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1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Grand Vitara years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara are substantially higher than the model-year median of 29.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 25 of 108 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports2 fire reports8 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

20 reports
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95,850 miles · Jan 5, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LOSES COMPLETE ENGINE POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND VEHICLE SPEED RAPIDLY DROPS TO UNDER 10 MPH. ENGINE RUNS VERY ROUGH AND THERE IS NO RESPONSE WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MUST IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER (IF POSSIBLE) AS VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, ENGINE OPERATIO…

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VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LOSES COMPLETE ENGINE POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND VEHICLE SPEED RAPIDLY DROPS TO UNDER 10 MPH. ENGINE RUNS VERY ROUGH AND THERE IS NO RESPONSE WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MUST IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER (IF POSSIBLE) AS VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, ENGINE OPERATION RETURNS TO NORMAL BUT POWER LOSS WILL USUALLY REOCCUR ANYTIME AS QUICKLY AS WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL MINUTES OR AS LONG AS A DAY OR TWO. ENGINE POWER LOSS MAY LAST AS LITTLE AS A MINUTE OR TWO OR FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10146941

Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolinePower Train

RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SUZUKI RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE 4 OXYGEN SENSORS. *BF THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE GEAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT, IT WAS DISCOVERED YEARS LATER THAT IT WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER HAD EMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS FOR TWO PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE CAME…

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RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SUZUKI RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE 4 OXYGEN SENSORS. *BF THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE GEAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT, IT WAS DISCOVERED YEARS LATER THAT IT WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER HAD EMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS FOR TWO PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE CAME BACK WITH UNRELATED PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE BRAKES WHICH THE DEALER STATED NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, THE FRONT BUMPER WAS HANGING OFF AND WAS MISSING THE SECURING BOLTS, THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY HEAD LIGHTS, IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DETERMINED BY AN ELECTRICAL REPAIR SPECIALIST THAT THE HEAD LIGHT RELAY WAS INTERNALLY DAMAGED, THE CONSUMER STATED THE WAS ALSO AN UNIDENTIFIABLE FUEL LEAK. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10109353

84,000 miles · Oct 12, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE AS IF THE MUFFLER WAS BROKEN. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE WAS BROKEN WHERE IT COMES OUT FROM THE ENGINE. *JB MECHANIC INDICZ=ATED THAT PROBLEM WAS VERY COMMON FOR SUZUKI. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10096577

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067523

89,000 miles · Apr 19, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE MADE LOUD RATTLING NOISE AND FAILED.. AAA CALLED TO TOW VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED TIMING CHAIN FAILED. WAS MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10066510

50,000 miles · Jan 28, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

CROSSOVER PIPE LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE BACK SEAT CRACKED. EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10056051

30,000 miles · Dec 30, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY INDICATED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE TENSIONER GOING BAD. THE HUB BEARING AND SENOR ALSO WENT BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10052100

5,000 miles · Dec 29, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

REAR MAIN SEAL ON ENGINE BEGINS TO LEAK, DRIPPING OIL ONTO CHASSIS CROSSMEMBERS AND EXHAUST PIPES, LEAVING AN OIL BURNING SMELL. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN MOST OWNERS ENCOUNTER THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 GRAND VITARA, AND THAT SUZUKI HAS REDESIGNED THE REAR MAIN SEAL APPROPRIATELY, IN EFFECT ADMITTING THAT THE ORIGINAL SEAL IS DEFECTI…

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REAR MAIN SEAL ON ENGINE BEGINS TO LEAK, DRIPPING OIL ONTO CHASSIS CROSSMEMBERS AND EXHAUST PIPES, LEAVING AN OIL BURNING SMELL. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN MOST OWNERS ENCOUNTER THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 GRAND VITARA, AND THAT SUZUKI HAS REDESIGNED THE REAR MAIN SEAL APPROPRIATELY, IN EFFECT ADMITTING THAT THE ORIGINAL SEAL IS DEFECTIVE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10051235

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES ENGINE MAKE RATTLING NOISE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND PROBLEM STILL RECURRING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10029769

30,000 miles · Jun 26, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT 30,000 MILES BECAUSE OF A "CLICKING NOISE" COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE TENSION ON THE TIMING CHAIN. THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. *NLM *TT *JB

NHTSA ODI #10017956

Official recalls

4

05V452000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor

Oct 5, 2005

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 16-INCH WHEELS, THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS MAY BREAK UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE BREAKAGE CAN OCCUR IN CONDITIONS WHERE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON A REGULAR BASIS ON EXTREMELY STEEP PAVED DOWN-SLOPES WHILE CONTINUOUSLY APPLYING THE BRAKES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE FRONT BRAKES MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE AND THE VEHICLE MAY PULL TO ONE SIDE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS ON THESE VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2005. THESE VEHICLES ARE LOCATED ON ST. THOMAS ISLAND (VIRGIN ISLANDS). OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI DEL CARIBE AT 787-622-0600.

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.

03V512000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Dec 5, 2003

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE CASING CAP THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FIREWALL CAN CRACK DUE TO EXTENDED EXPOSURE TO FORCES FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND INSUFFICIENT LONG-TERM DURABILITY OF THE PLASTIC CASING CAP. IF THE CASING CAP BECOMES CRACKED, MOVEMENT OF THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE THROUGH THE CAP CAN CAUSE THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE TO BECOME FRAYED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE BECOMES FRAYED, IT CAN STICK DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IN THE CASE WHERE AN ACCELERATOR CABLE STICKS, THE DRIVER COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE SPEED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE, WHICH INCLUDES THE PLASTIC CASING CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.

01V146000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System

Apr 27, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. UNDER TEMPERATURES BELOW -25 DEGREES, MOISTURE CAN FREEZE IN THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE COULD 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 INSTALL A REDESIGNED INTAKE MANIFOLD VACUUM UNION AND A NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 4, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME 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.