1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES MADE A GRINDING NOISE AND THE BRAKE ADJUSTMENT PIN IN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS LOOSE. THE SPRING THAT HELD THE WHEEL IN PLACE FAILED, WHICH ALLOWED IT TO MOVE FREELY INSIDE THE BRAKE DRUM. THE SPRING FLIPPED UP AND CAUSED THE BRAKE SHOE, DRUM, AND BRAKING KIT TO FAIL. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, AAMCO INSPECTED THE REAR AND FRONT BRAKES AND STATED THAT THEY WERE 50% WORN. THE CONTACT PLACED THE WHEEL BACK ON THE VEHICLE AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY SIX BLOCKS WHEN HE HEARD THE NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO AAMCO BECAUSE THE GRINDING NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD. AAMCO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE INSPECTION. THE CONTACT CALLED SUZUKI'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE TO FIND OUT IF THE FAILURE WAS COMMON. SUZUKI STATED THAT NO ONE COULD TALK TO THEIR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT UNLESS THEY WERE A DEALER. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE SUZUKI DEALER SO THAT THEY COULD CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 31,734.

Mileage: 31,734

WHEN I BRAKE MY CAR PULLS TO ONE SIDE AND LOSES CONTROL. IT IS LIKE IT IS ON ICE AND ONE TIME IT SPUN AROUND, EVEN THOUGHT I WAS GOING SLOW. MY CAR IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. *TR

RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SUZUKI RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE 4 OXYGEN SENSORS. *BF THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE GEAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT, IT WAS DISCOVERED YEARS LATER THAT IT WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER HAD EMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS FOR TWO PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE CAME BACK WITH UNRELATED PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE BRAKES WHICH THE DEALER STATED NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, THE FRONT BUMPER WAS HANGING OFF AND WAS MISSING THE SECURING BOLTS, THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY HEAD LIGHTS, IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DETERMINED BY AN ELECTRICAL REPAIR SPECIALIST THAT THE HEAD LIGHT RELAY WAS INTERNALLY DAMAGED, THE CONSUMER STATED THE WAS ALSO AN UNIDENTIFIABLE FUEL LEAK. *JB

BRAKES PRODUCE A GRINDING NOISE. *AK

Mileage: 40,000

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE NO MATTER WHAT SPEED IT WAS TRAVELING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR AT LEAST 10-15 TIMES, AND EACH TIME CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SHAKING. ONCE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE DEALER, MECHANIC DROVE THE VEHICLE, AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE CALIPERS WERE STICKING AT THE TIME OF ACCELERATION. *AK

CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AT 25-30 MPH, NOT A PANIC STOP, BRAKE LOCKED UP ,AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND 180 DEGREES. VEHICLE HIT THE CURB. DEALER REPLACED HUB ASSEMBLY/ KNUCKLE JOINTS/ FRONT ASSEMBLY, AND FRONT STABILIZER. DAMAGE WAS $ 3000-4000. *AK

DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH SINCE LAST REPLACEMENT, AND A 3RD REPLACEMENT IS NEEDED ALONG WITH A DRIVESHAFT REPLACEMENT. DEALER HAS RECOGNIZED DEFECT, BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED ACCURATE REMEDY.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HOWLING/WHISTLING NOISE FROM THE REAR AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 55 AND 65, AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT THERE WAS HEAVY VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, ANOTHER REPLACEMENT AND STILL NO REMEDY MADE, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY AND DRIVESHAFT. LATCH BROKE OFF OF THE AIR FILTER BOX, DEALER REPLACED THE FILTER BOX. CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAKS WHEN BEING RELEASED FAST. *SLC

BRAKES WOULD BE MAKING GRINDING/SQUEALING & CLICKING NOISES WHEN APPLIED. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP THAT BRAKES WERE DIRTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED/CLEANED. ALSO, THEY WERE NON-ABESTOS. NOTHING ELSE WAS DONE TO BRAKES.*AK

