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2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Compare all Grand Vitara XL-7 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: 15 of 17 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Equipment. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

17 reports
62,283 miles · Nov 7, 2008
Equipment

THE AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT ON OUR 2004 SUZUKI XL-7. THIS OCCURRED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AT AROUND 60,000 MI. THE COMPRESSOR WAS BAD, $1500! NOW IT IS GOING AGAIN! I TALKED WITH A GUY AT THE REPAIR SHOP, ANOTHER XL-7 CUSTOMER, WHO SAID HE GETS ABOUT 10,000 MILES PER COMPRESSOR ON HIS, HE WAS IN FOR #4. I THINK THERE IS A PROB…

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THE AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT ON OUR 2004 SUZUKI XL-7. THIS OCCURRED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AT AROUND 60,000 MI. THE COMPRESSOR WAS BAD, $1500! NOW IT IS GOING AGAIN! I TALKED WITH A GUY AT THE REPAIR SHOP, ANOTHER XL-7 CUSTOMER, WHO SAID HE GETS ABOUT 10,000 MILES PER COMPRESSOR ON HIS, HE WAS IN FOR #4. I THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM AT THE LEAST, AND A SCAM AT WORST CASE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10247907

33 miles · Jun 6, 2008
Electrical System

I NOTICED WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE IT STARTED ROUGH AND THAT THERE WERE SOME WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE BATTERY,ABS,AND THE 4X4 LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. AS I PROCEEDED TO MY DESTINATION WHICH WAS ABOUT 23 MILES,I NOTICED THAT THE RADIO WAS SHUTTING OFF AND ON, WHEN I PUT THE WINDOW DOWN THE RADIO COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. TH…

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I NOTICED WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE IT STARTED ROUGH AND THAT THERE WERE SOME WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE BATTERY,ABS,AND THE 4X4 LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. AS I PROCEEDED TO MY DESTINATION WHICH WAS ABOUT 23 MILES,I NOTICED THAT THE RADIO WAS SHUTTING OFF AND ON, WHEN I PUT THE WINDOW DOWN THE RADIO COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THAT WHEN I STARTED TO GET CONCERNED ESPECIALLY I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY. WHEN I GOT OFF THE EXRESSWAY I NOTICED THAT MY FUEL LIGHT GOT ON TO WHERE THE NEEDLE WAS ALL THE WAY DOWN ON EMPTY, JUST AS I WAS TURNING IN TO A SIDE STREET WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC MY VEHICLES ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AS I WAS TURNING. I THEN CRUISED IN NEUTRAL TO THE SIDE STREET WHERE THEN I CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. MY VEHICLE IS PRACTICALLY NEW ONLY 4 YEAR OLD AND HAS 33,500 MILES ON IT. SINCE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP EVERY 3,000 MILES FOR COMPLETE CHECKUP OF THE VEHICLE WHICH IS A 2004 SUZUKI XL7. I DID TAKE MY SUZUKI TO A MECHANIC AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ALTERNATOR WENT BAD . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10230193

34,500 miles · May 3, 2008
Air BagsElectrical System

MAJOR SAFTY ISSUE, AIR BAG STOP WORKING AFTER 38,000 MI AND NO MANUFACTURER CONCERN. RELAY NOT WORKING?????AIR BAG DASH LIGHT. DASH CLOCK ALSO FLASHING????? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10226568

44,600 miles · Mar 1, 2007
VisibilityFireInjury

WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR SUZUKI XL7 2004, THE PASSENGER DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BEGAN TO SHOW SOME SMOKE. SUDDENLY, FLAMES STARTED TO COME OUT FROM THE POWER WINDOW BUTTON. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT WITH WATER. WHEN THE PANAL WAS REMOVED, APPARENTLY THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE WIRING SYSTEM. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE POWER WIND…

