2007 Suzuki XL7

WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2007 SUZUKI XL 7 LUXURY, I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS. I DID NOTICE I WAS ALWAYS RUNNING LOW OF POWER STEERING FLUID. MY PARKING SPACE WAS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF A LEAK. I THOUGHT IT WAS OIL OR SOMETHING, BUT ONLY TO FIND OUT IT'S POWER STEERING. BY THE TIME I FOUND THIS OUT MY 36K MILES WERE OVER. I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING, AND THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM. IT IS GETTING WORSE AND I HATE TO HAVE IT AFFECT EVERYTHING ELSE. I HAVE TO FILL UP EVERY MONTH, AND THE SQUEALING IS TERRIBLE. THE POWER STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2007 SUZUKI XL7. DUE TO DISABILITIES IN THE FAMILY I PUT SEVERAL MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. FROM THE BEGINNING I HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES W/THIS VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF SUZUKI'S LACK OF CONCERN/INTEREST I HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE FORMAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE "SAFETY" ISSUES TODAY. IF I WAS TO LIST ALL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE I WOULD BE HERE ALL DAY. OUT OF 4 PASSENGER WINDOWS WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONLY 2 FUNCTIONING. WHEN DIAGNOSED I WAS TOLD THAT ONE WINDOW WAS THE MOTOR AND THE OTHER WAS ELECTRICAL. AFTER PAYING $76.00 TO THE DEALERSHIP TO IDENTIFY THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NEED AT LEAST AN ADDITIONAL HOUR (ADDITIONAL $76.00) TO FIND THE WIRING PROBLEM. I DECLINED. I HAVE MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO SUZUKI, ABOUT THEIR PRODUCT, TO WHICH THEY HAVE REPLIED I HAVE TOO MANY MILES ON MY CAR AND THEY WILL DO NOTHING FOR ME. ALSO, THE LATCHES THAT FOLD THE MIDDLE SEATS DOWN OFTEN STICK. AT ANY GIVEN TIME YOU CAN GO TO PULL ONE UP SO AS TO FOLD THE MIDDLE SEATS AND THEY WILL NOT BUDGE! WE HAVE ALREADY HAD THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED WAY BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. WHEN WE BROUGHT IT BACK IN TO HAVE THE MULTIPLE ISSUES ADDRESSED (SOMETHING SUZUKI SUGGESTED WE DO TO SEE IF WE COULD HELP) WE WERE TOLD THAT "THEY WOULD NEED TO BE TAKEN APART TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS". FOR A COST, OF COURSE. WE DO NOT LET OUR DAUGHTERS RIDE IN THE THIRD ROW SEATING FOR FEAR THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED THEY COULD NOT GET OUT!! SUZUKI'S REP (WHO I WAS TOLD WAS ON VACATION AND DIDN'T KNOW WHEN HE COULD CONSIDER OUR ISSUES) QUICKLY EMAILED BACK TO THE DEALER "TOO MANY MILES, NOT GOING TO HELP". I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO AFFORD THE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS W/THIS CAR AND THE VALUE HAS DECREASED SO THAT TRADING IT IN IS JUST NOT AN OPTION. MY CONCERN IS THAT I DRIVE MY CHILDREN IN THIS CAR DAILY AND EVERYTIME I HOPE AND PRAY NOTHING MAJOR HAPPENS. MY CHILDREN NOW CALL THE CAR THE "LEMON" OR THE "BEATER". AS THEY TOO ARE WELL AWARE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS W/THE VEHICLE. *TR

