2000 Suzuki Vitara Problems

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 3/18/08 AND AS I LEFT THE GAS STATION I HEARD THIS POP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR CUT OFF. LATER AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BELT POPPED. I WAS ALSO NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE WITH THE VEHICLE AND SUZUKI KNEW OF THIS, BUT HAD NO RECALL TO FIX OR CHANGE IT. I HAD NO IDEA OF THIS AND WAS TOLD WHEN BUYING THAT HAVING A CHAIN RATHER THAN A BELT WAS MUCH BETTER FOR YOUR CAR. NOT UNLESS IT POPS AND REPAIRS OF $2000 ARE NEEDED. I AM APPALLED THAT SUZUKI WOULD KNOW OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND IN NO WAY OF FIXING IT. I AM HOPING THAT SUZUKI COVERS THE COST OF THIS REPAIR AND REALIZES THAT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MOST OF THE CHARGE IS LABOR, BECAUSE IT WILL BE 11-13 HOURS TO GET TO THE CHAIN. I AM HOPING TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE LOOK AT THIS AND REALIZES THAT IF SOMEONE INVEST IN YOUR PRODUCT THAT MEANS THAT WE DON'T EXPECT IT TO NEVER BREAKDOWN, BUT IF IT DOES AND IT SOMETHING YOU KNEW WAS DEFECTIVE THEN YOU SHOULD HELP TO REPAIR IT. THANK YOU. *TR

SUZUKI IS AWARE OF LATENT DEFECTS CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN COVER SEALS THAT LEAK OIL AND WILL WORSEN OVER TIME. IT IS DOCUMENTED THAT THE LEAKS OCCUR WITH SUZUKI GRAND VITARAS FROM 1999-2001. MY GRAND VITARA IS ONE OF THOSE CARS WITH THE LATENT DEFECT. I TOOK IT TO A AUTHORIZED SUZUKI MECHANIC AS REQUIRED, BUT THEY NEVER INFORMED ME THAT SUZUKI WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH ON MY PART DID SUZUKI CORPORATION ACKNOWLEDGE THEY KNEW OF THE LATENT DEFECT. I AM ASKING SUZUKI IN ALL FAIRNESS TO COVER THE COST OF THIS REPAIR BASED ON THIS DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE. *NM

MY SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER FAIL WHILE HITTING THE BRAKES ON AN OFFRAMP ON MY 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. MY WHOLE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. THE PASSENGER NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL AND AFTER I INSPECTED IT, I FOUND THAT WHERE THE CONTROL ARM IS MOUNTED TO THE CROSSMEMBER, IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PART FOR THE 2000 CHEVY TRACKER WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND A RECALL ON THIS PART FOR THE VITARA HOWEVER. I THINK THIS SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THIS COMPONENT IS REPLACED AND SOMEONE COULD HAVE ALSO GOTTEN HURT. *TR

THE LOWER CONNECTOR ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SNAPPED IN HALF CAUSING THE TIRE TO FALL OFF. AUTO BODY SHOP AND INSURANCE COMPANY BOTH FEEL THAT IT WAS INSTALLED WRONG WHICH IS WHY IN SNAPPED. CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND SUZUKI WILL NOT HONOR WARRANTY CLAMING THAT IT IS NOT A MECHANICAL ERROR. I HAVE THE OTHER HALF OF THE PIECE THAT SNAPPED OFF AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT IT IS A DEFECTED PART.*AK

