Suzuki Grand Vitara Complaints (2008)

42 consumer complaints on file.

#11721909March 4, 2026
ENGINE
While stopped at traffic light at idle, I can hear a knocking noise in the engine compartment. Took it to my mechanic, and believe it is coming from the lower engine. He removed the oil pan and found that the rod and crankshaft bearing has movement. The car is 2008 and only has 36,000 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677174July 30, 2025
AIR BAGS, SEATS
The Air Bag Light remain on . The vehicle was checked in a scanner and the codes B1312 and B1319 where found..I want to know if are recalls for this car. If yes What dealer in Puerto Rico can repair it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11606504August 5, 2024
AIR BAGS
I received 3 urgent letters telling me my2008 suzuki grand vitara has an airbag recall passenger side and needed to be repaired right away. But SUZUKI only has a few dealers left and none close to me so I have to drive my children in this unsafe car. So I called the dealer and they said I have to drop my car off 3 hours away and leave it for however long it takes to be repaired. And they said they have no loaner cars. They said for me to.go rent a car and then I can get reimbursed but I cannot do that I don't have the credit card neede to rent a car so I'm forced to drive this car I'm a single mom and disabled. I cannot go one hour without my car. But the recall is not being repaired because of this and my passenger airbag light comes on and off when just l Sitting still. It scares me and is unsafe. I must have some rights i figured I would start my complaint here then the govorner or bbb I'm sick of this. I have to drive an u safe car and it's not my fault I can't travel hours to drop my car at the only dealer that will fix the recall and make my car safe again k. Angry and scared.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11171341January 22, 2019
AIR BAGS
MY 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA HAS A BAD RIGHT SIDE SEAT CUSHION OPEN CIRCUIT AND NEEDS THE SEAT CUSHION REPLACED. ISN'T THIS COVERED BY NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V405000, AND WHY HAVEN'T I BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL? HOW DO I GET THIS ISSUE TAKEN CARE OF NOW THAT THERE IS NO LONGER AN AMERICAN SUZUKI DEALER?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11123045August 28, 2018
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY SUZUKI GRAND VITARA IS A 2007. BOUGHT NEW. I DIDN'T HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE LIGHTING UNTIL AFTER THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT.THEN I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BULBS BURNING OUT, BUT ONLY ONE AT A TIME SEVERAL MONTHS APART. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. NOW I CARRY SPARE BULBS FOR HIGH AND LOW BEAMS, THAT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE WHEN IT HAS 2 BE DINE 2 OR THREE TIMES A YEAR. THEN ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH LEVER AND KNOB THAT CHANGES THE LIGHT FUNCTION SETTING SETTINGS EVEN TO THE POINT OF BEING STOP BY HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICERS STOPPING ME BECAUSE I HAD NO TAIL LIGHTS BUT MANAGED TO PLAY WITH THE SETTINGS KNOB TO GET THEM WORKING. I'VE HAD NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND IT HAS OVER 142,00 MILES ON IT. THE LAST BULB I CHANGED WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP TO OHIO FROM CALIFORNIA IN MAY OF 2018.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11072040February 10, 2018
AIR BAGS
JUST RECEIVED SOME RECALLS ...MANY OF THEM BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO SEND ME TO..I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TOUCH BASES WITH THEM THEY PUT ME ON HOLD.. ONE LADY SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL ME.ANOTHER SEND ME TO A MOTOCYCLE PLACE .. ANOTHER SEND ME 3 HOURS AWAY CAN YOU SEND SOME INFORMATION WHERE TO GET MY AIRBAGS REPLACED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11064335January 23, 2018
AIR BAGS
MY AIR BAG LIGHT KEEP COMING ON AND MAKING A SOUND WHEN NO ONE IN THE SEAT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10995608June 16, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED AND TURNED OFF, ONE SHORTLY AFTER THE OTHER. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BULBS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUZUKI OF GREEN BROOK (101 US-22, GREEN BROOK TOWNSHIP, NJ 08812) WHO STATED THAT BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO NOTICED THAT THE ADAPTER, SOCKETS, AND FUSES WERE ALL BURNED DUE TO A HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT FLOWING INTO THE ASSEMBLIES. THE ADAPTERS, SOCKETS, AND HEAD LAMPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REPAIR THE UNDERLYING ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST OR ESCALATE THE CASE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10979364April 19, 2017