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES W/MY 2007 SUZUKI XL7. HOWEVER, THE MOST CONCERNING IS THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM. NOT ONLY HAVE I HAD WORK DONE ON THE RACK IN 2008 BUT THE NOISES HAVE RETURNED. OUR LOCAL SERVICE STATION SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE NO MATTER WHAT THEY TRIED. YET, WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR I IMMEDIATELY HEARD THE NOISE, WENT INSIDE TO GRAB A TECH AND MADE HIM RIDE W/ME TO HEAR THE NOISE HIMSELF. HE SAID THAT THE NOISE WAS DIFFERENT FROM BEFORE AND SIMPLY WAS A RUBBER SEAL THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE SAID THAT IT WASN'T COVERED AND "I WAS SAFE TO DRIVE W/IT LIKE THIS". I HAVE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS W/THIS VEHICLE THAT I'M NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR. I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START IN REFERENCE TO WHAT SHOULD BE FIXED FIRST. FINANCIALLY IT IS A BURDEN AND MOST DEFINITELY AN IRRITANT AS I AM MAKING MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE THAT IS IN MAJOR NEGATIVE EQUITY! I HOPE FOR MY CHILDREN'S SAKE THAT NOTHING MAJOR GOES WRONG IN THIS VEHICLE WHILE WE ARE RIDING IN IT! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI XL7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF THERE WAS A POWER FAILURE WHILE IN THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT ONE WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE UNLOCK/LOCK BUTTON WAS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. HE HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE GET A SECOND KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS SO HE COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 18,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI XL7. WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE TO ALLOW IT TO COOL. THE ENTIRE CONSOLE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FAN MOTOR FAILED YET THE PARTS NEEDED TO MAKE THE REPAIR WERE ON A NATIONAL BACKORDER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE OF WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THEY WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,027.

I HAVE A 2007 SUZUKI XL7 LIMITED THAT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME ISSUES THAT I HAVE NEVER HAD WHILE OWNING TWO OTHER SUZUKI SUV'S. ON JUNE 24TH, 2010, MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT 32 MPH WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. SHE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND NOBODY HIT HER. SHE WAS NOT DRIVING ERRATIC NOR IRRESPONSIBLY AND THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY A MOTORCYCLE POLICE WHO WAS OBSERVING THE TRAFFIC AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SUZUKI DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT. THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING AND INSINUATED THAT THE CAR HAD TO HAVE BEEN DRIVEN RECKLESSLY FOR THE DEPLOYMENT TO HAPPEN. SUZUKI STATED THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE MODULE HAD BEEN TESTED, TO DETERMINE WHAT TOOK PLACE. IT TOOK MORE THAN A MONTH FOR SUZUKI TO INFORM ME OF THEIR DECISION AND THAT WAS AFTER I CALLED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. SUZUKI INFORMED ME THAT THE MODULE WAS FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION AND REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LATERAL G?S RANGING FROM (-) 1.17 ~ (+) .91 ~ (-) 2.08 DURING THE LAST 180 M/SEC. MAX ROLL RATE WAS 40 DEG/SEC @ 30 M/S. THE DATA INDICATES THAT AN EVASIVE MANEUVER WAS TAKEN CAUSING THE ROS (ROLL OVER SENSOR) TO SENSE AN IMMINENT ROLLOVER EVENT, THUS DEPLOYING THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS. SUZUKI REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH TRANSPORTATION DURING THE MONTH IT TOOK THEM TO TEST THE MODULE AND DOES NOT INTEND TO FIX MY CAR EVEN UNDER WARRANTY AND A POLICE OFFICER AS WITNESS. FOR A CUSTOMER WHO HAS BOUGHT THREE(3) BRAND NEW VEHICLE FROM THIS COMPANY, I FIND IT A SLAP IN THE FACE TO BE TREATED LIKE THIS. I WOULD LIKE THIS DEFECT/MALFUNCTION INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA AND SUZUKI TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 30K MILES ON IT AND IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, YET SUZUKI MAINTAINS EVEN WTH THE EVIDENCE, THAT I MUST FIX THEIR $7K PROBLEM MYSELF IF I EVER WANT TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE AGAIN. *TR

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN OUR XL7 WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY NEAL SUZUKI IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS, FIXED THE SQUEAKY NOISE IN OUR STEERING WHEEL BY REPLACING THE RACK AND PINION. TODAY, JULY 14, 2010, THE NOISE IS BACK AND HAS BEEN BACK FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS. I HAVEN'T NOTICED ANY PERFORMANCE ISSUES WITH THE STEERING OTHER THAN IT HAS BEEN MORE SENSITIVE THAN NORMAL AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, 60 AND ABOVE. THE NOISE IS MOST ANNOYING ESPECIALLY WHILE MANEUVERING THROUGH PARKING LOTS. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MY WIFE'S CO-WORKER HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR XL7S TOO. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND SINCE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THIS TIME EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAD BEFORE. WHAT AN OUTRAGE AND RIP-OFF! WHO'S ON THE CONSUMER'S SIDE? CAR CORPORATIONS ARE TO CONSUMERS AS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL UMPIRES ARE TO BASEBALL TEAMS AND PLAYERS. IT SEEMS THEY CAN DO ANY THING WRONG, MAKE ANY BAD CALL, WITHOUT SUFFERING ANY CONSEQUENCE, WHILE THE CONSUMER HAS TO PAY THE PRICE AND BRE THE BURDEN. *TR

