1999 Suzuki Vitara Problems

FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER HAS RUSTED THROUGH ON MY 1999 SUZUKI VITARA. THE CHEVROLET TRACKER, WHICH IS THE SAME CAR HAS HAD A SAFETY RECALL DUE TO THIS ISSUE. THIS POSES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN! *TR

1999 VITARA HAS LOUD VIBRATION BETWEEN 55 TO 65 MPH. HAVE TO DRIVE BELOW OR ABOVE MPH RANGE TO STOP VIBRATION. SAFETY ISSUE. NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS ON FILE. FEEL INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MP ENGINE LOCKED UP. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM ONCE, BUT IT WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK....*AK

FROM DAY ONE, THE BELT ON THE CAR MADE A CHIRPING NOISE. THE CAR HAD GONE BACK TO THE DEALER ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS-AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE BELT HAS BEEN CHANGED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUES. WHEN IT RAINS, IT GETS A VERY LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DELAER AT LEAST TWICE, AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE SENSOR, BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS FINE. HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON OCCASSIONALLY OFF AND ON. I HAD CONSISTENT OIL CHANGES AND SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE, BUT LAST WEEK, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STARTING FLASHING. COME TO FIND OUT, THE #3 CYLINDER GOING INTO THE ENGINE WAS GONE. I WAS TOLD THIS HAD TO BE AND ON-GOING PROBLEM-IT DID NOT HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. EVIDENTLY, THERE WAS A PROBLEM EXACTLY ALL THE TIMES THE LIGHT CAME ON. AS A RESULT, I HAD TO PAY OVER $2000 TO GET THE CAR FIXED. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT EASILY GO INTO 3RD GEAR. THERE WAS A HORRIBLE VIBRATION AND NOISE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A FEELING OF LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. *TT

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY SINCE PURCHASE DATE, WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO 5TH GEAR, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BUT IT WOULD TAKE THREE WEEKS FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO COME IN AND ONE WEEK TO REPLACE, WHEN CONSUMER PICKED UP VEHICLE HE WAS TOLD THAT A RECIEPT WAS UNAVAILABLE AND ONE YEAR LATER WHEN HE OBTAINED A RECIEPT STATING THAT TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND NOT REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES BETWEEN 3-23-2000 AND 3-16-2001 IT BECAOME DIFFUCULT TO DOWN SHIFT INTO 3RD GEARAND IMPOSSIBLE TO GO INTO REVERSE.*JB

BRAKE LIGHTS KEPT BLOWING OUT ON THEIR OWN. THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED SIX TIMES. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

ENGINE OIL PAN CRACKED CAUSING AN OIL LEAKED WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE, SUCH AS EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE FAILURE, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN AN EMERGENCY STOP TO AVOID HITTING A DEER RUNNING ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS A LOUD BANG NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR.ANCHOR FOR THE RIGHT "A" ARM IS RUSTED OUT IN THE FRAME FRONT CROSS MEMBER CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DIVE TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO AVOID HITTING A DEER CROSSING THE ROAD. FRAME CROSS MEMBER AND RELATED PARTS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE IS NOW UNSTABLE GOING DOWN THE ROAD.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI VITARA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS REPAIRING THE BRAKES, HE DISCOVERED CORROSION ON THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER (FRAME). THE CONTACT IS A MECHANIC AND STATED THAT IF THE FRAME COMES APART, IT CAN CAUSE THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO FAIL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 128,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI VITARA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO A TRUCK AND CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A TORN LIGAMENT TO HER ARM, SKIN TISSUE INJURIES, AND A CONCUSSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 11/08/10 * BF UPDATED 11/10/10

WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK IN CRUISE MODE. WHEN TRYING TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER STRUGGLED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, FINALLY GETTING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO SHUT THE IGNITION OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ACTIVE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PHYSICALLY PULL THE GAS PEDAL FROM THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *SCC *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS EXTREME DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE IT REMAINS IN A FIXATED POSITION. HE INSPECTED THE STEERING FLUID AND CONCLUDED THAT THE LEVELS WERE NORMAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT ALTHOUGH HE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE MENTIONED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V324002 (STEERING:WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR), THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 138,000.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH GOING AROUND A LEFT HAND CURVE WHEN STEERING SPINDLE FAILED ,COMPLETLY SNAPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.CONSUMER CLAIMED IT WAS ALREADY 1/3 SNAPPED, DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY.*AK

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 04V427000. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE SUZUKI CORPORATION, AND WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS A PART OF THE RECALL. THEN, SUZUKI TURNED AROUND, AND TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT HE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER FELT THAT BEING EXCLUDE FROM THE RECALL WAS UNFAIR AND THAT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS THAT THE RECALL WAS FOR THE 6 CYLINDER AND NOT THE 4 CYLINDER. *SC *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, CONSUMER WILL ATTACH COPY TO COMPLAINT FORM FOR FUEL PIPE HOSE IN THE BEGINNING OF JULY, DEALER NOTIFIED CONSUMER TWICE ON 7-25-01, AND 8-20-01 BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE, DEALER NAME SANSONES, AUTO MALL RT 21, WOODBRIDGE PHONE# 732-815-0500.*AK CONSUMER STATES AS OF OCTOBER 4,2001 NO ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY DEALER TO REPLACED PARTS.*JB

THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND SKIDDED ON HITTING ICE AND CRASHED. YH

DEALER HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE 4 WHEEL DRIVE, INCLUDING THE SHIFTER. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. IT WOULD BLOW HOT INSTEAD OFF COOL AIR. TOOK VEHICLE TO GET PART FOR AIR CONDITIONER & WAS INFORMED THAT PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND ON BACK ORDER. *AK

CONSUMER HEARING A HUMMING NOISE FRON THE AIR CONDITIONING AND IS FEELING VIBRATIONS WHICH MAKE HER FEEL SHE IS LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERHOOD. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHENEVER VEHICLE IS STARTED, IT WOULD STALL OUT. ALSO, BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON UNTIL THE CLUTCH WAS PUSHED. FINALLY, ALL THE LIGHTS WOULD FAIL TO COME ON. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL WIRES CHECKED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH A COLLISION OCCURRED, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED BAD INJURIES. *AK

VEHICLE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT IS LEAKING, CAUSING FUMES, RESULTING IN DISCOMFORT. *YC

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR AXLE BROKE AND TIRE COMPLETELY CAME OFF, CAUSE UNKNOWN. NO COLLISION/ INJURIES OCCURRED. *AK *SLC