2004 Suzuki XL-7

SUZUKI WILL NOT FIX UNDER WARRANTY . SUZUKI WANT CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR EVEN KNOWING THAT THIS IS A FAULT EQUIPMENT AND IS SAFETY RELATED. BELLOW IS THE INFORMATION THAT I GOT FROM A WEB SITE. WHERE OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. TSB NO. TS 02 12144R -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DSHANE01, HERE'S A LINK TECHNICAL BULLETIN FOR SUZUKI XL-7 AND THERE IS NO RECALL INFORMATION AT HOME | NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION(NHTSA) | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IT SEEMS TO ME THIS WOULD INVOLVE A RECALL OR FREE FIX SINCE ITS A SAFETY ISSUE. TSB NO. TS 02 12144R DIVISION: AUTOMOTIVE SECTION TITLE: RESTRAINTS CATEGORY: TECHNICAL SUBJECT: ?AIRBAG? LIGHT ON AND CLOCK/TEMP DISPLAY FLASHES MODEL(S): GRAND VITARA XL-7 YEAR: 2004 CONDITION: CLOCK/TEMP DISPLAY FLASHING AND ?AIRBAG? LIGHT ALWAYS ON. CODES B1019 STORED IN SDM AND B1207 STORED IN OCM AND CODE B1155 STORED IN THE BCM CAUSE: CERTAIN LOADING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE THE FOUR WEIGHT SENSORS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER?S SEAT TO SENSE UNEQUAL LOADING. THIS UNEQUAL LOADING CAUSES AN ERROR IN THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION MODULE (OCM) WHICH WILL SET A CODE OR CODES. CORRECTION: A NEW ADJUSTER SET FRONT RIGHT (86605-53JA1) IS NOW AVAILABLE. THIS SET INCLUDES NEW UPDATED SENSORS AND UPDATED OCM TO CORRECTLY CALCULATE WEIGHT ON THE SEAT EVEN IF THERE IS UNEQUAL LOADING. PLEASE FOLLOW THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL PROCEDURE FOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION. REVISION: THE ADJUSTER SET FRONT SEAT INCLUDES THE OCM AND WEIGHT SENSORS AND THEY ARE A MATCHED SET TO THE TRACK ASSEMBLY. NO OTHER PARTS ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS REPAIR. NOR WILL WARRANTY REIMBURSE FOR ANY OTHER PARTS CLAIMED FOR THIS REPAIR. WARNING: THE OCM AND SEAT TRACK ARE A MATCHED SET. DO NOT SEPARATE THEM AT ANY TIME. DO NOT ORDER PARTS SEPARATELY. THIS REPAIR IS TO BE DONE ONLY WITH LISTED PART NUMBER BELOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUZUKI XL-7. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AT RANDOM. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE AT ALL TIMES. THE MECHANIC INFORMED HER THAT THE AIR BAG SENSORS FAILED. SHE BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE SHE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000. UPDATED 6/16/08 *CN UPDATED 06/16/08. *JB

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED HERTZ THROUGH WHOM WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FOR OIL CHANGES AND SUCH. HERTZ SCHEDULED US IN RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. HERTZ TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL SUZUKI DEALERSHIP, JIM SMOLICH MOTORS. JSM TOLD HERTZ THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS GROUNDING OUT AND THAT IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. AIR BAGS CAN DEPLOY AT WILL WITH THIS PROBLEM. JSM TRIED TO CONTACT SUZUKI NA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER A KNOWN ISSUE SINCE VEHICLE WARRANTY OUT 5,000 MILES. JSM CONTACTED HERTZ AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED. HERTZ TOLD ME. ALSO TO ASK HOW TO PROCEED AS THIS WILL COST $1,500. I CONTACTED JSM, GOT VOICEMAIL SO I CALLED SUZUKI NA. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE CSR. SHE CONTACTED THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER CHRIS WHO WAS GOING TO JSM WHO SEEMED UNAWARE OF THE SITUATION UP TILL THAT POINT. HE SAID HE WOULD REVIEW THE SITUATION AND MAKE A DECISION. I CALLED JSM, SPOKE TO CRAIG, SERVICE ADVISOR. CRAIG TOLD ME THAT ''A DEALERSHIP WILL USUALLY SHOW GOOD FAITH AND DO A REPAIR SUCH AS THAT OUT OF WARRANTY BUT SINCE I DIDN'T BUY MY CAR AT THEIR DEALERSHIP THEY WERE NOT GOING TO EAT IT. I TOLD HIM IT WASN'T ABOUT HIS DEALERSHIP IT WAS ABOUT A KNOWN ISSUE NOT BEING DEALT WITH AND THAT CHRIS WAS UNAWARE OF MY ISSUE. HE SAID HE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT CHRIS HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT IT BUT HE KNEW THEY HAD BEEN WORKING WITH SUZUKI ON MY ISSUE AND SUZUKI DENIED MY ISSUE SINCE MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM IT WASN'T ABOUT THE WARRANTY, IT WAS ABOUT A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE GOING UN-ADDRESSED. HE SAID ANY CAR THAT BREAKS DOWN COULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT THINGS WEAR OUT. WAS HE SERIOUSLY COMPARING AN AIRBAG DEPLOYING AT WILL TO AN ENGINE BURNING UP BECAUSE SOMEONE DIDN'T PUT OIL IN IT, OR A WATER PUMP GOING OUT? HOW MANY CAR ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS ARE CAUSED BY A BAD BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR? ASKED SUZUKI CSR IF I NEEDED TO GET THE CAR BACK, DRIVE IT, AND LET THE AIRBAG DEPLOY IN ORDER TO GET RESOLUTION IN THIS MATTER WITH A LAWSUIT. *JB

DT: THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON. TODAY WAS THE FOURTH TIME THAT CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT CAUSED THIS LIGHT TO GO OFF FOR A FEW DAYS. THE DIGITAL CLOCK ALSO BEGINS TO FLASH. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY WITHOUT IMPACT OR NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. DEALERSHIP WAS COOPERATING WITH NOT CHARGING FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT OR DIAGNOSTIC.*AK

UNSURE OF EXACT DATE - NOT ALL THAT IMPORTANT. MY FRIEND SAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF MY 2004 SUZUKI XL7. AFTER STARTING OUT DRIVING, I NOTICED THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON, AND MY CLOCK WAS FLASHING. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL SUZUKI DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE THE FRONT PASSENGER WEIGHED OVER APPROXIMATELY 225 POUNDS, THAT THE SENSOR IN THE ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT, AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER MAKES/MODELS OF VEHICLES, AND IT NOT ONLY EFFECTS SUZUKI, BUT OTHERS AS WELL. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN AS THERE ARE MANY TIMES THAT I WILL HAVE SOMEONE OVER APPROX. 225 POUNDS SITTING IN MY VEHICLE. AM I SUPPOSE TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE A WEEK TO GET THIS SENSOR RESET? PLEASE ADVISE AS TO THE ISSUE AND CORRECTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN. *AK