IllustrationNHTSA RECALL 00V008000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL W2/FRONT STRUTS. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. *AK
1996 Suzuki Sidekick
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 Sidekick 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: 1 of 59 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.
- Suspension. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
59 reportsRECALL200V008000/MCPHERSON STRUTS. PARTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO PERFORM THE RECALL ARE NOT AVAILBALE.*AK
CONSUMER CALLED DEALER TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL 00V008000/ FRONT STRUTS REPAIRS. PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. CONSUMER IS UPSET BECAUSE DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHEN PART WILL BE IN. MANUFACTURER ALSO CONTACTED BUT OF NO HELP. PROBLEM STILL REMAINS UNREPAIRED. *AK *ML
BECAME VERY HARD TO CHANGE GEERS,COULD NOT SHIFT IN INTERSECTIONS, TOOK TWO HANDS CAUSING SHOLDER PAIN! THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. DEALERSHIP WILL ONLY REPLACE PARTS-CLUTCH ROD,PEDAL ROD&CLUTCH LINKAGE PIECES. THOUGH THEY ADMIT THERE IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM/DEFECT IN CLUTCH POWER TRAIN.*AK
THE FUSE CONTROLLING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND ANOTHER FUSE CONROLLING DOME LIHT BLEW OUT. YH
AXLE SEAL FAILED, CAUSED BRAKE SHOES TO ROTATE AND LOCK RR WHEEL. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO ANOTHER GEAR OR DOWNSHIFT WHILE DRIVING. CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION IS HARD TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF GEARS.REPAIRS WERE DONE ON VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
MOUNTING BRACKET HOLDING RADIATOR FAN CRACKED AROUND MOUNTING BOLTS. NLM
IN ADDITION, REPAIR JOB HAD TO BE DONE TWICE, AS LISTED PART DID NOT SEAL. *AK
Official recalls
200V008000 · Suspension
Jan 20, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH OF THE MOUNTING BASE ON THE UPPER END OF THE FRONT STRUTS CAN LEAD TO BREAKAGE OF THE MOUNTING BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE UPPER END OF THE FRONT STRUTS TO THE VEHICLE BODY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STRUT BROKE LOOSE, A DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A REINFORCEMENT, FOR BOTH FRONT STRUTS, BETWEEN THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING BASE AND THE VEHICLE BODY. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING BASES, MOUNTING BOLTS AND NUTS, AND STRUT BAR STAYS WILL BE REPLACED.
96V121002 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Jul 2, 1996
THE FUEL TANK ON THESE VEHICLES CAN BECOME PUNCTURED BY A FUEL TANK FLANGE ATTACHMENT REINFORCEMENT DURING REAR-END COLLISIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL TANK INTEGRITY."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, FUEL LEAKAGE RESULTING FROM THIS PUNCTURE COULD RESULT IN A POST-CRASH FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL TWO NEW SHIELD GUSSETS BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND ATTACHMENT BRACKETS TO PREVENT THE REINFORCEMENT FROM PUNCTURING THE FUEL TANK WALL.
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.