1997 Suzuki Sidekick Owner Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRES SEPARATED. *CB *NLM

NHTSA ID

10024422

Incident

Jun 14, 2003

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ATTACHMENT CLIP IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SPOT WELD BROKE ALLOWING THE PEDAL TO DETACH FROM THE LINKAGE. WHEN THE OWNER ENTERED THE TRUCK THE PEDAL WAS ALREADY DETACHED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS TS

NHTSA ID

8022441

Incident

Nov 6, 2002

THE VEHICLE STRUTS BROKE WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00V-008 RELATING TO THE STRUT ROD. NLM

NHTSA ID

566630

Incident

Dec 26, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES FRONT OF CAR STARTED TO SHAKE CAUSING LOOSE STEERING, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHERE TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED. *YD

NHTSA ID

8008801

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

NHTSA ID# 00V-008-000 MANUFACTURE ID #W2 THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO SERVICE THE RECALL BECAUSE THE COMPUTER READING SHOWS THAT THE FRONT STRUTS WHERE ALREADY SERVICED ON APRIL 13, 2000. THE CONSUMER DEBATES THE PRINT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. NLM

NHTSA ID

8007787

Incident

Apr 4, 2002

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH ON ROAD AT NIGHT, THEN WOKE UP IN HOSPITAL. WITNESS SAID THAT DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND HIT MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, THEN ROLLED OVER. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8004607

Incident

Jul 15, 1997

PURCHASED THIS SIDEKICK JULY 24, 2001. WITHIN DAYS THE " ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DUE TO A 30 DAY 1000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY I TOOK THE SIDEKICK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP PURCHASED AT. THE SIDEKICK WAS TAKEN TO THE SUZUKI DEALERSHIP FOR EVALUATION. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SOLENOID AND VALVE BODY WERE DEFECTED. A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO COST ANALYSIS. AFTER 1.5 WEEKS IN THE SHOP I PICKED UP "MY" SIDEKICK. WITHIN 3 DAYS THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. RETURNED THE SIDEKICK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. THE SUZUKI DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. IT WAS RELAYED TO ME THAT THE SUZUKI REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS HAD A VALVE BODY DEFECT. TRANSMISSION NUMBER 2 WAS PULLED AND IN WENT REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION NUMBER 3. I PICKED UP THE SIDEKICK THIS MORNING. WITHIN 2 HOURS AND LESS THAN 30 MILES THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. CONTACTED THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. THE SIDEKICK WILL BE PICKED UP MONDAY MORNING AND I'LL BE DRIVING ANOTHER LOANER VEHICLE (FOR WHICH I'M VERY GRATEFUL). I'LL FIND OUT IN 2-3 DAYS WHETHER MY NEW TO ME USED TO YOU GETS TRANSMISSION NUMBER 4. I'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 31 DAYS, HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF DRIVING IT FOR 7 DAYS TOPS. THE 30 DAY 1000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS NOW EXPIRED. I'VE REQUESTED A COLLATERAL TRADE. I WON'T FIND OUT ABOUT THAT UNTIL THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP RETURNS MONDAY. I'VE HAD MORE TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS ONE VEHICLE IN ONE MONTH THAN I'VE HAD IN ALL MY VEHICLES IN THE PAST 15 YEARS! LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OUR RIGHTS ARE. I'VE NOT EVEN MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT YET. WOULD LIKE SOME INORMATION ON OUR RIGHTS AS CONSUMERS. THANKS!*AK

NHTSA ID

751119

Incident

Jul 31, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH CONSUMER SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE WALL. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT STRUT ROD HAD BROKEN, CAUSING THE CRASH. *AK THE LEFT TIE ROD ASSEMBLY HAS SEPARATED BETWEEN THE INNER LINK AND THE ADJUSTING SLEEVE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

894411

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

CLUTCH KEEP PREMATURELY FAILING ABOUT 6-10 MONTHS DUE TO A WHITE PIECE THAT GOES AROUND CLUTCH THAT KEEPS BREAKING. CONSUMER HAS ALREADY REPLACED CLUTCH 6 TIMES.*AK

NHTSA ID

892698

THESE PARTS WERE REPLACED WHEN I HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

748208

Incident

Dec 1, 1998

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 MPH UNDER COLD/ DRY CONDITIONS WHEN VEHICLE HIT A DIP IN ROAD, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, AND VEHICLE WENT OVER A SNOW BANK, AND IMPACTED A TREE ON FRONT CENTER AREA OF VEHICLE. DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT GIVEN CONSUMER ANY REASON FOR CAUSE OF DEFECT. *SUZUKI WAS IN POSSESSION OF AIR BAGS, AND VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

886214

Incident

Feb 17, 2000

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN DRIVER NOTICED THAT GEAR WAS IN THE 2ND GEAR ,CONSUMER WENT TO SHIFT GEAR WHEN IT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AND ROLL OVER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, RESULTING IN INJUIRES TO DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

