RoadVitals

1988 Suzuki Samurai Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
20
Latest Jul 17, 2001
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
8
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.
6

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Suzuki Samurai, 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

  • Seat belts1152.4%
  • Suspension29.5%
  • Tires & wheels29.5%
  • Body & structure29.5%
  • Transmission14.8%
  • Engine14.8%
  • Interior & seats14.8%
  • Steering14.8%

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

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

11
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT RETRACTOR WILL NOT RETRACT THE BELT, AND WILL NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER IN CASE OF A VEHICLE COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ID 815017 · filed Sep 3, 1997

RECALL #95V103 SEAT BELT BUCKLE: RECEIVED NOTICE IN OCT. OF 96 CALLED TO TAKE VEHICLE IN AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE TOO BUSY. MADE AN APPOINTMENT IN NOVEMBER 1996 AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE THREE TO FOUR DAYS BEFORE THEY COULD GET TO IT. VEHICLE STILL HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID 810409 · filed Mar 26, 1997
All 11 reports naming seat belts →

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER IN ACCIDENT DUE TO POOR STABILITY.

NHTSA ID 509604 · filed Oct 8, 1996

TRUCK FLIPPED OVER GOING 35 MPH AND IT ALSO HAS SPUN AROUND. TT

NHTSA ID 964339 · filed Apr 25, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

BRIDGESTONE, P205/70R15, DOT UNKNOWN, REPLACEMENT TIRE, MILAGE UNKNOWN ON A 1988, SUZUKI, SAMURAI. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH HEARD A NOISE. THEN, VEHICLE STARTED TO FISHTAIL, SPUN AROUND 180 DEGREES AND HIT A TREE. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN. NO INJURIES. REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION, A 2 1/2 FEET LONG PIECE OF TREAD CAME OFF, TIRE WAS NOT FLAT. *AK TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE DRIVERS SIDE, CONVERTIBLE TOP AND REAR TIRE, DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK/NECK PAIN. NLM

NHTSA ID 893013 · filed Jul 17, 2001

TREAD SEPERATED (TIRESIZE: P205/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75R15 )

NHTSA ID 733390 · filed Oct 4, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE POOR DESIGN OF THE DOOR HANDLES RESULTED IN THREE BROKEN HANDLES (TWO INSIDE AND ONE OUTSIDE).

NHTSA ID 534122 · filed Oct 23, 1997

TRUCK FLIPPED OVER GOING 35 MPH AND IT ALSO HAS SPUN AROUND. TT

NHTSA ID 964339 · filed Apr 25, 1995

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT RETAINING BOLT SNAPPED OFF TWICE. *AK

NHTSA ID 519108 · filed Sep 8, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING CAR WAS OVERHEATING SO HE PULLED OVER CHECKED THE CAR AND OIL WAS COMING OUT. LATER HE FOUND OUT A BOLT HAD COME LOSE AND ONE FELT OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID 981087 · filed Mar 22, 1996

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN REAR ENDED THE SEAT BACKS BROKE AND CAUSED FURTHER INJURIES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID 975539 · filed Nov 28, 1995

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TRAVELING ON RAMP HIT CURB LOST CONTROL VEHICLE ROLLED OVER IN THE AIR. TT

NHTSA ID 964411 · filed Apr 26, 1995

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

Data on this page last refreshed .