2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA Exterior Lighting Problems

MY SUZUKI GRAND VITARA IS A 2007. BOUGHT NEW. I DIDN'T HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE LIGHTING UNTIL AFTER THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT.THEN I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BULBS BURNING OUT, BUT ONLY ONE AT A TIME SEVERAL MONTHS APART. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. NOW I CARRY SPARE BULBS FOR HIGH AND LOW BEAMS, THAT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE WHEN IT HAS 2 BE DINE 2 OR THREE TIMES A YEAR. THEN ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH LEVER AND KNOB THAT CHANGES THE LIGHT FUNCTION SETTING SETTINGS EVEN TO THE POINT OF BEING STOP BY HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICERS STOPPING ME BECAUSE I HAD NO TAIL LIGHTS BUT MANAGED TO PLAY WITH THE SETTINGS KNOB TO GET THEM WORKING. I'VE HAD NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND IT HAS OVER 142,00 MILES ON IT. THE LAST BULB I CHANGED WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP TO OHIO FROM CALIFORNIA IN MAY OF 2018.

Mileage: 130,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED AND TURNED OFF, ONE SHORTLY AFTER THE OTHER. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BULBS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUZUKI OF GREEN BROOK (101 US-22, GREEN BROOK TOWNSHIP, NJ 08812) WHO STATED THAT BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO NOTICED THAT THE ADAPTER, SOCKETS, AND FUSES WERE ALL BURNED DUE TO A HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT FLOWING INTO THE ASSEMBLIES. THE ADAPTERS, SOCKETS, AND HEAD LAMPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REPAIR THE UNDERLYING ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST OR ESCALATE THE CASE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Mileage: 70,000

BOUGHT THIS USED, BUT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS, HIGH BEAMS, DAY RUNNERS SINCE OWNING THIS GRAND VITARA TOO MANY TIMES. I KNOW I HAVE PURCHASED OVER 15 DIFFERENT LIGHT BULBS AS THEY KEEP BLOWING OUT? WHILE DRIVING, THEY ARE SO DIM AND THEN THEY STOP WORKING.THIS IS A HAZARD AND THESE BULBS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE REPLACED THIS MANY TIMES. ALSO WHILE DRIVING THEY BLOW, OR STATIONARY AS WELL, I HAVE MADE IT A HABIT NOW TO CHECK THEM BEFORE DRIVING SINCE THEY GO OUT AS MUCH AS THEY DO. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE REGARDING THIS ONGOING PROBLEM & IT NEEDS TO BE DONE ASAP. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTING FOR ME TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BUY BULBS ON A CONSTANT BASIS, AND AS FOR MILEAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN ON THIS FORM THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY TIMES AT DIFFERENT MILEAGE READINGS SO IT IS HARD TO SAY WHAT THE MILEAGE IS ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THE LIGHTS BLOW OUT.

Mileage: 56,000

BOUGHT THIS IN APRIL 2014 WITH 30K MILES, HAVE REPLACED BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS 4-5 TIMES EACH, ALSO BEAMS ARE LOW VISIBILITY

Mileage: 59,885

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE BURNING OUT PREMATURELY EVERY 4-6 MONTHS. THIS IS EXPENSIVE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF I DO NOT NOTICE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY BLOW OUT, ESPECIALLY IF BOTH GO AT THE SAME TIME. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT MANY GRAND VITARA OWNERS LIKE MYSELF HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH.

Mileage: 60,000

I'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS IN THAT 6 YEARS I CAN NOT EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BULBS IN THE HEAD LIGTHS, AT LEAST EVERY 4 MONTHS. THIS IS A ON GOING ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES I CAN NOT BELIEVE SUZUKI HAS NOT BEEN PUT IN A POSITION TO ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ERROR AND SUZUKI KNOWS IT.

Mileage: 98,000

JUST AS THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE SAID. MY 2008 GRAND VITARA LOW BEAM H7 STYLE HEADLIGHTS BLOW OUT CONSTANTLY. VERY UNSAFE TO NEARLY CRASH WHEN BOTH BLOW AT THE SAME TIME DRIVING AT NIGHT. VERY UNSAFE DRIVING AND AT ANY GIVEN TIME A HEADLIGHT WILL BLOW OUT. NOT TO MENTION TELLING VARIOUS POLICE OVER AND OVER THE PROBLEM. NOT TO MENTION TICKETS, WARNINGS, AND GENERAL DISDAIN FROM POLICE BECAUSE THEY ASSUME YOUR LYING. I NOW HAVE TO KEEP NITRITE GLOVES AND SPARES IN MY GLOVE BOX AND NOW SHOW THE POLICE. I REPLACE A LOW BEAM BULB ON EITHER SIDE EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS AS A SAFE AND ACCEPTABLE DESIGN ON ANY MOTOR VEHICLE. THIS WOULD NOT PASS AS SAFE ON ANYTHING. WE THE CUSTOMERS NEED THIS FIXED. HAD I KNOWN THIS IN 2008 I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE. AS OF NOW I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE IT. I HATE HAVING TO TRY MY BEST TO BE HOME BEFORE DARK BECAUSE A BULB IS OR WILL GO OUT. RECALL THIS DEFECT NOW.... BEFORE SOMEONE DIES FROM A CRASH. WHEN MY LIGHTS BLEW AT THE SAME TIME THAT NIGHT I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND ALMOST WRECKED. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. PLEASE HELP. *TR

Mileage: 13,000

I HAVE REPLACED APPROX. 150 LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS, THEY BLOW OUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. *TR

Mileage: 200

HAVE REPLACED THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM BULB AT LEAST 7 TIMES AND HAVE CHANGED THE PASSENGER SIDE APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES SO FAR EVEN REPLACED WITH BEST BULB BRANDS. *TR

Mileage: 9,000

HEADLIGHT BULBS NEED TO BE REPLACED ON A REGULAR BASIS (AT LEAST TEN SO FAR) AND THE PLASTIC IN THE BASE IS MELTED (COULD CAUSE A FIRE). *TR

Mileage: 20,000

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BULBS 8 (DRIVER), 6 (PASSENGER). ALSO, CANNOT SEE FAR ENOUGH AHEAD WHEN ONLY USING LOW BEAM. THIS IS A HAZARD! TIRED OF REPLACING BULBS EVERY 6 MONTHS. THEY AREN'T CHEAP.

