CSR

Suzuki · NHTSA safety record

2011 Suzuki SX4

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

13

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2011 Suzuki SX4 have filed 13 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2011 and August 2019. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 4 of them (31%). The typical failure was reported at 45,750 miles, the median across the 10 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

14V811000 · December 22, 2014

The defect
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 SX4 vehicles manufactured July 16, 2009, to November 1, 2012, and 2010-2013 Kizashi vehicles manufactured October 13, 2009, to October 31, 2012. The shift selector can be moved out of the "Park" position without depressing the brake pedal.
The risk
If the shift selector is moved out of the "Park" position while the brake pedal is not depressed, the vehicle may unexpectedly roll, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
The remedy
Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shift selector assembly and inspect, and if necessary, replace the shift knob, free of charge. The recall began January 16, 2015. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-714-996-7040. Suzuki's number for this recall is VL.

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. · up to 60,823 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 13.

POWER TRAIN 4 31%
AIR BAGS 3 23%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 23%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 15%
EQUIPMENT 1 8%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 1 8%
STRUCTURE 1 8%
WHEELS 1 8%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2011 at 3.

2011 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

2 injured · crash · 60,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUZUKI SX4. WHILE PROCEEDING THROUGH TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP TO AVOID ENTERING THE INTERSECTION ON THE RED LIGHT. A DRIVER ENTERING THE INTERSECTION FAILED TO STOP AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER AND CONTACT SUFFERED BACK INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V405000 (AIR BAGS) IN MAY OF 2014. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint 10661176, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

41,500 miles

CONSTANT HUMMING FROM THE REAR HATCH LOCK ACTUATOR -- AND THE REAR HATCH PARTIALLY UNLOCKS AND UNLATCHES ITSELF WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE POWER LOCKING SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING COMPLETELY. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND AUTOMATIC INDOOR DOME LIGHT ALSO STOPPED WORKING. I REPLACED THE REAR HATCH LOCK ACTUATOR WITH A BRAND NEW SUZUKI PART, BUT DETERMINED THIS IS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PER THE ATTACHED PDFS OF ONLINE REPAIR FORUM POSTS, APPARENTLY ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE PART OF A CIRCUIT THAT NORMALLY IS ACTIVATED WHEN ONE RELEASES THE PARKING BRAKE. ACCORDING TO THOSE WHO INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM IN SOME DEPTH (SEE THE ATTACHED PDFS), A SHORT IN THIS CIRCUIT ENDS UP CAUSING ONE

NHTSA complaint 11242067, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

148,280 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUZUKI SX4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 20 MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY DAY FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FITZGERALD WHEATON (10915 GEORGIA AVENUE, WHEATON, MD 20902) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PRESSURE CONTROL SHIFT SOLENOID "B" FAILED AND THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,280.

NHTSA complaint 11131013. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

70,100 miles

VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO STEER WHEN ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WENT OUT. THE ONLY THING SHOWING ON THE DASHBOARD IS THE ENGINE SYMBOL. VEHICLE STARTS WITHOUT PROBLEM AFTER INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10711808. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUZUKI SX4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V811000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint 10693259. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUZUKI SX4. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V405000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG THAT CAUSED THE WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint 10681597. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Suzuki SX4

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2013 15 5
2012 40 3
2010 21 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