Suzuki Grand Vitara 2001 Quality

[Unhappy owner]

I thought that I got the best and safer SUV when I purchase it on April 2001. What a big mistake! Just one week after I purchase it, I had to take it back to change the side panels since the back door was not well fitted and it broke the panel. After that, I noticed that the car turns slippery on bad weather. I can press the brakes but the vehicle keeps going on. I spoke to many owners of this SUV and it happens that they have had the same experience. Then, this is not a safe vehicle at all. I purchase it to get offroad and it have a terrible offroad performance. Really terrible! I changed the tires and it still slips on bad weather, even at low velocity. The vehicle do not have three years with me and the back windows do not work, it had oil from the rear suspension falling into the brakes, have a noise comming from the engine, have a recall due to problems with the gas cable, the gasoline meter do not work and the "engine service" lights are on. I had to purchase the alarm myself because it was sold to me without an alarm and the air conditioner do not have a good performance. If you add all this to a three year or 36,000 miles guarantee (you will probably loose the guarantee sooner than you thought) then the result is a vehicle with the worst performance, safety and quality. I am very unhappy with Grand Vitara's. And the worst thing is that I have paid already $20,000 and still have $9,200 more to go and I am going to loose all the money that I have already paid for it on a trade in just to get rid of it. Do yourself a favor and think before you buy a Grand Vitara.

[LarryLMedina]

Aloha~
Sorry to hear about your Grand Vitara. I am very surprised to be hearing all the problems you've had with it, since I drove a '99 model and had absolutely ZERO problems with it. It belongs to my ex-girlfriend and last I heard (6 months ago) is was running fine, as it always has. Really, no kidding. She bought the 2-wheel drive automatic, fully loaded, for $18,000 (and I'm also suprised you paid so much for it as well). Even with 2-wheel drive, the SUV is very capable in lite off-roading as long as I kept steady power to the rear axle. The Vitaras are popular mini-SUV's here in Hawaii, and the brand name Suzuki has always been regarded well among us locals. The ride is very car-like, very quiet and well-behaved on the road. Nothing more I can add to your woes, only that I wish the stereo buttons were bigger.

[ijoey1017i]

lol you should know better than to buy a Suzuki!
Those things suck!
You should have bought a Jeep or a Honda CR-V even.
I don't know when you bought this car i think you said 2100 but for 5k extra at the most you probably could have got a Landrover FreeLander.

[jzagoras]

Dear unhappy ownwer
I see we have similar problems.No worst lemons!
It seems that they(Suzuki) think they are dealing with fools! Please check attached photos and then check your car accordingly.

My new 9/23/2003 Grand Vitara 2000cc 4cyl 5door 2003 model ABS 2 air bags car has significant and inherent defects located:

1) To the trapezoid holed Head Restraints where the easy reachable and flat-bared tubular metal frame element can cause severe scull injury in the event of a rear end impact collision.Estimation of a static load force of approx. -21,8 Newtons per cm² is more than enough to lead the restraints tubular frame in contact to the occupants occipital area as tested with a special force gauge instrument.
This can also be quite easily demonstrated by smoothly pushing the head backwards, where one can feel the Hard and Stiff tubular metal element touching the rear tangential scull surface!!
Or similarly by thumb pushing the upper side of the soft cushion element someone can feel the flat-bared tubular metal frame quite easily.

2) The left rear door while opening blocks on the front polymer spoiler thus trapping the driver internally and can cause even fatal injury!

3) The Backbone wiring High and Low DC current, located within the engine compartment is sleeveless unprotected and naked, roughly constructed leaving exposed all wires and in the event of a front end crash can cause even fire!

4) Dust inrush occurs while driving off-road on dry sandy terrains causing breathing and health matters to all occupants!

An official letter brought to Suzuki's CEO and Chairman Mr. Osamu Suzuki attention seems of no importance at all to them!
I am trying to proceed reporting this occurence to an unblemished civil authority! NHTSA,IIHS,EURONCAP etc! Joining together we can do much more!
Any other sugestions?

[Freelander2]

lol you should know better than to buy a Suzuki!
Those things suck!
You should have bought a Jeep or a Honda CR-V even.
I don't know when you bought this car i think you said 2100 but for 5k extra at the most you probably could have got a Landrover FreeLander.

Yeah, the Freelander first generation seems to get a lot of reliability complaints too though. However, it kicks butt off-road on the Vitara. There's a good video comparing the two: Land Rover Freelander vs Suzuki Vitara video -- the Freelander kicked butt even though it had stock road tires and the Vitara had all-terrains.

[jenny.smith]

With the purchase of a Grand Vitara Last year I was much impressed by Suzuki as a dealer / repair of trucks and one's relationship with its management and doing. While the Grand Vitara is and was bigger than most other models in its class, I was a little disappointed with the size inside.

[Dave101]

With the purchase of a Grand Vitara Last year I was much impressed by Suzuki as a dealer / repair of trucks and one's relationship with its management and doing. While the Grand Vitara is and was bigger than most other models in its class, I was a little disappointed with the size inside.

wow congrats!That's the most problem Vitara owner getting but they get use to it after a while and will love the features better.

[Danielmarkwogh]

I just bought this Suzuki grand vitara luxurious car last month. Its is amazing car, Personally I like most that had to done interior and Gear box system , I love this car.

[chrishil]

What happened to that SUV. It should have a good quality parts. You should have complained to Suszuki.