOOK ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN! THE CAR TOOK OFF, THE ENGINE REVVED UP, BY IT SELF AND SPED UP, EVEN ME MY RIGHT FOOT STEPPING AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BRAKES! I STEERED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT I NEEDED TO HIT THE BUMPER OF A PARKED CAR IN ORDER TO STOP. IN MY OPINION, MY WIFE AND I WERE SUBJECTED BY THIS CAR INTO A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I LEFT A NOTE AND MY PHONE NUMBER ON THE WINDSHIELD OF THE CAR I HIT, APOLOGIZED, AND ASKED THE DRIVER TO CALL ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I THOUGHT THE FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE WAS OVER! AFTER I LEFT MY NOTE FOR THE DRIVER OF THE PARKED CAR I HIT, WE DECIDED TO PROCEED. AFTER HALF A BLOCK, THE ENGINE POWERED UP BY ITSELF, AGAIN, AND WAS LAUNCHING FORWARD. I MANAGED, WITH ALL THE FORCE I COULD MUSTER, TO STEP ON THE BRAKES AND STOP ON A RED ZONE. WE DECIDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOMETOWN, 44 MILES AWAY. THE 2006 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA SHOULD BE EXAMINED THOROUGHLY BY THE MANUFACTURER IN MY OPINION, CORRECT THIS HUGE PROBLEM BEFORE IT KILLS. BETTER YET, IT SHOULD BE BOUGHT BACK BY THE MANUFACTURER. OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BE DRIVING AT 45 MILES, NOT 23, BY THE SIDE OF THE CLIFF. I ADVISED SUZUKI USA ABOUT THIS. THE MATTER IS PENDING. I WAS TOLD NONCHALANTLY BY A RICHARD TRAVIS THAT THEY WILL HAVE THE VEHICLE EXAMINED. THEY WILL TRY TO 'DUPLICATE THE HARROWING EXPERIENCE. I DID NOT FEEL ANY COMPASSION AT ALL FROM SUZUKI.

NHTSA ID

10714259

Incident

Apr 19, 2015

Mileage

35,000 mi

I HAD PULLED INTO THE PARKING GARAGE WHERE I WORK AND WAS PULLING INTO MY SPACE. THE CAR REVVED UP AND TOOK OFF. I HIT THE PARKING CURB, FLEW UP AND BACK DOWN CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE IT WAS STILL GOING AND WAS GOING TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN I GOT THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED AWAY AND OUT INTO THE MIDDLE WHERE THERE WAS NOTHING AND GOT IT STOPPED. IF ANYONE HAD BEEN WALKING IN THE GARAGE AT THAT TIME I COULD HAVE HIT AND KILLED THEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10500089

Incident

Feb 22, 2013

Mileage

88,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ESP CONTROL MODULE ILLUMINATED AND THE ABS BRAKING CONTROL ENGAGED AFTER THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ESP CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,010. UPDATED 01/24/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, THE STEERING WAS VERY LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE ALMOST WANTED TO STEER ITSELF. WITHIN IN A FEW WEEKS, THERE WAS HEAVY WET SNOW AND THE ROADS WERE VERY SLUSHY. UPON APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ALMOST BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD COST $1500 TO REPLACE THE MODULE. UPDATED 01/26/12 UPDATED 01/30/12

NHTSA ID

10436740

Incident

Oct 31, 2011

Mileage

58,000 mi

I ENGAGED MY BRAKES AND PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT GOING ABOUT 10 MILES PER HOUR. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 6 INCHES AWAY FROM THE SIDEWALK CURB (ABOUT 6 INCHES HIGH) WITH MY BRAKES APPLIED FULLY MY VEHICLE REVVED UP REALLY LOUD AND LUNGED FORWARD VIOLENTLY AND CRASHED THROUGH A BRICK OFFICE BUILDING. I DID NOT STEP ON THE GAS AT ALL. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10435408

