2001 Suzuki Grand Vitara

WHILE PULLING INSIDE OF THE CAR PORT VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLE, AND HIT A BRICK WALL. NO INJURIES REPORTED. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS .IN BOTH INCIDENTS CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP. HOWEVER, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SPEED. CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS BEGINNING AT ABOUT 400 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUING TO PRESENT DATE. FAILURE HAS RESULTED IN BEING UNABLE TO STOP UNTIL ROLLING THRU INTERSECTIONS...SO FAR NO ACCIDENT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALER FOR PROBLEM 4 TIMES, MOST RECENTLY DURING NOVEMBER. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER SEEM INCLINED TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM DESPITE THE POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER FOR MY FAMILY. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM--DRIVER CAN FEEL ABS SHUTTLE VALVES CHATTERING (OPENING & CLOSING) AS IF THE SYSTEM SENSES A SKID ON BOTH SIDES, RESULTING IN BOTH SIDE BRAKES RELEASING SIMULTANEOUSLY. CONSEQUENTLY, VEHICLE BRAKING IS NEAR NIL, ONLY MEANS TO STOP THE VEHICLE IS TO MANUALLY OVERRIDE THE HYDRAULICS. OVERRIDE REQUIRES FULL STRENGTH FROM DRIVER WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, AND STILL NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE CAR. EACH INCIDENT HAS, THUS FAR, TAKEN PLACE AT SLOW SPEEDS AND HAS OCCURRED WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF FIRST ENGINE START OF THE DAY. IF THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEED OR AT A CRITICAL STOP INCIDENT IT WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE IS SCARY, AND SUZUKI [KATHY AT (800) 934 0934 ] PROMISED BACK ON NOVEMBER 21, 2001 TO INTERCEDE WITH DEALER TO GET THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. THUS FAR NEITHER DEALER NOR SUZUKI MOTOR COMPANY HAS BOTHERED TO CONTACT US. FOUR ATTEMPTS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ARE 3 TIMES TOO MANY. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS, BUT WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO DRIVE IT UNTIL A LOANER VEHICLE IS PROVIDED BY THE DEALER/MFGR WHILE THIS ONE IS REPAIRED OR REPLACED. TOOK THE DEALER 4 ATTEMPTS TO GET THE FRONT END ALIGNED, AND IT STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT, JUST THE SAME AS IT DID WHEN WE PICKED IT UP NEW. THUS, NOT MUCH CONFIDENCE ON THAT SERVICE DEPARTMENT BEING ABLE TO FIX THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. THUS FAR, FAILED ON 4 TRIES. PROMISED SUZUKI REGIONAL REP WOULD CONTACT ME THE DAY AFTER I TURNED THE CAR IN EARLIER THIS MONTH--HE DIDN'T--P/U10 DAYS LATER BRAKES FAILED AGAIN IN 2 DAYS.