Suzuki GRAND VITARA problems and owner complaints

THE WIRES AT THE BACK OF THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER MELTED. WHEN THE CONSUMERS BRAKE ASSIST WAS PLUGGED INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER IT BURNED UP, BECAUSE THE WIRE WAS TOO THIN AND WAS UNABLE TO CARRY THAT TYPE OF LOAD. LUCKILY THE FUSE DID NOT BLOW OUT. *NLM *CB *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017458 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKES PRODUCE A GRINDING NOISE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055563 at NHTSA ↗

1999 SUZUKI GRAND VARTARA AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER VEHICLE HITTING A @36'' TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A SECONDARY ROAD, POSTED SPEED 45MPH, DUE TO ICEY,AND SNOWEY CONDITIONS , DRIVER TRAVELED AT @ 30 MPH. CRESTING A HILL THE VEHICLE HIT A SNOW COVERED ICE PATCH., ON THE DOWN HILL SIDE THE VEHICLE MOVED RIGHT THE LEFT BEFORE MY DAUGHTER ( THE DRIVER) COULD REACT THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE TREE. MY DAUGHTER HIT HER HEAD AND FACE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY WIFE HIT SOMETHING THAT COULD NOT BE READALY IDENTIFIED AND RECIEVED A GA…

Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056439 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS PROCEEDING SLOWLY, IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE, ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD. IT WAS SNOWING LIGHTLY. I FELT A SLIGHT "THUMP" UNDER THE CAR, AS IF I'D RUN OVER A SMALL STICK OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. THE CAR SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT, STRUCK A SNOWBANK, AND THEN SPUN AROUND, COMING TO REST WITH THE LEFT FRONT AGAINST THE GUARDRAIL. THE STEERING KNUCKLE HAD FRACTURED. THE FACTORY REPLACEMENT PART HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDESIGNED, AND HAS BEEN REINFORCED AT THE EXACT SPOT THAT SNAPPED. IS THERE A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART?*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 720018 at NHTSA ↗

THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER, COULD NOT BE JUMP STARTED, AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A DEAD CELL BATTERY AT ~48,000 MILES. TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER, BUT EVENTUALLY DID AFTER A JUMP START. THE FOLLOWING TWO WEEKS, WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED TO TRY AND START THE ENGINE, ALL THAT HAPPENED WAS A CLICKING NOISE. JUMP STARTING WAS INEFFECTIVE. IT WAS TOWED AGAIN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DIAGNOSIS IS ENGINE SIEZURE. THE VEHICLE IS FOUR YEARS OLD, WITH ~48,000 MILES, AND PERFECT SERVICE RECORDS. THE DEA…

Owner-reported narrative. 48,476 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020630 at NHTSA ↗

RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SUZUKI RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE 4 OXYGEN SENSORS. *BF THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE GEAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT, IT WAS DISCOVERED YEARS LATER THAT IT WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER HAD EMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS FOR TWO PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE CAME BACK WITH UNRELATED PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE BRAKES WHICH THE DEALER STATED NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, THE FRONT BUMPER WAS HANGING OFF AND WAS MISSING THE SECURING BOLTS, THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY HEAD LIGHTS, IT WAS SUBSEQ…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10109353 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER PURCHASING MY USED VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2003 THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO SHIFT HARD WHEN TAKEN OUT OF PARK, OR SWITCHING FROM FORWARD TO REVERSE AND SO ON. OCCASIONALLY IF FELT LIKE THE GAS PEDAL MAY BE STICKING A BIT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & THE DEALER HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR. BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP THE SHIFTING PROBLEM. ON DECEMBER 11, 2003 AROUND 4:00 AM, I WAS RETURNING FROM DOWN STATE ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, IT WAS RAINING AND AROUND 34 DEGREES. THE GAS PEDAL STUCK & THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CON…

Owner-reported narrative. 88,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054708 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION IS HARD TO SHIFT, AFTER BEING DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY FOR OVER 20 MINUTES, TRANSMISSION STICKS IN 5TH GEAR, ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 10,000 MILES, PROBLEM WITH NEW TRANSMISSION AT 11,000 MILES, DEALER REPLACED TOWER ON TRANSMISSION, STILL HARD TO SHIFT, VEHICLE STALLS AND IS VERY HARD TO GO INTO REVERSE WHEN IT IS COLD (BELOW 20) *CJ

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 559356 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AXLE ASSEMBLY SLID OUT CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001804 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10067523 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED GAS TANK AND SEALS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 886323 at NHTSA ↗