ON APRIL 18TH, 2010, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON A STRETCH OF FLAT CITY STREET GOING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. A LOUD BANG WENT OFF IN THE CAR AND WHITE POWDER DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE CAR. HE PULLED OVER AND NOTED THAT ALL THE CURTAIN AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED. UPON INSPECTING THE CAR, NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED. HE DID NOT REMEMBER HITTING A POT HOLE OR CURB. HE DROVE THE CAR TO WHERE WE WERE STAYING (WE WERE VISITING FAMILY IN ANOTHER STATE) AND CALLED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. GEICO CAME OUT TWO DAYS LATER, TOOK PICS AND DENIED THE CLAIM DUE TO NO IMPACT. HAD NO MONEY TO GET VEHICLE TOWED RIGHT AWAY SO IT SAT FOR A MONTH WHILE WE FILED A COMPLAINT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE. WHEN WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM INSURANCE STATING THEY WOULD REOPEN THE CLAIM, WE HAD IT TOWED TO A SUZUKI DEALER. DEALER CLAIMS THEY CANNOT PINPOINT AN IMPACT AND INSURANCE JUST DENIED THE CLAIM A SECOND TIME. WE ARE NOW WAITING FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, AT LEAST 4 OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THIS SAME THING ON THE SAME MODEL WERE REPORTED. I HAVE ONLY BEEN ONLINE ABOUT 35 MINUTES AND AM APPALLED AT THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS. AND WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS, SUZUKI HAS REFUSED TO PAY AS WELL AS INSURANCE. THE TOTAL FOR REPAIR WILL BE AROUND $7000 AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY LUCKY OUR ONE YEAR OLD WAS NOT IN THE CAR WHEN THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF. THIS COULD'VE RESULTED IN A HUGE ACCIDENT OR INJURY. THERE IS NO DOUBT A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED FOR THE SAFETY OF CONSUMERS!! *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2007 SUZUKI XL7 AND AT FIRST I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH GETTING INTO THE 3RD ROW BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A NEED TO SEAT BACK THERE. BUT ONE DAY AS I TRIED TO RECLINE THE 2ND ROW SEAT TO GET TO THE 3RD ROW SEATING, THE SEAT WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO RECLINE WOULD NOT WORK. NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED TO PULL ON THE LEVER THAT'S SUPPOSED TO RELEASE THE SEAT IT STILL WOULDN'T WORK. AFTER LOTS OF PUSHING ON THE SEAT AND PUNCHING ON IT FOR ABOUT 5 MINS., IT FINALLY RECLINED AND MY CHILD WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE 3RD ROW. AFTER OUR TRIP, I TRIED TO RECLINE THE SEAT SO MY CHILD COULD GET OUT BUT IT WAS STUCK AGAIN. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT MY CHILD WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE 3RD ROW AND BECAUSE SHE'S A TEENAGER, THERE WAS NO WAY SHE COULD CLIMB OVER THE SEAT IN FRONT OF HER OR OVER THE 3RD ROW SEAT TO GET OUT FROM THE TRUNK. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A GLITCH WITH THE SEAT AND CALLED THE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. AFTER WHICH TIME THE DEALER CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THAT THE MODEL HAS A TENDENCY TO DO THAT. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT IF IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN TO JUST KEEP PULLING AND PUSHING ON THE RECLINER SEAT AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY WORK. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IT DID THE SAME THING. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE DON'T EVEN SIT BACK THERE FOR FEAR THAT THE PASSENGER WILL BECOME TRAP. SO, THIS IS A CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY THERE IS NO WAY THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET MY CHILD OR PASSENGER OUT OF THE 3RD ROW IN TIME. I REALLY WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DEALER KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM BUT SEEM TO LOOK AT IT AS A MINOR PROBLEM. IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR ACCIDENT, HOW IS A PERSON SUPPOSE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO AVOID INJURIES? THIS IS SOMETHING I FEEL IS SERIOUS AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE LIFE THREATENING. *TR