THE BRAKES ON MY 2000 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. THEY WERE REPLACED IN JUNE OF 2003 3 TIMES WITHIN 2 MONTHS BECAUSE THEY SQUEAK AND MAKE GRINDING NOISES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY SERVICE PEOPLE THAT THEY CONTACTED SUZUKI DIRECTLY AND WERE TOLD TO PUT ON SPECIAL NO SQUEAK BRAKES SO THEY DID---THEY STILL SQUEAK AND SOMETIMES GRIND. I HAVE HAD THE SERVICE PEOPLE CHECK THEM SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN WE REPLACED THE FIRST SET OF BRAKES--THE BRAKES WERE WORN REALLY STRANGE. ONE PAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE ON THE BOTTOM HALF AND REALLY THICK ON THE TOP HALF. I THOUGHT I KEPT THEM BUT AM NOT SURE. THEY HAVE NOT FAILED ME BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT THEY WON'T SOMETIME IF I HAVE TO PUT THEM ON QUICKLY. I HAVE HEARD OTHER GRAND VITARA'S WITH THE SAME PROBLEM--HAVE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF OWNERS AND THEY ARE JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS I AM. I ALSO HAD THE SAME IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM AS ANOTHER PERSON HERE. I HAD TO HAVE MY SWITCH REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO AND NOW IT IS DOING THE SAME THING. I AGREE WITH THAT PERSON--IF I HAD NOT HAD IT DONE UNDER WARRANTY--IT WOULD HAVE COST 360.00 TO FIX. I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE 360.00 THIS TIME WHEN IT GOES OUT. SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO SUZUKI'S MANUFACTURING OF THESE CARS. I ALSO HAD MY CONDENSER GO OUT ON ME IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR. THAT IS A PART THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY SO SELDOM GO OUT. MY CAR HAS 95000 MILES ON IT AND ALREADY I HAVE PUT LOTS OF MONEY INTO IT!!! PLEASE HELP ME OUT AND DO SOME INVESTIGATION ON THESE CARS. THANKS. *AK

DEFECTS AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER DAMAGE BEHIND FAN ASSEMBLY. FAILURE OF CONDENSER IN LOCATION CONSISTENT WITH OTHER FAILURES BY OTHER OWNERS. PULL TO RIGHT WHILE DRIVING EVEN AFTER ALIGHNMENT, SIMILAR TO OTHER OWNER COMPLAINTS. VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING AND PREMATURE WEAR, SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER OWNERS. ITEMS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED.*AK

1. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION PUT INTO PARK POSITION. KEY WITHDRAWN. KEY TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK FAULTY 2. PARK POSITION DID NOT HOLD AND VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN HILL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AND PROPERTY. 3. AUTOMOBILE BEING REPAIRED, TRANSMISSION IGNITION KEY INTERFACE BEING INVESTIGATED. *NM

DEALER SAID THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS OUT OF BALANCE. ON ONE OCCASION WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE BADLY, WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS PULLING WILDLY TO BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT AND THE WHEEL ITSELF WAS LEANING TOWARD THE RIGHT. CONTINUED TO RIDE OVER A BRIDGE AND ALMOST AT THE END THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND THE CAR WENT CAREENING INTO THE LAST SEGMENT OFF THE GUARD RAIL ON RIGHT HAND SIDE, THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT AND WENT SPINNING ACROSS THE MEDIAN, BRIEFLY SPINNING INTO THE EAST BOUND LANE, EVENTUALLY COMING TO A STOP IN THE MEDIAN.

AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DESPITE FRONTAL IMPACT AT ROUGHLY 550 MPH. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 30-40 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE, AND VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN INTO A 15 FEET EMBANKMENT. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW WILL VIBRATE HARD, AND THERE IS A LOUD NOISE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

THE FIRST PROBLEM I HAD WAS THE 3RD GEAR SHAFT GRINDING, THEN TRANSMISSION, HEATER DIDN'T WORK, TURN SIGNALS DON'T WORK HALF THE TIME, AND STEERING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

MY SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER FAIL WHILE HITTING THE BRAKES ON AN OFFRAMP ON MY 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. MY WHOLE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. THE PASSENGER NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL AND AFTER I INSPECTED IT, I FOUND THAT WHERE THE CONTROL ARM IS MOUNTED TO THE CROSSMEMBER, IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PART FOR THE 2000 CHEVY TRACKER WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND A RECALL ON THIS PART FOR THE VITARA HOWEVER. I THINK THIS SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THIS COMPONENT IS REPLACED AND SOMEONE COULD HAVE ALSO GOTTEN HURT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND LOSE STEERING ABILITY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME ROTTED AT THE POINT WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT CONTROL ARM DETACHED FROM THE CROSS MEMBER. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE CROSS MEMBER AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,300.

DEFECTS AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER DAMAGE BEHIND FAN ASSEMBLY. FAILURE OF CONDENSER IN LOCATION CONSISTENT WITH OTHER FAILURES BY OTHER OWNERS. PULL TO RIGHT WHILE DRIVING EVEN AFTER ALIGHNMENT, SIMILAR TO OTHER OWNER COMPLAINTS. VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING AND PREMATURE WEAR, SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER OWNERS. ITEMS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED.*AK

CONDENSER FINS BEHIND ELECTRIC FAN ARE BENT/SMASHED; FAN BLADES APPEAR NOT TO HAVE CONTACTED FIN AREA; NO FRONT END DAMAGE; FINS OUTSIDE FAN AREA APPEAR IN NEW CONDITION; ONE OTHER VEHICLE AT DEALER CHECKED AND HAS SIMILAR DAMAGE; APPEARS TO BE DESIGN PROBLEM

I HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIME AND THE BELTS WERE CHANGED 3 TIMES. I AM STARTING TO EXPIERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEMS. *AK

THE FIRST PROBLEM I HAD WAS THE 3RD GEAR SHAFT GRINDING, THEN TRANSMISSION, HEATER DIDN'T WORK, TURN SIGNALS DON'T WORK HALF THE TIME, AND STEERING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

THE FIRST PROBLEM I HAD WAS THE 3RD GEAR SHAFT GRINDING, THEN TRANSMISSION, HEATER DIDN'T WORK, TURN SIGNALS DON'T WORK HALF THE TIME, AND STEERING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DEVELOPED SEVERE VIBRATION PRESUMED FROM TRANSMISSION LASTING APPROX. 10 MILES, AFTERWHICH VEHICLE RESUMED SOMEWHAT NORMAL PERFORMANCE. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. IT IS NOW 2,000 MILES LATER AND VEHICLE CONSTANTLY VIBRATES AND WORSENS AS SPEED INCREASES. DEALER REBALANCED TIRES - TEST DROVE AND TOLD ME VIBRATION WAS STILL THERE. MECHANIC CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF VIBRATION. WAS TOLD VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE. STILL AWAITING A DIAGNOSES FROM DEALERSHIP.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY WIFE BROUGHT IT IN TO ROYAL SUZUKI TUCSON,, ARIZONA REPEATEDLY WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER KEPT TELLING HER IT WAS HER FAULT FOR NOT CLOSING GAS CAP TIGHTLY ENOUGH. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AT A CHARGE OF $50 , EXTENDED WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE, EACH TIME. I EVEN BOUGHT A NEW GAS CAP, NO CHANGE. NOW THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, THEY TELL US IT THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR IN THE TANK NEEDS REPLACING. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET PARTS FOR THIS, AND I REFUSE TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE PART THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THEREFORE, MY WIFE , LISA SCHRANT, IS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THIS MAY HIDE ANY NEW PROBLEMS WHICH MAY OCCUR.*AK

AFTER PURCHASE WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR, IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP AND MOTOR WENT OUT ON THE POWER WINDOWS. NEXT PROBLEM WAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK. SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THEN THAT I WOULD HAVE MORE PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD. REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP AT APPROXIMATELY 67,000 MILES. WAS TOLD THAT FRONT AND REAR OIL SEALS WERE REPLACED. NOW AT 77,000 MILES AM BEING TOLD THAT MOTOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. OIL CHANGES WERE MAINTAINED REGULARLY. TIMING CHAINS IN MOTOR HAVE BROKE. STILL OWE ON VEHICLE AND WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AT 72,000 MILES. HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS LIKE THIS WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY OTHER VEHICLE. I ASKED DEALERSHIP WHY THE OIL SEALS WOULD GO OUT, THEY COULD NOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION. HAVE HAD OTHER VEHICLES WITH WAY OVER 100,000 MILES AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE OIL SEALS. *NM