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 13 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.
Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 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 reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
13 reports
11,206 miles · Jan 10, 2004
Visibility
I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM A SUZUKI DEALER ON LONG ISLAND, 14 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT A SUZUKI 2003 AERIO SX AWD, FROM THE SAME DEALER. THE AERIO HAD LOUD HUMMING IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. BROUGHT IT BACK 3 TIMES BEFORE THEY HAD A FACTORY REP TELL THEM THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY REPLACED IT, AND ALTHOUGH THE HUMM…
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I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM A SUZUKI DEALER ON LONG ISLAND, 14 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT A SUZUKI 2003 AERIO SX AWD, FROM THE SAME DEALER. THE AERIO HAD LOUD HUMMING IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. BROUGHT IT BACK 3 TIMES BEFORE THEY HAD A FACTORY REP TELL THEM THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY REPLACED IT, AND ALTHOUGH THE HUMMING WAS GONE, THERE WAS A TERRIBLE VIBRATION WHEVER I STEPPED ON THE GAS. BROUGHT IT BACK 2 TIMES BEFORE THEY SAID THAT THE ENGINE MOUNTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THEY ORDERED THE PARTS IN EARLY NOVEMBER, AND SAID THEY WERE ON BACKORDER. THIS IS A 2003 CAR !!! I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY MADE ME A "GREAT" DEAL. THEY SOLD ME THIS 2003 XL7 WITH 11206 MILES. AS I DROVE THE CAR HOME, I NOTICED A VERY SEVERE WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, AND A WHINING TYPE NOISE WHEN FIRST STEPPING ON THE GAS. AGAIN, THIS IS A 2003 CAR. THIS WAS 12/22/03. I CALLED THE DEALER AND SAID THAT I WOULD DROP IT OFF AFTER CHRISTMAS. I DID, AND THEY SAID A FACTORY REP DROVE THE CAR AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. HOW CAN SUZUKI SELL CARS THAT SEEM TO HAVE THESE "NORMAL PROBLEMS" ? WELL I'M ONLINE AND TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CAR, AND FIND OUT THAT THE CAR WAS BOUGHT BY THE DEALER AT AN AUCTION IN COLORADO. THEN I GO ON YOUR WEBSITE AND FIND THE RECALL ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. OBVIOUSLY THIS MUST BE THE AIR I FEEL RUSHING IN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. I AM BRINGING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TOMORROW. I AM VERY AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THE "GREAT" DEAL WITH THE XL7 NOW COSTS ME MORE MONEY EVERY MONTH AND HIS "MISTAKE" ADDED ANOTHER YEAR ONTO MY PAYMENTS. IS THERE SOMEONE I CAN GO TO ABOUT THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN 3 WEEKS SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED ? THIS IS REALLY NOT FAIR. NOW I HAVE TO WORRY THAT MY WINDSHIELD WILL POP AND I COULD BE SERIUOSLY INJURED OR DIE IF I'M IN AN ACCIDENT ??? I THINK NOT. ALL BECAUSE I BOUGHT SUZUKI. THANKS, CINDY BAEYENS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10052764
1,300 miles · Sep 22, 2003
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury
THE BRAKES ON THE CAR FAILED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED AND IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BUT THE CAR WILL NOT STOP. THE HAND BRAKE WAS PULLED AND THE CAR WAS DIRECTED OUT OF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASS TO MAKE IT STOP. *JB THE DISTANCE WAS MEASURED AND IT WAS 75 FEET FROM THE POINT WHERE THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO THE POINT T…
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THE BRAKES ON THE CAR FAILED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED AND IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BUT THE CAR WILL NOT STOP. THE HAND BRAKE WAS PULLED AND THE CAR WAS DIRECTED OUT OF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASS TO MAKE IT STOP. *JB THE DISTANCE WAS MEASURED AND IT WAS 75 FEET FROM THE POINT WHERE THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO THE POINT THE CAR STOPPED. THE CAR WAS GOING 35-40 MPH. THE DRIVER FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO STOP BY PULLING THE HAND BREAK BUT THE CAR HIT THE BUMPER HIT THE REAR OF PICK UP TRUCK IN FRONT AND THE TOW HITCH OF THE PICK UP TRUCK CRACKED THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE CAR THE CAR IS BRAND NEW AND HAS 1300 MILES ONLY ON THE CAR. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10039280
Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2002
Power Train
TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THIS WAS INCONSISTANT BUT RECURRING PROBLEM WHICH USUALLY OCCURRED WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP UNDER ACCELERATION AND NOT SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR UNTIL STOPPED ACCELERATING. THIS CIRCUMSTANCE CREATED A SAFETY…
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TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THIS WAS INCONSISTANT BUT RECURRING PROBLEM WHICH USUALLY OCCURRED WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP UNDER ACCELERATION AND NOT SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR UNTIL STOPPED ACCELERATING. THIS CIRCUMSTANCE CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE ANALYST AND TECHNICIAN COULD NOT CONFIRM THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM , BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS WAS A RECURRING PROBLEMS W/ THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION SINCE THE 2000 MODEL YEAR AND CONTINUES THROUGH THE 2003 MODEL YEAR. A TSB REGARDING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED.*AK
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, UNDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BELOW -25 DEGREES CELSIUS, MOISTURE CAN FREEZE IN THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. AS A RESULT, FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE MAY INCREASE AT THE TIME OF ENGINE START UP, CAUSING FUEL LOSS AT THE FUEL PIPE/FUEL HOSE CONNECTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LOSS IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, THE FUEL DELIVER HOSE AND REPLACE THE HOSE CLAMP WITH AN IMPROVED CLAMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE IGNITION SYSTEM WIRING HARNESS IS ROUTED UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE HARNESS CAN RUB AGAINST THE MANIFOLD DURING VEHICLE OPERATION AND ABRASION DAMAGE TO THE HARNESS CAN OCCUR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DAMAGE TO THE WIRING HARNESS CAN CAUSE A SHORT IN THE IGNITION CIRCUIT, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE IGNITION FUSE TO BLOW AND THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING. THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR ANY WIRING HARNESS DAMAGE AND WILL ADD ADDITIONAL INSULATION AND A PROTECTOR PLATE TO PREVENT THE WIRING HARNESS FROM BECOMING DAMAGED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 16, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.
CERTAIN PASSENGER (111 MY 2002 ESTEEM, 777 MY 2002 AERIO, 2,368 MY 2003 AERIO) AND SPORT UTILITY (324 MY 2002 GRAND VITARA, 274 MY 2003 GRAND VITARA, 684 MY 2002 GRAND VITARA XL-7, AND 781 MY 2003 GRAND VITARA XL-7) VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, 'WINDSHIELD MOUNTING." THE WINDSHIELD MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SECURED TO THE VEHICLE BODY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT ADHESION BETWEEN THE PAINT APPLIED DURING THE SECOND-STAGE PAINTING PROCESS AND THE PAINT APPLIED DURING FINAL-STAGE PAINTING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED, IT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE DURING A CRASH WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE EJECTION OF UNBELTED OCCUPANTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES. VEHICLES THAT ARE FOUND TO HAVE INSUFFICIENT PAINT ADHESION WILL EITHER HAVE THE PROBLEM REMEDIED BY REPAINTING, OR WILL BE REPLACED, OR REPURCHASED AND DESTROYED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 8, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2003 Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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