DIFFICULTY WHEN BRAKING ON WET PAYMENT. TRUCK MAKES LOUD GRINDING SOUND AS IF THE ENGINE IS GOING TO FALL OUT, PLUS YOU CAN FEEL THE VIBRATION WHILE FOOT IS ON THE PEDAL. STARTING TO OCCUR FREQUENTLY, MOSTLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING DOWNHILL. TRUCK SEEMS TO BE DRIFTING MORE AFTER YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKES TO STOP WHICH CAUSE ME TO FEEL LIKE I'M AT RISK OF CRASHING INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE OR INJURY MYSELF AND/OR PASSENGERS (ESPECIALLY MY TWO TODDLES). VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THE FIRST YEAR MODEL OF THIS NEW TYPE OF TRUCK IS CONSIDERED TO BE A RECALL. CONSIDERING THAT I EXPERIENCE THIS INCIDENT MOSTLY WHEN IT RAINS OR DURING SLIPPERY PAVEMENT, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE ARE NOT REPORTS OR HISTORY OF THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT. I TRULY FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. CAN YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND NOTIFY ME OF ANY FINDINGS, POSSIBLY BY MAY 2001 OR SOONER. I'M HOPING TO TRADE IT IN ON MY SECOND ANNIVERSARY DATE. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.*AK

DIFFICULTY WHEN BRAKING ON WET PAYMENT. TRUCK MAKES LOUD GRINDING SOUND AS IF THE ENGINE IS GOING TO FALL OUT, PLUS YOU CAN FEEL THE VIBRATION WHILE FOOT IS ON THE PEDAL. STARTING TO OCCUR FREQUENTLY, MOSTLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING DOWNHILL. TRUCK SEEMS TO BE DRIFTING MORE AFTER YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKES TO STOP WHICH CAUSE ME TO FEEL LIKE I'M AT RISK OF CRASHING INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE OR INJURY MYSELF AND/OR PASSENGERS (ESPECIALLY MY TWO TODDLES). VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THE FIRST YEAR MODEL OF THIS NEW TYPE OF TRUCK IS CONSIDERED TO BE A RECALL. CONSIDERING THAT I EXPERIENCE THIS INCIDENT MOSTLY WHEN IT RAINS OR DURING SLIPPERY PAVEMENT, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE ARE NOT REPORTS OR HISTORY OF THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT. I TRULY FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. CAN YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND NOTIFY ME OF ANY FINDINGS, POSSIBLY BY MAY 2001 OR SOONER. I'M HOPING TO TRADE IT IN ON MY SECOND ANNIVERSARY DATE. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 35MPH ON INTERSTATE AND THERE WAS SNOW ON GROUND. ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE BECAUSE OTHER VEHICLE HAD LOST CONTROL. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES AND TURNED WHEEL TO LEFT. TO AVOID HITTING OTHER VEHICLE, DRIVER HYDROPLANED, AND VEHICLE HIT MERIDIAN STRIP HARD. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED. *AK

I FIRST REPORTED THIS PROBLEM LAST YEAR. SOMETHING WAS CAUSING INTERMITTENT SEVERE VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING 60MPH AT APPROX. 12:30AM WHEN THIS OCCURED AGAIN AND I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY FOOT WAS DISLODGED FROM THE BRAKE BY VIBRATION. THE FORCE BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKE WAS TRANSFERED TO THE ACCELERATOR WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I SLAMMED INTO A SOLID ROCK LEDGE AND RECEIVED INJURIES TO MY BACK AND NECK. BOTH OF THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, THE OFFICERS ON THE SCENE COMMENTED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE VIBRATION PROBLEM WITH NO RESULTS. THEIR ANSWER HAS BEEN TO BALANCE THE TIRES OVER AND OVER, ALTHOUGH THEY DID SUPPOSEDLY REPLACE THE BODY BUSHINGS. STILL NO RESULTS. NOW I HAVE A WRECKED VEHICLE AND A MESSED UP BACK TO SHOW FOR MY $20,000 DOLLAR INVESTMENT.

TIRES ARE TOO SMALL AND TREAD IS INADEQUATE FOR INCLEMENT DRIVING CONDITIONS, BRAKES LOCK UP TOO QUICKLY, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO DIP FOWARD, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: DMA518 TIRE SIZE: P235/R16 )

BRAKE LIGHT WOULD FLASH WITHOUT INDICATION. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PROBLEMAND IT RETURNED. CAN'T DUPLICATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING BRAKE INICATOR LIGHT WOULD FLASH. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PROBLEM, BUT IT RETURNED. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMTON. *AK

THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT,DIFFERENTIAL,ALL FOUR TIRES,TURN DRUMS & ROTORS AND THE CAR STILL VIBRATES

THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT,DIFFERENTIAL,ALL FOUR TIRES,TURN DRUMS & ROTORS AND THE CAR STILL VIBRATES