The Used Car Index

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems

NHTSA lists 42 complaints for the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara, 3 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 3 complaints mention an injury, with 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as SUZUKI GRAND VITARA.

At a glance

Complaints
42
With crash
3
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
3
Injuries
3
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
189,901
Investigations
1
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
7

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2047.6%
AIR BAGS1228.6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1023.8%
ENGINE37.1%
SUSPENSION24.8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)12.4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM12.4%
POWER TRAIN12.4%
SEAT BELTS12.4%
SEATS12.4%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGHEADLIGHTS2

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

2 recalls.

19V187000

Date: 2019-03-07. Systems: AIR BAGS, SEATS.

Defect: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kizashi and 2006-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat may shrink due to high humidity and high temperature. As a result, the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor mat may not accurately detect if an adult or child is occupying the seat.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, an incorrect classification may result in the passenger frontal air bag deploying even if there is a child in the front passenger seat, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019. All second letters notifying owners of the remedy were mailed by April 10, 2020. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's numbers for this recall are 4011 and 4012.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

13V405000

Date: 2013-09-06. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Defect: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat o (excerpt)

Consequence: Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child. (excerpt)

Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the OCS sensor mat) free of charge. Sufficient quantities of parts are not currently available to fix all of the affected vehicles. Owners will be notified of the recall in October 2013 and will receive a second notification when parts are available to have their vehicle repaired. The reca (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

PE13021

Opened: 2013-06-14. Closed: 2013-09-30.

Occupant Classification System Failure

Suzuki Motor of America is conducting a safety recall to remedy the occupant classification system's (OCS) sensor mats in approximately 193,936 model year 2006-2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 Suzuki SX4 vehicles (see NHTSA recall 13V-405 for more details).The sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat can develop an electrical circuit disconnection as a result of repeated flexing of t

Systems: AIR BAGS.

Linked campaign numbers: 13V405000.

Manufacturer communications

7 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
AIR BAGS3
SUSPENSION2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
EQUIPMENT1
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER1
STRUCTURE1

10216558

Date: 2022-07-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE, SUSPENSION.

Reminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension and related parts that could be caused by road salt or other chemicals applied to the roadway.

10152052

Date: 2018-11-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT, SUSPENSION.

This Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki automobile distributors in the U.S., explaining the importance of proper inspection and maintenance of suspension lower arm ball joints to prevent the ball stud from becoming separated from the suspension lower arm.

10047119

Date: 2012-11-05. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER.

SUZUKI: FUEL GAUGE TAKES A LONG TIME MOVING, AFTER FILL UP, BECAUSE OF TWO (2) DIFFERENT FUEL METER MODES, NORMAL MODE AND REFUEL MODE, FOR GAUGE MOVEMENT. MODELS 2006-2008 GRAND VITARA. *PE

10044041

Date: 2012-07-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: AIR BAGS.

SUZUKI: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR 'AIR BAG' WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION. *JS UPDATED 7/25/12. *PE

10044320

Date: 2012-06-12. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: AIR BAGS.

SUZUKI: THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION ASSEMBLY HAS THE SENSOR MAT LOCATED WITHIN AND THE ELECTRIC DISCONNECTION (OPEN) WILL OCCUR DUE TO REPEATED FLEXING, THAT MAY DEVELOP. *PE UPDATED 04/10/2013 *JS

10044319

Date: 2012-05-13. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: AIR BAGS.

SUZUKI: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, WITHIN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION, THE SENSING SENSOR MAT, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT DISCONNECTION MAY HAVE DEVELOPED, DUE TO REPEATED FLEXING. *PE

10022791

Date: Unavailable. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

DTC C1230 (TRANSFER ACTUATOR CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION) DETECTING CONDITION AND TROUBLESHOOTING. *NJ

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
GRAND VITARA42

Same model, other years

All model years | All Suzuki models

Other Suzuki models, 2008

Sources

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