Incident

Nov 9, 2011

EARLIER TODAY, 6 MAY 2011, MY MOTHER WAS BEGINNING TO DRIVE OUT OF THE BANK DRIVE-THRU WINDOW WHEN HER VEHICLE TOOK OFF ON ITS OWN UNTIL SHE WAS ABLE TO CRASH IT AGAINST A WALL TO AVOID IMPACTING OTHER CARS AND PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE AREA. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT FOR THIS VEHICLE, A FEW MONTHS AGO, AGAIN JUST BEGINNING TO MOVE, SPED OUT OF CONTROL IMPACTING THE NEIGHBORS HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL SUZUKI DEALER FOR A MECHANICAL EVALUATION, BUT NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS FOUND. THAT SAME SUZUKI DEALER HAS BEEN THE ONLY PLACE WHERE SERVICES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON THAT SUV AND I DON'T BUY FOR A SECOND THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY AFTER A SECOND INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10399383

Incident

May 6, 2011

Mileage

32,500 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER FRONT END WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 45,000.

NHTSA ID

10344029

Incident

Jul 19, 2010

Mileage

45,000 mi

2006 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. CONSUMER STATES CONCERN WITH THE FAILURE OF THE ESP (ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM) MODULE. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPLACEMENT UNIT IS $3,000.00 PLUS INSTALLATION AND TAX. *JB

NHTSA ID

10325320

Incident

Apr 15, 2010

( CORRECTED REPORT ) MY WIFE HAD JUST FILLED THE TRUCK UP AT SHEETZ..I WENT TO PULL IT UP AND AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN GEAR IT TOOK OFF...WENT ABOUT 70 FEET INTO A PARKED CAR AND BRICK WALL..BRAKES WERE EITHER INEFFECTIVE OR NOT WORKING..MY WIFE HAD A SIMILAR EVENT THE DAY BEFORE BUT IT WAS BRIEF AND WE DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO IT.. THROTTLE WAS STUCK WIDE OPEN !! I WAS NOT INJURED AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO STEER AWAY FROM THE STEET RIGHT IN FRON OF ME!! I FOUND NO RECALLS OF THIS VEHICLE ON THE INTERNET AND NO SIMILAR REPORTS..BUT IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY KILLED SOMEONE OR BEEN KILLED..ACCIDENT IS REPORTED WITH WEST HILLS POLICE JOHNSTOWN PA .. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292252

Incident

Nov 13, 2009

Mileage

55,000 mi

MY WIFE HAD JUST FILLED THE TRUCK UP AT SHEETZ..I WENT TO PULL IT UP AND AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN GEAR IT TOOK OFF...WENT ABOUT 70 FEET INTO A PARKED CAR AND BRICK WALL..BRAKES WERE EITHER INEFFECTIVE OR NOT WORKING..MY WIFE HAD A SIMILAR EVENT THE DAY BEFORE BUT IT WAS BRIEF AND WE DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO IT.. THROTTLE WAS STUCK WIDE OPEN !! I WAS NOT INJURED AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO STEER AWAY FROM THE STREET RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!! I FOUND NO RECALLS OF THIS VEHICLE ON THE INTERNET AND NO SIMILAR REPORTS..BUT IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY KILLED SOMEONE OR BEEN KILLED..ACCIDENT IS REPORTED WITH WEST HILLS POLICE JOHNSTOWN PA .. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292251

Incident

Nov 13, 2009

Mileage

55,000 mi

MY WIFE HAD JUST FILLED THE TRUCK UP AT SHEETZ..I WENT TO PULL IT UP AND AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN GEAR IT TOOK OFF...WENT ABOUT 70 FEET INTO A PARKED CAR AND BRICK WALL..BRAKES WERE EITHER INEFFECTIVE OR NOT WORKING..MY WIFE HAD A SIMILAR EVENT THE DAY BEFORE BUT IT WAS BRIEF AND WE DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO IT.. THROTTLE WAS STUCK WIDE OPEN !! I WAS NOT INJURED AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO STEER AWAY FROM THE STEER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!! I FOUND NO RECALLS OF THIS VEHICLE ON THE INTERNET AND NO SIMILAR REPORTS..BUT IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY KILLED SOMEONE OR BEEN KILLED..ACCIDENT IS REPORTED WITH WEST HILLS POLICE JOHNSTOWN PA .. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292249

Incident

Nov 13, 2009

Mileage

55,000 mi