IllustrationCONSUMER NOTICE OIL LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN EXTENDING STOPPING. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
1999 Suzuki Esteem
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Esteem years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 8 of 20 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
20 reportsVEHICLE STALLED AT 20 MPH. TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. FUEL GAUGE SENDING UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING FRONT DRIVER'S WHEEL STARTED SHAKING, AND VEHICLE STOPPED. *AK
I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT SOME ADDITIONAL DEFECTIVE FIRESTONE TIRES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ELBOCLJ129 TIRESIZE: P185/60R14)
CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT THE BRAKES ARE CONSTANTLY SQUEALING, THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED AND THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE SQUEALING STILL OCCURS. *SLC
WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 40 MPH. CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER NOTED THAT MANUAL TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
LOSS OF POWER UPON ACCELERATION HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. DEALERS ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR HAVE BEEN COMICAL FROM SENSORS IN THE FUEL TANK TO THE GAS CAP. THIS HAS RECURRED OVER 5 TIMES BEGINNING ONE WEEK AFTER TAKING DELIVERY. WE HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS TO FILE LEMON LAW. IT HAS COME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT SEVERAL OTHER …
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LOSS OF POWER UPON ACCELERATION HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. DEALERS ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR HAVE BEEN COMICAL FROM SENSORS IN THE FUEL TANK TO THE GAS CAP. THIS HAS RECURRED OVER 5 TIMES BEGINNING ONE WEEK AFTER TAKING DELIVERY. WE HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS TO FILE LEMON LAW. IT HAS COME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT SEVERAL OTHER CARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN BOUGHT BACK BY SUZUKI. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE TRAVELING AT 20MPH VEHICLE KEPT GOING, REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY. *AK
WE BOUGHT THE CAR ON JUNE 13, 1999 AND AFTER TWO WEEKS NOTICED DROPS OF OIL IN DRIVEWAY, THE PROBLEM WASN'T VERY NOTICEABLE AT FIRST THAN AROUND 5 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VECHICLE NOTICED MORE OIL BUT BIGGER DROPS AND UNDER THE HOOD OIL THAT HAD BEEN SPRAYING OVER THE ENGINE. WE TOOK THE VECHICLE IN ON JULY 28, 1999 TO THE DE…
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WE BOUGHT THE CAR ON JUNE 13, 1999 AND AFTER TWO WEEKS NOTICED DROPS OF OIL IN DRIVEWAY, THE PROBLEM WASN'T VERY NOTICEABLE AT FIRST THAN AROUND 5 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VECHICLE NOTICED MORE OIL BUT BIGGER DROPS AND UNDER THE HOOD OIL THAT HAD BEEN SPRAYING OVER THE ENGINE. WE TOOK THE VECHICLE IN ON JULY 28, 1999 TO THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM WAS SHOWN TO BE A CRACKED GASKET COVER . THE VECHILE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 1 WHOLE WEEK . WE PICKED UP THE VECHICLE WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THE VECHICLE WAS CHECKED OVER AND REPAIRED ON AUG 4TH 1999. ON FRIDAY TWO DAYS AFTER PICKING UP OUR VECHICLE WE NOTICED OIL ON THE DRIVEWAA Y AGAIN. TODAY WHICH IS SATURDAY AUGUST 7, WE ARE LOSING OIL BUT MORE AS A DRIP INSTEAD OF JUST A FFEW DROPS. UNDER THE HOOD THERE IS A POOL OF OIL AROUND THE BASE OF THE ENGINE AND AROUND THE SPARK PLUGS. WE FEEL VERY FRAUSTRATED AS WE THOUGHT WE PURCHASED A RELIABLE VECHICLE. ON MONDAY AUGUST 9, WE WILL BE TAKING THE VECHICLE BACK IN TO THE DEALER. NOT ONLY HAS THIS BEEN A INCONVIENCE AS WE NEED THE VECHICLE TO GO TO WORK BUT WE FEEL WE HAVE PURCHASED A LEMON.
HAD RESISTANT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HAD SHIFTED INTO DRIVE & TAPPED ACCELERATOR PEDAL & IT BECAME STUCK. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INSIDE THE GARAGE & HIT A PILLAR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. NO INJURIES. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.