NHTSA Complaint #10564650 — 2010 SUZUKI SX4

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND I HEARD A THUMP. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON, AND I HAD LOST POWER STEERING. THE ENGINE STARTED HEATING UP SHORTLY THERE AFTER. I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I'M VERY THANKFUL I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND NOT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, OTHERWISE THIS MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE BELT TENSIONER IN THIS VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED AS PART OF A RECALL. UPON CONSULTING THE MECHANIC, THAT WAS AGAIN THE PROBLEM. A BELT TENSION SHOULD LAST MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY LIGHTLY, MOSTLY AROUND TOWN. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE REPLACEMENT BELT TENSIONER WAS NO LESS FAULTY THAN THE ONE REPLACED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL. BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD LAPSED, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET, EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. *TR