871855

Incident

Sep 26, 2000

ENGINE STALLED WHEN LET OFF GAS DURING TURN IN INTERSECTION ALMOST LOST CONTROL. THIS VEHICLE IS STANDARD SHIFT, NEED 3 FEET TO DRIVE. THIS APPEARS TO POSSABLY BE THE SAME ISSUE AS ODI ID 781364, 824717, 713749, 805550. DEALER SAYS ENGINE DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID

731869

Incident

Sep 13, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THE BRACKET THAT THE COOLING FAN AND AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR MOUNT TO CRACKED AND SEPARATED. THE COOLING FAN WAS THROWN INTO THE RADIATOR AND CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO FAIL SUDDENLY. THE COOLING FAN AND BRACKET PIECE ALSO DAMAGED THE FRONT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR CAUSING FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

723888

Incident

Apr 20, 2000

CONSUMER TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET DEALER TO REPAIR VEHICLE UNDER RECALL. BUT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

862766

I HAD JUST PULLED ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY, LUCKILY WAS ONLY GOING 40 MPH IN 4TH GEAR WHEN THE DRIVESHAFT CAME OFF THE MOTOR MOUNT, BUT STAYED ATTACHED TO THE REAR. MY TRUCK CAME UP OFF THE GROUND 3 FT. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS WHO WAS BEHIND ME AT THE TIME. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. PER THE SER VICE MANANGER AT DAVID MCDAVID, THE BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE MOTOR MOUNT. I AM NOT HARD ON THIS VEHICLE, AND IN MY OPINION, AND THAT OF THE SERVICE MGR. THIS IS A QUALITY ISSUE WITH SUZUKI. I DID CONTACT THE TX. REP. FOR SUZUKI, SHE WAS VERY RUDE! IT TOOK 17 DAYS FOR THE SERVICE DEPT. AT THE DEALERSHIP TO GET A NEW DRIVE SHAFT. THEY STATED THERE WAS NOT "ONE" IN ALL OF NORTH AMERICA OR CANADA." THEY HAD TO HAVE ONE BROUGHT IN BY BOAT. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE ANY LONGER, AND WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER SUZUKI. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP'S GENERAL MANAGER STATED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE ME A GOOD DEAL ON A GMC FULL SIZE TRUCK. I NEVER WANTED BACK IN THE SUZUKI AGAIN, THIS WAS A VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I PICKED OUT A GMC TRUCK, MADE A DEAL WITH DAVID MCDAVID, DROVE IT HOME AND THEN THEY WELCHED ON THE DEAL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WANTED A $3,000.00 DOWNPAYMENT! I AM TURNING THIS INTO THE BBB. MY WHOLE FAMILY HAS BEEN REPEAT CUSTOMERS OF THAT DEALERSHIP, AND NOW I AM BEING TREATED VERY POORILY. THEY JUST LOST ALOT OF BUSINESS. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP ME WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.*AK

NHTSA ID

722934

Incident

Apr 11, 2000

RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED (00V-008), HOWEVER THE MECHANIC FAILED TO REPAIR CORRECTLY, CONSUMER HAD TO RETURN FOR ADDITIONAL REPAIR. *MJS

NHTSA ID

551994

Incident

Apr 3, 2000

BRACKET WHICH HOLDS THE FAN BROKE OFF AND CAUSED THE FAN TO CUT INTO THE RADIATOR. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ID

860550

Incident

Nov 21, 1999

FAN BRACKET BROKE AND SENT FAN INTO RADIATOR CAUSING MAJOR GASHES AND CAR TO OVERHEAT. VEHICLE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER WENT TO HOT AND ENGINE LIGHTS DID NOT GIVE ANY SIGNS OF PROBLEMS. MOTOR COMPLETELY BURNT UP.

NHTSA ID

721617

Incident

Nov 20, 1999

STARTER FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID

784610

Incident

Apr 7, 2000

RECALL # 00V008000 SUZUKI/FRONT STRUTS; DEALER DID NOT HAVE PARTS TO CORRECT RECALL CAMPAIGN. OWNER WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

858885

WHILE DRIVING LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. STEERING WHEEL GOT HARD, AND DRIVER COULD NOT STEER. RECALL 200V008000/FRONT END STRUTS WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

858684

Incident

Mar 13, 2000

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED TWICE BECAUSE A PEBBLE ON THE ROAD STRUCK IT . THE CAR HAS BEEN SHUTTING OFF REPEATEDLY. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE CAR WAS STILL A BABY. THIS CAR IS A DRIVERS NIGHTMARE.

NHTSA ID

713749

NEED TO KNOW IF THIS SUV HAS BEEN KNOWN TO ROLL OVER BEFORE I PURCHASE PLEASE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ID

706533

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID

543968

Incident

Feb 16, 1999