RoadVitals

2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Nov 18, 2019
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Dec 2, 2009

What this page shows

Our database holds 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–14 of 14

Steering
Filed Nov 18, 2019

THE POWER STEERING PUMP DRIVE-BELT TENSION ADJUSTABLE PULLEY- HAS BEEN COMPROMISED ... AND EFFECTS MY AC. WHILE RESEARCHING I FOUND THE 2006 - 2012 MODELS WERE EFFECTED AS WELL, CAUSING A RECALL..VEHICLE WAS IN PARK- AND WOULD NOT START.. TURNED OFF AC AND SHE FINALLY TURNED OVER.. AFTER I LET HER SIT FOR 2 HOURS PLEASE ADVISE THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ID
11280765
Incident
Nov 16, 2019
Mileage
88,259 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Oct 17, 2019

NO WORD ABS AND ESP,

NHTSA ID
11269259
Incident
Dec 14, 2012
Mileage
35,000 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Apr 26, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES FAILED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE READINGS, AND THE ENGINE, ABS, ASP, AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11203901
Incident
Apr 24, 2019
Mileage
113,000 mi
Filed Apr 10, 2019

THE UNIT HAVE BEEN CONSUMING COOLANT IN EXCESS.AFTER A PROFESIONAL INSPECTION WAS DETECTED A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK.THIS IS EXACTLY THE SITUATION COVER IN THE SUZUKI EXTENSIONS OF THE WARRANTY BY THE MANUFACTURER.YOUR RECALL BULLETIN EXACTLY DESCRIBE MY SITUATION.PLEASE CLARIFY THE SUZUKI REPRESENTATIVE IN PUERTO RICO THAT THE WARRANTY EXTENSIONS IS VALID FOR PR UNITS.THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ID
11195430
Incident
Feb 5, 2019
Mileage
69,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 11, 2017

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED AIR CONDITIONING WOULD BE COOL THEN HOT FOR ABOUT 3-5 MINUTES AND COOL AGAIN THEN HOT AGAIN AND REPEAT. TURNED OFF THE AC WHEN I NOTICED THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR GETTING HOTTER. TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC. HE PERFORMED PRESSURE TEST ON COOLING SYSTEM AND FOUND ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED AND LEAKING COOLANT, LEFT SIDE UNDER EXHAUST MANIFOLD. VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND WILL CAUSE ME TO BE STRANDED. COULD BE SIMILAR TO NHTSA ID #10054717.

NHTSA ID
11022575
Incident
Jul 16, 2017
Mileage
96,738 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jul 9, 2017

TAKATA RECALL? AIR BAG AND PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHTS STAY ON. ONLY HAVE 70,000 MILES ON CAR. ABS/ESP LIGHT STAYS ON

NHTSA ID
11003864
Incident
Jun 5, 2017
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 7, 2017

WHEN CAR WAS INITIALLY STARTED, AFTER FEW MINUTES OF WARM UP TIME, HEAT WAS ACTIVATED AND NO HEAT WAS DISPERSED. BEGAN DRIVING, DESPITE NO HEAT. WITHIN 1 MILE TRAVELING LESS THAT 15 MPH, THE TEMPARATURE GAGE INCREASED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL, STILL WITHOUT HEAT IN CAR. (PICTURE 1) AS SPEED INCREASED, TEMPERATURE GAGE RAPIDLY FLUCTUATED AND ESP WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON DASH. (PICTURE 2) PULLED OFF HIGHWAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING WARNING LIGHTS, ENGINE FOUND TO BE SMOKING. DIAGNOSED WITH ENGINE CRACK., CRACK SEALED FOR TEMPORARY FUNCTION, WITHIN DAYS OF SEAL, SAME SYMPTOMS AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, BUT TOTAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN FOLLOWING ESP WARNING LIGHTS. ACCELERATION HALTED, POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND BRAKES DIFFICULT TO WORK. AFTER SITTING OFF, CAR UNABLE TO START.

NHTSA ID
10950047
Incident
Jan 20, 2017
Mileage
87,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 9, 2016

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHT BULBS SO MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I HAVE LOST COUNT. NOW I AM BEING TOLD EVEN THOUGH MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE BULB AGAIN, THAT I SHOULD REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES AT A COST OF $240 EACH TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT HEADLIGHT BULBS FOR MANY MODEL YEAR GRAND VITARAS. I THINK SUZUKI SHOULD RECALL THE 2007-2011 GRAND VITARA HEADLIGHTS FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND OVERALL CUSTOMER GOODWILL.