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WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR SUZUKI XL7 2004, THE PASSENGER DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BEGAN TO SHOW SOME SMOKE. SUDDENLY, FLAMES STARTED TO COME OUT FROM THE POWER WINDOW BUTTON. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT WITH WATER. WHEN THE PANAL WAS REMOVED, APPARENTLY THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE WIRING SYSTEM. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE POWER WINDOW BUTTON, THE PANEL AND THE WIRING UP TO OUR KNOWLEDGE AND AFTER JUST A VISUAL INSPECTION. MY DAUGHTER SUFFERED AN ASMA ATTACK THAT EVENING DUE TO SMOKE INHALATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I HAD EXCEEDED MY WARRANTY PERIOD OF 3/36,000. THEY ALSO CALLED THE CENTRAL OFFICES TO VERIFY IF THE SITUATION HAD BEEN REPORTED BY ANOTHER CONSUMER IN WHICH THEY RESPONDED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST REPORT REGARDING THIS EVENT. CURRENTLY MY VEHICLE IS 3 YRS 4 MONTHS OLD WITH APROX. 44, 600 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT CHECKED, AND I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD MAKE A CLAIM TO MY INSURANCE IN ORDER TO HAVE IT REVISED AND FIXED. CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10183960

92,000 miles · Aug 9, 2006
Air Bags

AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND RADIO FLASHING. TOOK CAR INTO DEALER, I WAS TOLD HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, ALREADY HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE IN EARLIER THE SAME DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR UNDER THE SEAT HAD GONE OUT. WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT AT A COST OF OVER $1000.00. NOT …

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AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND RADIO FLASHING. TOOK CAR INTO DEALER, I WAS TOLD HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, ALREADY HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE IN EARLIER THE SAME DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR UNDER THE SEAT HAD GONE OUT. WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT AT A COST OF OVER $1000.00. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE AIR BAG WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT THE SENOR. THIS IS A 2004 MODEL VEHICLE THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE IS RARELY IF EVER USED. AN AIR BAG SENSOR GOING OUT WITHIN A YEAR AND WITH MORE THAN ONE CAR IN THE SAME DAY SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DEFECT IF MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10164996

28,000 miles · Jun 30, 2006
Air BagsCrash

DRIVING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 81 (MILE MARKER 109-110) SEVERAL CARS, INCLUDING MYSELF, LOST CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLES (HYDROPLANING) THROUGH THIS SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM AREA TO EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, POLICE AND TOW COMPANIES AND FROM TALKING TO ALL OF THEM PENN DOT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.…

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DRIVING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 81 (MILE MARKER 109-110) SEVERAL CARS, INCLUDING MYSELF, LOST CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLES (HYDROPLANING) THROUGH THIS SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM AREA TO EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, POLICE AND TOW COMPANIES AND FROM TALKING TO ALL OF THEM PENN DOT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE LOCALS CALL IT 'DEAD MAN'S TRAP' OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE TOWING COMPANY HAD ALREADY PICKED UP 5 CARS THAT AFTERNOON. THERE ARE NO GUARD RAILS AND I WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT, THROUGH THE WOODS AND HIT A TREE DEAD ON AND CENTER. I WAS DRIVING A 2004 SUZUKI XL7. IT SMASHED THE FRONT BUMPER THROUGH THE RADIATOR. THE AIR-BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. LESS THAN A MONTH AGO I HAD THIS VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE (UNDER WARRANTY) BECAUSE THE "AIR-BAG DISENGAGED" LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND STAYING ON. THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY. 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE CRASH. I ALWAYS WEAR A SEAT BELT AND AM THANKFUL IT DID ITS JOB! I AM ALSO PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE WITH ALL THE SPINNING, BOUNCING OFF TREES GOING DOWN HILL THAT MY SUV NEVER ROLLED. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE FAILURE OF THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY WHEN HIT WITH SUCH FORCE DEAD CENTER IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10161128

Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2004
Power Train

WHILE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION, IT WOULD DOWN SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10096919

Official recalls

1

04V427000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Aug 30, 2004

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.

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.