2008 Suzuki GRAND VITARA: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HAS AN ESP SYSTEM AND THE BUTTON READ, "PUSH ESP OFF". THE SALESMAN STATED THAT ONCE THE BUTTON IS PUSHED OFF, THE INDICATOR WILL GO AWAY. THE INDICATOR ACTIVATES WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND OVER AND CANNOT BE STOPPED. DOT NHTSA NUMBER 2006-25801RIN2127-AJ7749CFR, PARTS 571, AND 585 FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS WERE REFERENCED. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM RECOMMENDS THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN OVERRIDE MECHANISM. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IF THE ESP S…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10259080 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRIVERS' SIDE OF MY CAR WAS HIT, AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN, BY A CAR TRAVELING APPROX 50MPH. THAT CAR HAD RUN A RED LIGHT. MY SEAT BELT HAD COME UNDONE UPON IMPACT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10260810 at NHTSA ↗

WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF BUYING MY NEW 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA, NOTICED EXCESSIVE TIRE WIRE AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. WHEN REPLACING TIRES, REAR TIRES ARE WORN TO THREADS AND CORDS WITHIN 2-3 MONTHS TIME OF BEING PUT ON, FRONT TIRES ARE WORN ON THE INSIDE, EXTREME INSTABILITY IN HANDLING THE VEHICLE ON WET AND DRY ROADS, FRONT END VIBRATION, DOCUMENTATION PROVIDING FACT THAT MY 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA IS NOT ABLE TO BE PROPERLY ALIGNED AND BROUGHT INTO SPEC., FRONT CAMBER ECCENTRIC BOLTS THAT SHOULD OF BEEN INSTALLED BY THE MANUFACTURE ARE MISSING, T…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10283078 at NHTSA ↗

SUZUKI GRAND VITARA 2008 ONLY 3 YEARS OF USE AND THE AIR BAG SYSTEM ALREADY WENT BAD. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10368364 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AT NIGHT HE COULD NOT SEE BEYOND APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER HE DROVE AT NIGHT WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS WHERE HE WAS TOLD THAT THE HEADLIGHTS MET FEDERAL STANDARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 02/08/11*LJ

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369588 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE AND WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION REPAIR CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 49,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10381577 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 25,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10438613 at NHTSA ↗

ESP LIGHT CAME ON, BROUGHT TRUCK TO DEALER, THEY SAY IT HAS A BAD HYDRAULIC BRAKE UNIT AT THE COST OF $1200, SUZUKI WON'T FIX IT EVEN THOUGH THEIR IS ONLY 15101MI ON VEHICLE. MOUSE INFESTATION DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF CABIN BODY VENTS LOCATED BEHIND REAR BUMPER COVER. THERE ARE NO GRILLS IN PLACE OVER THESE VENTS TO KEEP RODENTS OUT, THEY INFESTED THE TRUCK AND HEADLINER AREA URINATING ALL OVER THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS AND COMPROMISED THEM, I CALLED SUZUKI AND BASICALLY WAS TOLD I'M THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THIS HAPPENED TO AND BASICALLY DID NOTHING,…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,101 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450849 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-09-06 (September 6, 2013)

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat occupant is an adult or a child.

Consequence: Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child.

Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the OCS sensor mat) free of charge. Sufficient quantities of parts are not currently available to fix all of the affected vehicles. Owners will be notified of the recall in October 2013 and will receive a second notification when parts are available to have their vehicle repaired. The recall began on May 23, 2014. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's recall campaign number is VD.

Reported: 2019-03-07 (March 7, 2019)

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kizashi and 2006-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat may shrink due to high humidity and high temperature. As a result, the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor mat may not accurately detect if an adult or child is occupying the seat.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, an incorrect classification may result in the passenger frontal air bag deploying even if there is a child in the front passenger seat, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019. All second letters notifying owners of the remedy were mailed by April 10, 2020. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's numbers for this recall are 4011 and 4012.