NHTSA ID
10845720
Incident
Mar 9, 2016
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 19, 2015

BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10706498
Incident
Dec 26, 2014
Mileage
44,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 24, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND THE ESP OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND INSPECTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS FOUND DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,900. UPDATED 8/24/12 *CN

NHTSA ID
10467212
Incident
Apr 15, 2012
Mileage
12,400 mi
Heating & air conditioningExterior lightingOther / unspecified
Filed Jul 19, 2011

2009 SUZUKI VITARA AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR HAS FAILED UPON 2 YEAR OWNERSHIP. IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY PER SUZUKI DEALERSHIP. WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED, A POPPING SOUND OCCURS AND THE AIR BEGINS TO BLOW HOT AIR. THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS WAS THE HIGHBEAM/LOWBEAM LIGHTS BURN OUT WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THEN PULLEY SYSTEM FAILS. THEN THE COMPRESSOR. THIS ALL TAKES WITHIN 2 YEARS. TO REPAIR THE COMPRESSOR, THERE ARE NO "OLD" PARTS AND IT IS ONLY STOCKED WITH THE SUZUKI DEALERSHIP. YOU ARE FORCED TO PAY THEIR PRICE FOR REPLACING UNIT, EVEN THOUGH THE AIR CONDITIONER AND FILTERING UNIT IS COVERED UNDER THE 7 YEAR/OR 100000 MILE WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT IS WAS COVERED THEN 6 HOURS LATER THEY SAID IT WASN'T AND REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE COMPRESSOR TELLING ME THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO LET ME "WIN THE LOTTERY". OUR SUZUKI HAS 40,000 MILES CURRENTLY. A TWO YEAR OLD CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS MANY PROBLEMS. *KB

NHTSA ID
10413583
Incident
Jul 16, 2011
Mileage
40,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 31, 2011

2009 GRAND VATARI SUZUKI DISCOVERED WHAT APPEARS TO BE DEFECT IN RIGHT REAR AXLE.THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT BALD AFTER 15K MILES COMPLAINED TO YOKOHAMA ABOUT TIRES. PURCHASED NEW SET OF DIFFERENT YOKOHAMA'S. WHEN VEHICLE REACHED 45K MILES SECOND SET WENT BALD. AT THAT POINT I NOTICED A ROAR AND VIBRATION COMING FROM RIGHT REAR PURCHASED A THIRD SET OF TIRES AND ROTATED EVERY 3K MILES. THE ROAR GOT WORSE. HAD CAR LIFTED BOTH WHEELS OFF GROUND PLACED CAR IN DRIVE PRESSED ACCELERATOR RAN ODOMETER UP TO 50 MILES PER HOUR WHILE LISTENING AND WATCHING REAR END I HEAR CLICKING AND SAW A VIBRATION ON RIGHT REAR. ALL OF THIS WAS VISIBLE TO EYE AND EAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO SUZUKI DEALER DESCRIBED PROBLEM AND HISTORY TO SERVICE WRITER. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK IN SHOP . THE MECHANIC SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE BEARING IN THE RIGHT REAR AXLE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM HAD TO EXIST WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED BECAUSE THE SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN THE SAME SINCE THE FIRST 15K MILES. SUZUKI IS REPLACING THE BEARING UNDER THE WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10403753
Incident
May 18, 2011
Mileage
15,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 16, 2011

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WOULD NOT GO OFF TOOK CAR TO ELECTRICAL SHOP FOUND OUT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR UNDER FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE ORDERED NEW ONE FROM SUZUKI THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM VEHICLE 09 GRAND VITARA. *TR

NHTSA ID
10382873
Incident
May 5, 2010
Mileage
25,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 2, 2009

WE OWN A 2009 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. WE HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERS 5 TIMES IN 4 MONTHS. WE ARE TOLD WE NEED TO WATCH HOW WE SIT IN THE SEAT, AND DO NOT RECLINE THE SEAT, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO SINCE NO CODES SHOW UP ON THE COMPUTER. THEY STATE THE AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK WITH THE LIGHT ON BUT CAN NOT FIX IT. IT IS INTERMITTENT SOMETIMES STAYS ON. HAS STAYED ON AT THE DEALERS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10294320
Incident
Dec 2, 2009
Mileage
8,000 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .