IllustrationCONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT WRONG SIZE GAS TANK IS EQUIPPED ON VEHICLE. *AK PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE, DRIVESHAFT FAILURE. BOLTS VIBRATED OUT OF EXHAUST NAMIFOLD. RECURRING NOISE FROM ENGINE PULLEY AREA. *SLC
1998 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: 2 of 27 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 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports
Suspension complaints
3 reportsCONSUME RWAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS GOING UP A HILL. WHEN REACHING THE TOP OF THE HILL, REAR END CAME FORWARD, AND VEHICLE WAS SIDEWAYS ON THE RAMP. VEHICLE VEERED OVER INTO AN ENBANKMENT, AND THEN AT THE AND THEN CAME OUT OF ENBANKMENT. VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING . REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE HAD EXPLODE…
Read full complaint
CONSUME RWAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS GOING UP A HILL. WHEN REACHING THE TOP OF THE HILL, REAR END CAME FORWARD, AND VEHICLE WAS SIDEWAYS ON THE RAMP. VEHICLE VEERED OVER INTO AN ENBANKMENT, AND THEN AT THE AND THEN CAME OUT OF ENBANKMENT. VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING . REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE HAD EXPLODED.*AK
INSTABILITY WHEN CORNERING, SEVERE INSTABILITY IN WINDY CONDITIONS, TOP HEAVY, AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ROUGHLY WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.