NHTSA Complaint #751119 — 1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK

PURCHASED THIS SIDEKICK JULY 24, 2001. WITHIN DAYS THE " ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DUE TO A 30 DAY 1000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY I TOOK THE SIDEKICK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP PURCHASED AT. THE SIDEKICK WAS TAKEN TO THE SUZUKI DEALERSHIP FOR EVALUATION. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SOLENOID AND VALVE BODY WERE DEFECTED. A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO COST ANALYSIS. AFTER 1.5 WEEKS IN THE SHOP I PICKED UP "MY" SIDEKICK. WITHIN 3 DAYS THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. RETURNED THE SIDEKICK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. THE SUZUKI DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. IT WAS RELAYED TO ME THAT THE SUZUKI REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS HAD A VALVE BODY DEFECT. TRANSMISSION NUMBER 2 WAS PULLED AND IN WENT REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION NUMBER 3. I PICKED UP THE SIDEKICK THIS MORNING. WITHIN 2 HOURS AND LESS THAN 30 MILES THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. CONTACTED THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. THE SIDEKICK WILL BE PICKED UP MONDAY MORNING AND I'LL BE DRIVING ANOTHER LOANER VEHICLE (FOR WHICH I'M VERY GRATEFUL). I'LL FIND OUT IN 2-3 DAYS WHETHER MY NEW TO ME USED TO YOU GETS TRANSMISSION NUMBER 4. I'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 31 DAYS, HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF DRIVING IT FOR 7 DAYS TOPS. THE 30 DAY 1000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS NOW EXPIRED. I'VE REQUESTED A COLLATERAL TRADE. I WON'T FIND OUT ABOUT THAT UNTIL THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP RETURNS MONDAY. I'VE HAD MORE TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS ONE VEHICLE IN ONE MONTH THAN I'VE HAD IN ALL MY VEHICLES IN THE PAST 15 YEARS! LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OUR RIGHTS ARE. I'VE NOT EVEN MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT YET. WOULD LIKE SOME INORMATION ON OUR RIGHTS AS CONSUMERS. THANKS!*AK