2003 SUZUKI XL-7 Complaints

THE SUV MADE A STRANGE SOUND ON SUNDAY MORNING AS WE ATTEMPTED TO CRANK IT UP AND GO TO CHURCH (SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2006)..AFTER CHURCH IT MADE ANOTHER STRANGE SOUND WE MADE IT HOME AND THE POWER COMPLETELY WENT OUT IN OUR DRIVEWAY...(2) ON MONDAY (LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 4,2006)..I TOOK THE BATTERY OUT AND WENT TO TWO AUTO PARTS STORES TO HAVE IT TESTED...FINALLY GETTING A NEW BATTERY AT AUTOZONE (AT MY PERSONAL EXPENSE)...THE OLD BATTERY WAS NO GOOD..THEN PUTTING THE BATTERY BACK IN THE SUV STARTING IT UP AND NOTICING THAT THE GAS HAND REGISTERED ALMOST EMPTY, WHICH WAS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE WE ONLY DROVE 4 MILES TO CHURCH AND THE SUV HAD WELL OVER HALF A TANK OF FUEL..ANYWAY I DROVE TO THE CORNER GAS STATION (APPX. 4 BLOCKS) FILLED THE TANK STARTED TO DRIVE BACK AND ALL THE POWER WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME...AT 35 MILES PER HOUR..ALMOST CAUSING THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY BEHIND ME TO REAR END ME...AT THAT POINT I HAD TO FIGHT TO KEEP THE SUV FROM GOING INTO THE DITCH BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD...THE CONSEQUENCES ARE: THAT I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE SUV AGAIN (3) WHAT WAS DONE OR IS BEING DONE: I HAD THE SUV TOWED TO THE JAY SUZUKI DEALERSHIP ON VETERANS PARKWAY IN COLUMBUS GEORGIA ON YESTERDAY AND THEY ARE STILL CHECKING INTO IT? AS THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE...AND I NOTIFIED AMERICAN SUZUKI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AUTOMOTIVE DIVISION IN BREA CALIFORNIA VIA FAX AND EMAIL AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD THE COURTESY TO GET BACK WITH ME..YET..PLEASE NOTE THIS SUV HAS HAD THE TWO RECALL CAMPAIGNS COMPLETED THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AND THIS IS THE THIRD BATTERY IN THIS 2003 XL-7 IN LESS THAN 33 MONTHS..SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG? *NM

I BOUGHT NY 2003 SUZUKI XL7 IN MARCH 2006 . I WAS PUTTING GAS IN WHEN THE FUEL TANK DOOR FELL OFF. BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS UP. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP HE SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED BUT COULD GET ME A NEW ONE AND PAINT IT FOR ABOUT $100.00. WHY I JUST BOUGHT IT LESS THAN 4 WEEKS AGO USED BUT I DIDN'T EXPECT IT. I WAS SHOCKED AND SO DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE THIS VEHICLE. *JB

LETTER OF COMPLAINT AND FRUSTRATION ON THE POOR QUALITY OF 2003 SUZUKI XL-7 AND SUBSEQUENT PATHETIC LACK OF SERVICE AT THE DEALER. *TS ***NAR*** THE MOLDING ON THE RUNNING BOARDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE CAME OFF. ALL THE SEAT BELTS EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER LOCK FOR NO REASON. ONCE LOCKED THE SEAT BELTS CAN NOT BE LOOSENED. THE SEAT BELT HAS TO BE UNBUCKLED THE ALLOWED TO RETRACT FULLY BEFORE IT WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY. WHEN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE IN AUTO MODE THE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPENED. A CONSUMER SMELL A FOUL ODOR LIKE OIL OR SOMETHING BURNING. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE SMELL WAS FROM THE UNDERCOATING APPLIED TO PROTECT THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND THAT IT WOULD GO AWAY IN A FEW MONTHS. THE SMELL PERSISTED BEYOND A FEW MONTHS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT WOULD GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE BRAKES MADE NOISE. THE DEALER BLAMED THE NOISE ON THE BRAKES BEING NEW. THE BATTERY TERMINALS CORRODED. *NM

SUBTLE BUT NOTICEABLE VIBRATION FELT IN REAR AXLE; WHILE UNDER TOW (BEHIND MOTORHOME) RIGHT REAR WHEEL (TIRE, WHEEL, HUB) SEPARATED FROM AXLE AND LEFT VEHICLE. VEHICLE DRIVETRAIN WAS IN MFG RECOMMENDED POSITION FOR TOWING (TRANSMISSION IN D, TRANSAXLE SET TO N). HEAT GENERATED FROM FAILURE (POSSIBLY BAD WHEEL BEARING) LED TO FIRE. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY POLICE. SUZUKI REFUSED TO WARRANTY THIS FAILURE UNDER THEIR 100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN COVERAGE. SUBSEQUENT TO REAR-END REBUILD FROM THIS INCIDENT, A SIMILAR VIBRATION WAS FELT AGAIN ON RIGHT REAR SIDE. SUZUKI DID AT THIS TIME REPLACE A BAD WHEEL BEARING UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN, IT WENT FROM 40 MPH TO 5 MPH, COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FIRE. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER OF ACCELERATION PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE GOING IN A REVERSE MOTION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS A LOUD ROARING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK

THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN IT RAINED IT WAS HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY DEFECTS WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB

RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SUZUKI XL-7. FUNNY BURNING SMELL EACH TIME THE AIR CONSITIONER IS TURNED ON. ALSO GAS MILEAGE IS A PROLEM. *BF

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH AND T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES.*AK

THIS XL-7 DOESN'T HAVE 8,000 ON IT YET ,AND THE PAINT IS FADED REALLY BAD ALREADY,AND THERE IS ACID RAIN SPOTS SHOWING UP ON THE HOOD AND TOP. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF SUZUKI HAS ANY KIND OF RECALL ON THE BURGUNDY PEARL PAINT,DUE TO FADING.WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP VERY SOON ,BUT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS A LEGITIMATE PROBLEM AND A POSSIBLE REPORT TO MENTION TO THEM...ORIGINAL DEALER NO LONGER SELL SUZUKI,SO I HAVE BEEN GETTING SERVICE WORK DONE AT COURTESY SUZUKI IN IRWIN PA.*AK