2001 Suzuki Vitara

THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER POP'S OUT WHEN IT DONE TO WERE I CAN'T FIND IT, IT HAS BURNT SEVERAL ITEMS IN MY TRAY,AND FLOOR. ALSO THE GAS PEDAL STICK'S WHEN YOU PUSH DOWN ON IT TO GIVE A VERBAL ACCELERATION TO GET AROUND SOMEONE ETC. THE AIR IN THE TIRE'S ARE ALWAYS GOING DOWN. THE OIL SAYS IT LOW EVERYTIME I LOOK AT IT ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. THE BELT ON THE AC KEEP LOSING AND NOW IT NEEDS REPLACED BECAUSE IT NOW HAS FREEZED UP ON ME. THE RADIO AT 12:00 AM AND PM READS 00. THEN THE MINUTES ONLY DISPLACED. THERE'S A RATTLE UNDER THE CAR, DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS? WHEN I PUT THE 4X4 ON IT HAS A HARD TIME GOING BACK INTO THE REGULAR GEAR. SO REALLY JUST NEEDED TO SEE IF THERE WERE RECALLS ON THESES PROBLEM'S? *TR

NHTSA ID

10232727

Incident

Mar 30, 2006

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUZUKI VITARA. WHILE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM ZERO TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE CARPORT. THERE WAS SNOW ON THE ROADS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CARPORT AND THE SHED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE RAINY. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT WITH ANY INFORMATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED MULTIPLE REPAIR ORDERS, INSURANCE CLAIMS, AND LEGAL DOCUMENTATION PERTAINING TO THIS INCIDENT, INSURANCE CLAIMS, AND RENTAL DOCUMENTS. UPDATED 08/27/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10198253

Incident

Feb 1, 2007

Mileage

67,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE SUZUKI GRAND VITARA XL7 (2001) THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY IN MY HANDS. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RIP IN THE RUBBER BOOT UNDER THE SUV ON THE DRIVERS SIDE (FRONT). I BELIEVE IT WAS CALLED A 1/2 SHAFT. I STUCK MY FINGER IN THE RIP OF THE RUBBER BOOT AND FELT A BUNCH OF PIECES ON METAL & LARGE BALL BEARINGS LAYING IN THERE. I HAD TO PARK THE SUV AND CALL SOMEONE TO PICK UP MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN SO THAT WE COULD PICK UP THE WIFE WHICH WAS BEING RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL. I RENTED A U-HAUL TRUCK WITH A TRAILER (185.00) AND DROVE IT BACK FROM MILWAUKEE. DECEMBER 24TH. I PLACED THE SUV ON JACK STANDS AND TOOK OFF THE TIRE AND THE CAP FOR THE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE OUTER PART BY THE BREAK DRUM, I FOUND A RETAINER CLIP ABOUT 1" IN DIAMETER. I REMOVED IT AND THE INNER PART OF THE 1/2 SHAFT FELL OFF FROM THE INNER PART OF THE BREAK DRUM. I FOUND OUT THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WAS HOLDING THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE WAS THE RETAINING CLIP. WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEALERS IN THE AREA ANYMORE. I CALLED EVERY PARTS STORE IN THE AREA AND NO ONE COULD SUPPLY ME WITH A NEW PART. I CALLED A NUMBER OF JUNK YARDS TO FIND THE PART AND FOUND 1. THE USED PART COST ME 75.00 I REPLACED IT WITH EASE BUT KNOW THE SUV SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT PULLS TO THE LEFT. WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE CAN AFFORD TO HAVE THE SUV CHECKED OUT BY A SERVICE STATION FOR ALIGNMENT. IT MAY COST US MORE IF THERE IS MORE PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT NOTICED BY THE EYE. P. S. THERE WAS NOT WARNING THAT THE SUV WAS HAVING ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THANK YOU. *NM

NHTSA ID

10179242

Incident

Dec 23, 2006

Mileage

78,390 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WENT INTO A MEDIAN AND HIT A TREE. THE FRONT MIDDLE OF THE VEHICLE HIT THE TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THEREFORE, SHE WAS UNAWARE OF THE SPEED. SHE MOVED THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP. NO ONE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT BROKE HER NOSE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10140435

Incident

Oct 19, 2005

OIL LEAK THAT HAS BEEN A KNOWN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND NOT YET CORRECTED BY SUZUKI

NHTSA ID

10125128

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

70,000 mi

2001 SUZUKI GR.VITARA 25,000 MILES ON ENGINE. TICKING NOISE FROM ENGINE,LOSS OF POWER. SUZUKI STATED TIMING TENSIONER IS THE CAUSE. REPAIRED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY 3 TIMES, WITHIN 6 MONTHS. EXTRA COSTS PLACED ON COMSUMER. SUZUKI RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF TIMING CHAINS,AND WOULD NOT COVER THE COST. THE ENGINE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND COULD HAVE SEIZED. FIRST REPAIR ON 12-21-04, SECOND ON 03-15-05, LAST REPAIR ON 06-06-05. AT PICKUP ON DATE OF LAST REPAIR, BELTS FROM FRONT OF ENGINE WERE SHREDDING OF THE PULLEYS! ON THAT DAY I TRADED-IN THE CAR, AS I WAS TIRED OF FIGHTING WITH SUZUKI AND MY FORMER DEALERSHIP FOR RERPAIRS.

NHTSA ID

10125041

Incident

Jun 6, 2005

Mileage

25,800 mi

DT: RAN OFF THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 25 MPH ONTO THE SIDEWALK. CONSUMER HIT AN ELECTRICAL BOX AND STREET SIGN. THE CAR STOPPED AND THE POLICE AND EMV CAME. THE POLICE STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AS A PRECAUTION. CONSUMER DID HAVE PREVIOUS BACK PROBLEMS AND DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS. *TT

NHTSA ID

10121073

Incident

Mar 28, 2005

Mileage

24,000 mi

DRIVING AND SUDDENLY ENGINE MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE AND STOPPED. ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHT CAMEON, I DID NOT START THE VEHICLE. HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. ONCE THE MECHANIC GOT IT STARTED HE TOLD ME THAT HE THOUGHT I HAD MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS. DECIDED TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY NEPHEW'S MECHANIC WHOM I WOULD TRUST, AND THE FOUND THAT THE TIME CHAIN APPARTENTLY JUMPED STOPPED WHICH CAUSED MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. ALSO, THEY HAD COME TO THE CONCLUSION THE REASON WHY THE TIMING CHAIN DID THIS WAS DUE TO A FOREIGN PIECE OF MEDAL THAT LOOKED LIKE A WASHER WHICH EVIDENTIALLY WORKED ITS WAY AND GOT CAUGHT INTO THE THE CHAIN. HE SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY THIS PIECE OF MEDAL COULD HAVE GOTTEN THERE WAS DURING THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT. SUZUKI WAS NOT MUCH HELP. THEY SAID THAT I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHICH WAS NOT CLOSE BY NOR DID I KNOW AT THE TIME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116331

Incident

Mar 14, 2004

Mileage

57,000 mi

Reminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension and related parts that could be caused by road salt or other chemicals applied to the roadway.

This Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki automobile distributors in the U.S., explaining the importance of proper inspection and maintenance of suspension lower arm ball joints to prevent the ball stud from becoming separated from the suspension lower arm.

SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE FOR RESEALING FRONT TIMING CHAIN COVER. *MR

OIL LEVEL READS AT LOW MARK ON OIL LEVEL DIP STICK. 1999 - 2003 VITARA/GRAND VITARA/XL-7. *TT

DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE, B1026 FLOW TABLE. SERVICE MANUAL UDPATE CORRECTION. *TT

A CONDITION MAY EXIST ON CERTAIN MODELS WHERE THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING MAY LEAK FLUID FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OIL SEAL. *TT