POWER TRAIN
PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND THOUGHT I WAS BACKING UP, BUT WHEN I PUT SHIFTER IN DRIVE, IT KEPT GOING BACKWARDS. I REALIZED BEING ON A DOWN SLOPE, THAT SHIFTER WAS NOT WORKING AND I HAD IDLED BACKWARDS. I PUT SHIFTER IN DRIVE POSITION AND CONTINUED IDLING BACKWARDS INTO A SNOW BANK. I HAD TO SHUT OFF AND RESTART SEVERAL TIMES AND IT EVENTUALLY WENT INTO DRIVE. I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE IT TO WORK DUE TO A POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAD SOMEONE LOOK AT IT AND THEY THOUGHT TRANSFER CASE WAS THE ISSUE, AS THERE WAS A NOISE FROM THAT AREA. I DID RESEARCH ON IT AND FOUND ALL OF THE SUZUKI VITARA, GRAND VITARA, FROM 2006-2009 HAD ISSUES WITH TRANSFER CASE LEAKING AND THERE FORE GOING OUT OF COMMISSION. THIS IS HAPPENING AT VARIOUS MILEAGES, BUT PRIMARILY AT 100,000 -138,000. I AM WONDERING WHY THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THIS, AS IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS ITS A FACTORY DEFAULT IN TRANSFER CASES. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE, SHOULD THE TRANSFER CASE GO OUT WHILE DRIVING OR MANEUVERING VEHICLE AROUND TO PARK, WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT SUZUKI HAS NOT GOTTEN A LAW SUIT FILED ON THEM YET, FOR THIS DEFINITE ISSUE. I ALSO HAVE TO WONDER IF THERE WERE ANY FATALITIES DUE TO THIS ISSUE, THAT SUZUKI OWNERS AND FAMILIES, WERE UNAWARE OF AT THE TIME. THIS IS A FACTORY MADE AND DEFAULT PART. THE 2006 - 2009 TRANSFER CASE ON THESE VEHICLES SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE A RECALL ON THEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10885264July 16, 2016
ENGINE
THERE IS A ENGINE KNOCK WHILE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL OR PARK. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY THINK IT MIGHT BE A LOWER MOTOR ISSUE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 21000 MILES ON IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10853328April 4, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOUGHT THIS USED, BUT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS, HIGH BEAMS, DAY RUNNERS SINCE OWNING THIS GRAND VITARA TOO MANY TIMES. I KNOW I HAVE PURCHASED OVER 15 DIFFERENT LIGHT BULBS AS THEY KEEP BLOWING OUT? WHILE DRIVING, THEY ARE SO DIM AND THEN THEY STOP WORKING.THIS IS A HAZARD AND THESE BULBS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE REPLACED THIS MANY TIMES. ALSO WHILE DRIVING THEY BLOW, OR STATIONARY AS WELL, I HAVE MADE IT A HABIT NOW TO CHECK THEM BEFORE DRIVING SINCE THEY GO OUT AS MUCH AS THEY DO. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE REGARDING THIS ONGOING PROBLEM & IT NEEDS TO BE DONE ASAP. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTING FOR ME TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BUY BULBS ON A CONSTANT BASIS, AND AS FOR MILEAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN ON THIS FORM THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY TIMES AT DIFFERENT MILEAGE READINGS SO IT IS HARD TO SAY WHAT THE MILEAGE IS ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THE LIGHTS BLOW OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10838754February 27, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOUGHT THIS IN APRIL 2014 WITH 30K MILES, HAVE REPLACED BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS 4-5 TIMES EACH, ALSO BEAMS ARE LOW VISIBILITY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10794438November 17, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE HEADLIGHT BULB BURNS OUT EVERY 2 MONTHS AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. I AM THE SECOND OWNER, AND BULBS BURN OUT EVERY 2 MONTHS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS IN THIS VEHICLE ASIDE FROM MINOR FENDER BENDER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10760170August 29, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE BURNING OUT PREMATURELY EVERY 4-6 MONTHS. THIS IS EXPENSIVE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF I DO NOT NOTICE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY BLOW OUT, ESPECIALLY IF BOTH GO AT THE SAME TIME. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT MANY GRAND VITARA OWNERS LIKE MYSELF HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10723331June 4, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS IN THAT 6 YEARS I CAN NOT EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BULBS IN THE HEAD LIGTHS, AT LEAST EVERY 4 MONTHS. THIS IS A ON GOING ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES I CAN NOT BELIEVE SUZUKI HAS NOT BEEN PUT IN A POSITION TO ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ERROR AND SUZUKI KNOWS IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10715271May 8, 2015
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE HAD THREE INCIDENTS OF UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION AND REVVING OF THE ENGINE IN MY SUZUKI. EACH TIME I HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO STOP THE ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. BRAKING DOES NOT CAUSE THE CAR TO DOWNSHIFT. I THINK A THROTTLE OR ACCELERATION IS STICKING SIMILAR TO THE RECALLED TOYOTA CARS. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH PASSENGERS IN THE CAR WHO CAN SUPPORT WHAT HAPPENED. FOLLOWING TWO INCIDENTS, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR MOUNTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT COST $500. ON 2/13/15, THE WEEK AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE PROBLEM REPEATED. I WAS IN DOWNTOWN DENVER TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF TRAFFIC WHILE AVOIDING PEDESTRIANS AND TURN THE CAR OFF. I RETURNED THE CAR TO MEDVED SUZUKI ON 2/16/15. IT HAS BEEN THERE SINCE. NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP NOR SUZUKI MOTOR OF AMERICAN CAN REPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR RECOMMEND A REPAIR. THEY WANT TO CLOSE THEIR WORK ORDER, HAVE ME PICK UP MY CAR AND RETURN A RENTAL VEHICLE THEY PROVIDED. I ASK YOUR ASSISTANCE TO REQUIRE SUZUKI TO REPLACE OR REPAIR MY CAR WHICH STILL CARRIES A DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. I DO NOT WANT TO BE INJURED OR TO INJURE OTHERS DUE TO UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION ISSUES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10660743November 24, 2014
AIR BAGS
SUZUKI PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG CONTROL SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE AND OFTEN DOES NOT TURN OFF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS FOR VERY LIGHT PASSENGERS AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO. SUZUKI HAS A KIT TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE, BUT WILL NOT SEND ME THE PARTS. THEY WILL ONLY SEND THE PARTS TO A KIA DEALER, AND THE NEAREST ONE TO THE LOCATION WHERE MY VEHICLE IS KEPT IS ABOUT 250 MILES. I HAVE ASKED THEM FOR THE PARTS KIT SO I CAN PERFORM THE INSTALLATION AND CALIBRATION MYSELF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10637400September 18, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
JUST AS THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE SAID. MY 2008 GRAND VITARA LOW BEAM H7 STYLE HEADLIGHTS BLOW OUT CONSTANTLY. VERY UNSAFE TO NEARLY CRASH WHEN BOTH BLOW AT THE SAME TIME DRIVING AT NIGHT. VERY UNSAFE DRIVING AND AT ANY GIVEN TIME A HEADLIGHT WILL BLOW OUT. NOT TO MENTION TELLING VARIOUS POLICE OVER AND OVER THE PROBLEM. NOT TO MENTION TICKETS, WARNINGS, AND GENERAL DISDAIN FROM POLICE BECAUSE THEY ASSUME YOUR LYING. I NOW HAVE TO KEEP NITRITE GLOVES AND SPARES IN MY GLOVE BOX AND NOW SHOW THE POLICE. I REPLACE A LOW BEAM BULB ON EITHER SIDE EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS AS A SAFE AND ACCEPTABLE DESIGN ON ANY MOTOR VEHICLE. THIS WOULD NOT PASS AS SAFE ON ANYTHING. WE THE CUSTOMERS NEED THIS FIXED. HAD I KNOWN THIS IN 2008 I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE. AS OF NOW I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE IT. I HATE HAVING TO TRY MY BEST TO BE HOME BEFORE DARK BECAUSE A BULB IS OR WILL GO OUT. RECALL THIS DEFECT NOW.... BEFORE SOMEONE DIES FROM A CRASH. WHEN MY LIGHTS BLEW AT THE SAME TIME THAT NIGHT I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND ALMOST WRECKED. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. PLEASE HELP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10627074August 21, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE REPLACED APPROX. 150 LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS, THEY BLOW OUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10595715June 3, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HAVE REPLACED THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM BULB AT LEAST 7 TIMES AND HAVE CHANGED THE PASSENGER SIDE APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES SO FAR EVEN REPLACED WITH BEST BULB BRANDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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