1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA Complaints

WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ON RAINY DAYS, OR IN COLD WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD FOGS UP. TURNING ON THE DEFOGGER MAKES IT WORSE EVEN ON THE HIGHEST SETTINGS. THE ONLY THING THAT CLEARS IT EVENTUALLY IS ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOWS AN INCH ON EITHER SIDE LEFT OR REAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, BUT NOW IT IS GETTING WORST. *NM

THE FENDER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE IS VERY LOOSE. THE ENTIRE FENDER IS HELD ON BY PLASTIC FASTENERS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE FASTENERS WITH OTHERS THAT WERE ALSO MADE OF PLASTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THREE MONTHS LATER THE FASTENERS STARTED TO FALL OUT AGAIN. *SC

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 GASH IN THE MIDDLE OF HER FOREHEAD , A CONCUSION, AND HER LEG WAS JAMMED UNDE THE DASHBOARD. THE LEG WAS NOT BROKEN BUT SHE DOES NEED TO WEAR A KEG IMMOBILIZER FOR A FEW DAYS. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND TOWARDS THE CENTER. WITH THE SIZE OF THE TREE AND THE AMOUNT OF LEFT FRONT DAMAGE ONE WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOY AT THE VERY LEAST. WHILE NONE OF THESE INJURIES ARE LIFE THREATNING, I HAVE GREAT CONCERN , BECAUSE OUR FAMILY HAS 3 1999 GRAND VARTARS I DRIVE ONE , MY WIFE DRIVES ONE AND HER SISTER DRIVES ONE. THIS MAY ALL CHANGE VERY SOON., DEPENDING ON WHAT WE DO OR DO NOT FIND OUT ABOUT THIS SITUATION. I SEE ON YOU SITE THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF GRAND VARTAR OWNERS REPORTING AIRBAG PROBLEMS. HOW MANY WILL IT TAKE BEFORE SOMEONRE THAKES THIS PROBLEM SERIOUS.*AK

CROSSOVER PIPE LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE BACK SEAT CRACKED. EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK

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 CONTROL. SPINNING AROUND SEVERAL TIMES, STRIKING A GUARD RAIL, AND GOING BACKWARD INTO THE DITCH. THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ROLL-OVER BUT CAUGHT ON THE BANK AND SLAMMED BACK ON IT'S WHEELS. IT STRUCK HARD ENOUGH TO BEND 3 RIMS AND EXPLODE THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR. I AM CURRENTLY RECOVERING FROM MULTIPLE BACK & NECK INJURIES, INCLUDING TWO CRUSHED VERTEBRA AND NERVE DAMAGE CAUSING LOSS OF FUNCTION AND TREMENDOUS PAIN. I RECEIVED YOUR RECALL NOTICE ON THE ACCELERATOR CABLE & CASING 3 1/2 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE ISSUED THE RECALL MORE EXPEDIENTLY. THANK GOD MY CHILDREN WEREN'T WITH ME!*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING DEFECTIVE ACCELERATOR CABLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL FEBRUARY 26, 2004. *AK

I DID RECEIVE NOTICE OF A RECALL OF THE 1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA REGARDING AN PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND THE PLASTIC CASING WHICH ATTACHES IT TO THE FIREWALL. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM LOOKED AT THREE TIMES AT THE LOCAL SUZUKI DEALERSHIP OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS. THE RECALL LETTER STATED THAT ALL SUZUKI DEALERSHIPS HAD THE PARTS IN SHOP AND WERE READY TO CORRECT. I HAVE CONTACTED THE SUZUKI DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS IN HOUSE AND WOULD NEED TO ORDER THEM AND THAT THEY WOULD CALL WHEN THEY GOT THEM IN. I MADE CONTACT WITH THEM ON MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2004. THE LETTER OF RECALL SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT ALL DEALERSHIP HAD PARTS ALREADY ON HAND TO CARE OF THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT. I HAVE WAITED 9 DAYS TO HEAR FROM THEM AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CALL WHEN THE PARTS WERE IN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS RECALL MATTER AND SUZUKI HAS NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM EXPEDITIOUSLY AS THEIR LETTER STATED! *CB

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE NO MATTER WHAT SPEED IT WAS TRAVELING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR AT LEAST 10-15 TIMES, AND EACH TIME CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SHAKING. ONCE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE DEALER, MECHANIC DROVE THE VEHICLE, AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE CALIPERS WERE STICKING AT THE TIME OF ACCELERATION. *AK

RECALL 03V512000 CONCERNING ACCELERATOR CABLE CASING CAP FAILURE. DEALER INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT THE PARTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER, AND WON'T BE AVAILABLE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY INDICATED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE TENSIONER GOING BAD. THE HUB BEARING AND SENOR ALSO WENT BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM