2000 SUZUKI VITARA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

MY SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER FAIL WHILE HITTING THE BRAKES ON AN OFFRAMP ON MY 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. MY WHOLE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. THE PASSENGER NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL AND AFTER I INSPECTED IT, I FOUND THAT WHERE THE CONTROL ARM IS MOUNTED TO THE CROSSMEMBER, IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PART FOR THE 2000 CHEVY TRACKER WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND A RECALL ON THIS PART FOR THE VITARA HOWEVER. I THINK THIS SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THIS COMPONENT IS REPLACED AND SOMEONE COULD HAVE ALSO GOTTEN HURT. *TR

MY SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER FAIL WHILE HITTING THE BRAKES ON AN OFFRAMP ON MY 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. MY WHOLE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. THE PASSENGER NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL AND AFTER I INSPECTED IT, I FOUND THAT WHERE THE CONTROL ARM IS MOUNTED TO THE CROSSMEMBER, IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PART FOR THE 2000 CHEVY TRACKER WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND A RECALL ON THIS PART FOR THE VITARA HOWEVER. I THINK THIS SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THIS COMPONENT IS REPLACED AND SOMEONE COULD HAVE ALSO GOTTEN HURT. *TR

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND LOSE STEERING ABILITY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME ROTTED AT THE POINT WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT CONTROL ARM DETACHED FROM THE CROSS MEMBER. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE CROSS MEMBER AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,300.

AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DESPITE FRONTAL IMPACT AT ROUGHLY 550 MPH. *JB