CSR

Suzuki · NHTSA safety record

2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

11

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara have filed 11 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2011 and December 2019. The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 4 of them (36%). The typical failure was reported at 35,913 miles, the median across the 4 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

SEATS

19V187000 · March 7, 2019

The defect
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kizashi and 2006-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat may shrink due to high humidity and high temperature. As a result, the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor mat may not accurately detect if an adult or child is occupying the seat.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, an incorrect classification may result in the passenger frontal air bag deploying even if there is a child in the front passenger seat, increasing their risk of injury.
The remedy
Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019. All second letters notifying owners of the remedy were mailed by April 10, 2020. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's numbers for this recall are 4011 and 4012.

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. · up to 31,302 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

17V085000 · February 9, 2017

The defect
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The gear shift rear shaft on these vehicles may break, preventing the gears from being able to be changed.
The risk
If the transmission cannot be shifted, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the gear shift rear shaft, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's number for this recall is VZ.

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. · up to 791 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS

13V405000 · September 6, 2013

The defect
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat occupant is an adult or a child.
The risk
Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child.
The remedy
Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the OCS sensor mat) free of charge. Sufficient quantities of parts are not currently available to fix all of the affected vehicles. Owners will be notified of the recall in October 2013 and will receive a second notification when parts are available to have their vehicle repaired. The recall began on May 23, 2014. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's recall campaign number is VD.

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. · up to 189,901 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

11V055000 · January 27, 2011

The defect
SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINES; MODEL YEAR 2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 17, 2010; MODEL YEAR 2010 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES; AND 2011 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 14, 2010. THE TENSION ADJUSTER PULLEY FOR THE DRIVE BELT THAT OPERATES THE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND POWER STEERING PUMP, HAS AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED INTERNAL SPRING THAT CAN BREAK DUE TO REPEATED STRESS. IF THE SPRING BREAKS, THE DRIVE BELT WILL NOT BE ADJUSTED PROPERLY AND CAN SLIP, CAUSING A SQUEAKING NOISE. OR THE DRIVE BELT COULD COME OFF CAUSING THE DRIVER TO INCREASE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THIS CAN ALSO CAUSE THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE INDICATION TO RISE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING, OR CAN CAUSE THE CHARGING LIGHT TO COME ON, WHICH CAN LEAD TO BATTERY DISCHARGE AND ENGINE STALL.
The risk
IF THE DRIVE BELT COMES OFF, REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO USE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, OR THE ENGINE STALLS, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TENSION ADJUSTER PULLEY WITH AN IMPROVED PART. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 16, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-887-697-8985 OR VISIT SUZUKI'S WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.SUZUKIAUTO.COM.

AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. · up to 32,291 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Occupant Classification System Failure

PE13021

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened June 14, 2013 · closed September 30, 2013 · led to recall 13V405000

the air bags

Suzuki Motor of America is conducting a safety recall to remedy the occupant classification system's (OCS) sensor mats in approximately 193,936 model year 2006-2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 Suzuki SX4 vehicles (see NHTSA recall 13V-405 for more details).The sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat can develop an electrical circuit disconnection as a result of repeated flexing of the seat from use of the seat.According to Suzuki, when the failure occurs, the OCS system, by design, will not suppress the frontal passenger air bag for a seated child or small-stature adult.A deploying passenger air bag can cause serious injury to such an occupant.The recall population excludes those vehicles that previously had proper remedies under the special coverage campaign for this issue (~11,600) that began in July 2012.The recall remedy will be to install a new front passenger seat cushion assembly that includes an improved OCS sensor mat and an OCS control module with updated algorithms designed to properly identify the type/size of the seated occupant.Consequently, this recall action will address various OCS related problems, including a programming error (associated with diagnostic trouble code B1318) related to detecting a change or shifting in load on the front passenger seat in the model year 2009 Grand Vitara and SX4 vehicles.This Preliminary Evaluation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10178750, 10185778, 10200217, 10200123, 10206368, 10217021, 10250561, 10254251, 10263756, 10283309, 10285166, 10294320, 10316125, 10323718, 10324530, 10326910, 10332645, 10347204, 10348957, 10349038, 10350237, 10353604, 10354901, 10355400, 10364190, 10367631, 10369777, 10371056, 10373558, 10375165, 10375789, 10376071, 10376621, 10378154, 10380794, 10382860, 10392447, 10392434, 10392599, 10393975, 10395430, 10395602, 10395821, 10395983, 10398172, 10400092, 10400035, 10401106, 10401424, 10404772, 10405359, 10406459, 10407500, 10409412, 10409993, 10413235, 10418162, 10419237, 10419578, 10425035, 10425212, 10426703, 10434905, 10435090, 10435091, 10437600, 10437892, 10437994, 10438100, 10438501, 10438613, 10439357, 10439979, 10440088, 10442968, 10442759, 10442883, 10443173, 10443592, 10443594, 10444434, 10445034, 10445447, 10446215, 10446580, 10447689, 10448161, 10448446, 10448499, 10448554, 10449238, 10450746, 10451260, 10452961, 10453168, 10453403, 10453376, 10454445, 10454978, 10455231, 10455529, 10456043, 10456367, 10456407, 10459063, 10460417, 10460510, 10462016, 10463337, 10464941, 10464693, 10467988, 10468641, 10479583, 10479929, 10481120, 10484053, 10484863, 10486369, 10486729, 10487379, 10491755, 10499622, 10506034, 10508282, 10511057, 10511439, 10512962, 10521656, 10521779, 10523512, 10523931, 10524266, 10526435, 10533196, 10535513, 10537314, 10537619, 10543672, 10544287.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 11.

AIR BAGS 4 36%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 9%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 1 9%
SEATS 1 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 9%
STRUCTURE 1 9%
TIRES 1 9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 9%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 4.

2011 2014 2019
2011 to 2019

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

crash

2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIR BAG RECALL NOTICE AND AIR BAG MALFUNCTION DURING AN ACCIDENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE/SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING A DEFECT WITH THE AIR BAGS. THE CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND OFF SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2012. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. DURING THE ACCIDENT, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint 10555603. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND IT DOES HAVE RECALLS AND I HAD I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THE RECALLS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED OR STILL NEED DONE PLEASE THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint 11288804. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR HOLDS WATER WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS ON AND THE INSIDE FLOOR IS STARTING TO RUST THIS IS OF NO FAULT OF MY OWN THIS IS A DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10596873. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

TIRES

27,400 miles

I HAVE ALMOST 27,400 MILES ON MY TRUCK AND THE TIRES ARE DRY ROTTED WHICH THEY SHOULDNT BE LIKE THAT I DO NOT DRIVE FAR AT ALL I AM A VERY UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER THE TIRE SIZES ARE P225 70 R16. *JS

NHTSA complaint 10592587. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA RECALLED APPROX. OCT. 2013. SUZUKI SENT A LETTER SAYING THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD FIX WHEN AVAILABLE. IT'S BEEN 6 MONTHS. HOW LONG IS IT SUPPOSED TO TAKE TO MANUFACTURE THESE PARTS? DID THEIR PARTS SUPPLIERS GO BANKRUPT ALSO? DEALER NOW SELLS ANOTHER BRAND AND DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW (OR CARE) ANYTHING ABOUT WHEN THIS WILL BE FIXED. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10576273. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

72,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V055000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPAIR WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD SQUEAKING AND RATTLE NOISE WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE TENSION CONTROL PULLEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA complaint 10534208. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Suzuki Grand Vitara

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2012 13 2
2010 20 5

Other 2011 Suzuki models

Every Suzuki on this site — 11 vehicles, 99 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst