2002 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA Complaints

I WAS TRAVELING ON I-10 EASTBOUND NEAR TALLAHASSEE, FL GOING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN MY CAR BRIEFLY SHOOK/VIBRATED. I LET OFF THE GAS PERPLEXED WHEN I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. MY CAR CAREENED TO THE LEFT AND WITH A DEATH GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL, I TRIED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I MOVED BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE 2 LANES OF INTERSTATE AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE GAINING CONTROL. PARTS OF TIRE AND PLASTIC WERE FLYING BEHIND ME. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT MILE MARKER 193. IT TOOK A FEW MINUTES FOR ME TO GET MY COMPOSURE. I WAS CRYING, SHAKING AND VERY SCARED. WHEN I FELT CALM AND SAFE ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, I SAW THAT MY TIRE HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED BUT WAS NOT EVEN FLAT. THE FORCE WAS SO GREAT, IT RIPPED OUT ALL MY TIRE GUARD, IT TORE MY FENDER, MY BUMPER WAS TOUCHING THE GROUND AND I COULD SEE PIECES OF DEBRIS ON THE INTERSTATE. *TR

MY 2002 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA (LIMITED 4WD) WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. IT WAS A HILLY STRETCH OF HIGHWAY NEAR PITTSVILLE, MO AND THERE WAS A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW JUST STARTING TO FALL. THE CRUISE CONTROL MADE THE CAR JUMP INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN ASCENDING A HILL TO KEEP IT AT 55 MPH. THE RPM'S JUMPED FROM ABOUT 2,000 TO 5,000 WHEN THE CAR SHIFTED INTO 3RD GEAR - WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO LOSE TRACTION AND I WRECKED INTO 2 HIGHWAY SIGN POSTS AND SKIDDED SIDEWAYS ABOUT 50 YARDS INTO THE CENTER MEDIAN. IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT I DIDN'T ROLL OVER SEVERAL TIMES. IT COST ME $5,000 IN COLLISION DAMAGE TO FIX THE CAR. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES THIS ALL THE TIME STILL WHEN EVEN ON MODERATE HILLS TO KEEP UP WITH THE SET MPH. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW IN MY OPINION. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT NEEDED TO JUMP UP TO OVER 5,000 RPM'S JUST TO GO 65 MPH AND STAY UP WITH THE SET CRUISE SPEED. THANKS. DWS *TR

STARTED MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. BACKED OUT OF MY GARAGE AND THE BACK DOOR ARM REST WAS SMOKING. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND PUT OUT FIRE. CALLED THE SUZUKI SHOP AND THEY HAD ME DRIVE IT IN. MY ELECTRICAL WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THEY REPLACED FUSE, SWITCH, HANDLE AND WIRE COMP. ON THE REAR DOOR. $561.00 LATER I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE. *NM

DAMAGES TO MY SUV BECAUSE THE COMPANY HAVEN'T SENT THE RECALLS FOR MY SUV TO REPLACE SOME PART OF THE SUV. *NM

I AM SENDING THIS TO YOU SO MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME. MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A SUZUKI GRAND VITARA XL-7 3 YEARS AGO. MY XL-7 MANUFACTURES DATE IS 4/02. THE BUCKLE THAT SLIDES ON THE SEAT BELTS IS RUBBING ON THE SEAT BELTS AND TEARING MY SEAT BELTS. ALL MY REAR SEAT BELTS ARE RUINED. TWO OF THE ARE COMPLETELY IN HALF AND ONE IS HANGING ON ONLY BY A FEW STRANDS AND THE LAST IS JUST STARTING TO TEAR. I HAVE CONTACTED SUZUKI AND HAVE TAKEN IT TO HAVE AN INSPECTION ON THEM AND I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT SUZUKI IS GOING TO DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IF YOU SEE THE SEAT BELTS YOU CAN TELL IT IS OBVIOUSLY FROM THE BUCKLE. THIS IS MY ONLY FAMILY VEHICLE WE HAVE AND WE ARE A FAMILY OF 4. I HAVE A 1980 VEHICLE AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELTS AND ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER HAD I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME? *NM

I AM WRITING ABOUT THE SEAT BELTS IN MY 2002 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT FREQUENTLY LOCKS UP AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE PERSON WEARING IT TO MOVE. I FIND IT VERY ANNOYING AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE AS WHOEVER IS IN THAT SEAT USUALLY ENDS UP UNBUCKLING IT AND NOT PUTTING IT BACK ON. THIS ALSO HAPPENS IN THE REAR SEATS, ALTHOUGH IT ISN'T AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM AS I GENERALLY DON'T HAVE REAR PASSENGERS. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BOTH FRONT BELTS NOT RETRACTING FULLY WHEN WE EXIT THE VEHICLE, I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER, BUT REPLACING THE RETRACTOR WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE AND I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT AS SEAT BELTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THEN A FEW YEARS. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY BROKE. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LOCK . HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO CRASHES AS A RESULT OF THE SURGING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OVER FIFTY TIMES. THERE HAS BEEN NO DETERMINATION AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER 2002 GRAND VITARA AIR COMPRESSOR FAILED. *TS THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHILE DRIVING AT 35-40 MPH. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AND NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT SHE MAY HAVE RUN OVER SOMETHING. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF THIS, AND SHE PROCEEDED. AFTERWARDS, THE BRAKES WERE HARD TO APPLY. AGAIN THE POPPING NOISE BECAME MORE PROMINENT AFTER APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND DISCOVERED NOTHING AT THAT TIME. THE POPPING NOISE CONTINUED ALONG WITH HARD BRAKING, AND THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT IN WHICH THEY STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKES FAILED ALONG WITH THE STRUTS. THE ENTIRE HARDWARE INCLUDING THE SHOES AND THE DRUMS WERE DESTROYED. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DIAGNOSE WHY THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *AK (11/23/05) THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE CABLES HAD BROKEN LOOSE AND THE REAR BRAKES COULD SELF DESTRUCT. *SC