1996 Suzuki SIDEKICK: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
28 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
76,421 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 28 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 7.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 7.1% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 3.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 7 |
| Suspension:Front:Macpherson Strut | 4 |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 3 |
| Suspension:Front | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly | 2 |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly:Pedal/Hand Lever(Motorcycle) | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
Suspension: 7; Suspension:Front:Macpherson Strut: 4; Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 3; Suspension:Front: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly: 2; Power Train:Clutch Assembly:Pedal/Hand Lever(Motorcycle): 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Electrical System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 27 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3 |
| 2000 | 12 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
1996: 3; 2000: 12; 2001: 4; 2002: 5; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2007: 2
Pattern summary
Suspension leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10019369 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS NHTSA RECALL 96-V-121-002 RELATED TO THE FUEL TANK. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019369 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10092513 · 2004-09-16 (September 16, 2004)
CONSUMER STATES THAT HER VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. SHE STATES THAT SHE GOT INTO HER VEHICLE AND INSERTED THE KEY. SHE SAID THAT WHEN SHE TURNED THE KEY, IT SOUNDED AS IF THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. SHE STATES SHE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, WAITED AND THEN TURNED THE IGNITION ON AGAIN, THEN SHE SMELLED AND SAW SMOKE, THEN THERE WAS FIRE. SHE SAID HER HUSBAND AND THE NEIGHBOR PUT THE FIRE OUT. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE SHE HAD AN ELECTRICAL FIRE . SHE SAID SHE HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW/USED MOTOR. SHE SAID SHE CA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10092513 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10182340 · 2007-02-12 (February 12, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 1996 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT ON AN ICY AFTERNOON HE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH AND HIT THE UTILITY POLE, AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG POPPED AND BURST INTO FLAMES IN THE CENTER OF THE BAG. A NEIGHBOR SAW WHAT HAPPENED ,CAME OVER, OPENED THE PASSENGER DOOR, AND BEAT THE FLAMES UNTIL THE FIRE WAS OUT. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND FORCED THE CONTACT LEFT HAND TO GO THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WHICH SHATTER,ED,AND CAUSED CONTUSIONS TO HIS KNUCKLES. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10182340 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212453 · 2007-12-20 (December 20, 2007)
CLUTCH PEDAL SEPARATES FROM PIVOT SHAFT. WELD BRAKES, PEDAL DETACHES, VEHICLE DISABLED. THIRD OCCURRENCE. OEM PEDAL REPLACEMENT REVEALS NO-WARRANTY, COMMON OCCURRENCE FAILURE MODE. PEDAL RE-ATTACHED TO SHAFT BY PROFESSIONAL WELDERS ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES. HAVE REPLACED CLUTCH CABLE, CLUTCH PLATE & THROWOUT BEARING WITHOUT RESOLUTION. HYDRAULIC REPLACEMENT INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 76,421 miles reported. Look up ODI 10212453 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 550434 · 2000-01-18 (January 18, 2000)
FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE STRAPS OF WIRES ABOVE THE GAS TANK TO MELT,SHUTING OFF THE VEHICLE. YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 550434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 552156 · 2000-05-08 (May 8, 2000)
MOUNTING BOLTS BROKE PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (00V008) DUE TO INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 552156 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 559098 · 2001-01-22 (January 22, 2001)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND EXPERIENCES CONTINUED VIBRATION, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, FRAME ADJUSTED, NEW TIRES PUT ON AND BALANCED, FRONT END ALIGNED, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE TIRES OR THE FRONT END SUSPENSION. CJ
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 559098 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 718276 · 2000-02-03 (February 3, 2000)
BECAME VERY HARD TO CHANGE GEERS,COULD NOT SHIFT IN INTERSECTIONS, TOOK TWO HANDS CAUSING SHOLDER PAIN! THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. DEALERSHIP WILL ONLY REPLACE PARTS-CLUTCH ROD,PEDAL ROD&CLUTCH LINKAGE PIECES. THOUGH THEY ADMIT THERE IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM/DEFECT IN CLUTCH POWER TRAIN.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 718276 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
00V008000 · Suspension
Reported: 2000-01-20 (January 20, 2000)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH OF THE MOUNTING BASE ON THE UPPER END OF THE FRONT STRUTS CAN LEAD TO BREAKAGE OF THE MOUNTING BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE UPPER END OF THE FRONT STRUTS TO THE VEHICLE BODY.
Consequence: IF THE STRUT BROKE LOOSE, A DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A REINFORCEMENT, FOR BOTH FRONT STRUTS, BETWEEN THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING BASE AND THE VEHICLE BODY. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING BASES, MOUNTING BOLTS AND NUTS, AND STRUT BAR STAYS WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗96V121002 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
Reported: 1996-07-02 (July 2, 1996)
THE FUEL TANK ON THESE VEHICLES CAN BECOME PUNCTURED BY A FUEL TANK FLANGE ATTACHMENT REINFORCEMENT DURING REAR-END COLLISIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL TANK INTEGRITY."
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, FUEL LEAKAGE RESULTING FROM THIS PUNCTURE COULD RESULT IN A POST-CRASH FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL TWO NEW SHIELD GUSSETS BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND ATTACHMENT BRACKETS TO PREVENT THE REINFORCEMENT FROM PUNCTURING THE FUEL TANK WALL.
NHTSA campaign record ↗