NHTSA Complaint #10221852 — 2000 SUZUKI VITARA

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 3/18/08 AND AS I LEFT THE GAS STATION I HEARD THIS POP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR CUT OFF. LATER AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BELT POPPED. I WAS ALSO NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE WITH THE VEHICLE AND SUZUKI KNEW OF THIS, BUT HAD NO RECALL TO FIX OR CHANGE IT. I HAD NO IDEA OF THIS AND WAS TOLD WHEN BUYING THAT HAVING A CHAIN RATHER THAN A BELT WAS MUCH BETTER FOR YOUR CAR. NOT UNLESS IT POPS AND REPAIRS OF $2000 ARE NEEDED. I AM APPALLED THAT SUZUKI WOULD KNOW OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND IN NO WAY OF FIXING IT. I AM HOPING THAT SUZUKI COVERS THE COST OF THIS REPAIR AND REALIZES THAT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MOST OF THE CHARGE IS LABOR, BECAUSE IT WILL BE 11-13 HOURS TO GET TO THE CHAIN. I AM HOPING TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE LOOK AT THIS AND REALIZES THAT IF SOMEONE INVEST IN YOUR PRODUCT THAT MEANS THAT WE DON'T EXPECT IT TO NEVER BREAKDOWN, BUT IF IT DOES AND IT SOMETHING YOU KNEW WAS DEFECTIVE THEN YOU SHOULD HELP TO REPAIR IT. THANK YOU. *TR