Mileage: 12,050

I HAVE HAD A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS IN THAT TIME I CAN NOT EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU THE COUNTLESS I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BULBS IN THE HEADLIGHTS. ITS OBVIOUS FROM WHAT I'VE READ THAT THIS IS ON GOING ISSUE WITH THIS TYPE OF MAKE AND MODEL CAR. ITS OBVIOUS THE PART IS DEFECTIVE AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED TO REPLACE THESE HEADLIGHTS ALL TOGETHER. *TR

Mileage: 73,299

I HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT BULBS IN MY VEHICLE NEARLY EVERY 6 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED IT. LAST YEAR I REPLACED THE RT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY UNIT AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE HOUSING UNIT WAS BURNED AND WOULD NOT SEAT PROPERLY INTO THE ADAPTER. REPLACING THE ADAPTER WAS NOT AN OPTION, SO I INCURRED LABOR AND PARTS EXPENSES. NOW IN THE SHORTER DAYLIGHT FALL SEASON, THE LEFT BULB HAS BLOWN AND THE ADAPTER WAS BEGINNING TO BURN, SO I REPLACED IT. I INSPECTED IT TO CONFIRM THE STATE OF THE UNIT AND IT WAS INDEED, ON ITS WAY TO ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THERE IS NO WAY, WHEN DRIVING NOR IDLE, TO KNOW THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE IS DECAYING. I HAVE PURCHASED HL7 55WATT BULBS, WHICH ARE THE LOWEST WATTS AVAILABLE. I FEEL UNSAFE DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER, FALL AND WINTER SEASON DRIVING. THIS FREQUENT NEED FOR REPLACEMENT TO AVOID POTENTIAL CRASHES IS OF MAJOR CONCERN TO ME. *TR

Mileage: 9,500

WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I HAD TO BEGIN REPLACING LOW BEAM HEAD LAMPS, SEEMINGLY DURING RANDOM STARTS THE BULB WOULD BLOW OUT ON EITHER THE PASSENGER OR DRIVERS SIDE, WITH VERY LITTLE USE BEHIND IT. SOME LAMPS LASTED AS LITTLE AS A FEW WEEKS, OTHERS LASTED MORE THAN A YEAR, BUT THE BULBS NEEDED A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATE OF REPLACEMENT THAN ANY OTHER VEHICLE I'VE EVER DRIVEN. I HAVE REPLACED MULTIPLE LOW BEAM LAMPS - 6 DRIVER SIDE LAMPS, AND 8 PASSENGER SIDE IN ONLY 5 YEARS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE AND LESS THAN 20K MILES DRIVER PER YEAR. NO HELP FROM SUZUKI ON THE MATTER. AND I ONLY BUY QUALITY BULBS FROM BRAND NAME MANUFACTURERS AT REPUTABLE PARTS STORES. *TR

Mileage: 6,000

HAD TO CONSTANTLY REPLACE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT 6 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. NOW BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DO NOT WORK, BULBS ARE NOT BLOWN, AND FUSES ARE FINE. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT SUZUKI REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE UPWARDS OF $1200.00 OUT OF POCKET FOR A KNOWN PROBLEM. I STILL HAVE 2 PAYMENTS TO GO AND I BOUGHT THIS BRAND NEW. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS. THAT'S IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED ALREADY. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER KEEP BLOWING HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ATLEAST 10 TIMES NOW. I CARRY EXTRA TO BE SAFE AND THIS IS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE. *TR

Mileage: 14,000

HEADLIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT. IN 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, WE HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS AT LEAST 6 TIMES. THIS IS DANGEROUS, IN ADDITION TO BEING EXPENSIVE. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA, I NOTICED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE SO LOW THAT I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD. I LITERALLY CANNOT SEE THE ROAD BECAUSE THEY ARE SO DIM-THEY KEEP BLOWING OUT AND NEEDING TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT BECAUSE I AM AFRAID I WILL HIT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING. I AM BLINDED BY ON COMING TRAFFIC IF I DRIVE WITH THESE ON. THIS IS A GREAT SAFETY HAZARD-THESE LIGHTS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I GOT MY SIXTEEN Y/O DAUGHTER THIS CAR AND I REFUSE TO LET HER DRIVE IT- I DRIVE IT. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES-STILL NOT ANY BETTER. PLEASE HELP. *TT

Mileage: 30,382

I HAVE JUST ENTERED THE MILEAGE OF THE LAST TIME THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED. MY 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA KEEPS BLOWING THE HEADLAMP BULBS. I HAVE REPLACED IT MORE THAN 10 TIMES WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY ABNORMAL SINCE MOST OF THE CARS USES THE SAME BULB EVEN FOR YEARS. AS I CAN SEE IN INTERNET FORUMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BETWEEN SUZUKI OWNERS AND SUZUKI HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. *JB

Mileage: 73,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AT NIGHT HE COULD NOT SEE BEYOND APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER HE DROVE AT NIGHT WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS WHERE HE WAS TOLD THAT THE HEADLIGHTS MET FEDERAL STANDARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 02/08/11*LJ

Mileage: 12,000