Model year record

2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara recalls & problems

The 2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara has 2 safety recalls and 8 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is vehicle speed control (3 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints8filed by owners

Crashes · fires2 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths1 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Service brakes, hydraulicOct 5, 2005

Foundation components › Disc › Rotor

Recall 05V452000801 vehicles

Problem: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 16-INCH WHEELS, THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS MAY BREAK UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE BREAKAGE CAN OCCUR IN CONDITIONS WHERE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON A REGULAR BASIS ON EXTREMELY STEEP PAVED DOWN-SLOPES WHILE CONTINUOUSLY APPLYING THE BRAKES.
Risk: THE FRONT BRAKES MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE AND THE VEHICLE MAY PULL TO ONE SIDE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS ON THESE VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2005. THESE VEHICLES ARE LOCATED ON ST. THOMAS ISLAND (VIRGIN ISLANDS). OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI DEL CARIBE AT 787-622-0600.

Vehicle speed controlDec 5, 2003

Cables

Recall 03V512000196,876 vehicles

Problem: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE CASING CAP THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FIREWALL CAN CRACK DUE TO EXTENDED EXPOSURE TO FORCES FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND INSUFFICIENT LONG-TERM DURABILITY OF THE PLASTIC CASING CAP. IF THE CASING CAP BECOMES CRACKED, MOVEMENT OF THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE THROUGH THE CAP CAN CAUSE THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE TO BECOME FRAYED.
Risk: IF THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE BECOMES FRAYED, IT CAN STICK DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IN THE CASE WHERE AN ACCELERATOR CABLE STICKS, THE DRIVER COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE SPEED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE, WHICH INCLUDES THE PLASTIC CASING CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4-DR.

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Grand Vitara

18mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 20 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel

Grand Vitara

18mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 21 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.5 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel

Grand Vitara 4WD

18mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 20 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel

Grand Vitara 4WD

18mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 20 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.5 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Vehicle speed controlCables; Accelerator pedal	3	1	0	48,000 mi
Electrical systemInstrument cluster/panel	2	0	0	—
Air bags	1	0	1	—
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip	1	1	0	—
Power train	1	0	0	—
Structure	1	0	0	—
WheelsLugs/nuts/bolts/studs	1	0	0	—
Unknown or other	1	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Vehicle speed control
I WAS PARKED IN PARKING LOT OF USPS READY TO LEAVE. I HAD GOTTEN THERE ABOUT 20 MINS BEFORE. CAR GAVE ME NO INDICATION OF ANY MALFUNCTION ON WAY THERE. I TURNED CAR ON AND SHIFTED TO REVERSE;LET GO OF EMERGENCY BREAK WHEN CAR JOLTED IN REVERSE ACROSS TO OTHER SIDE OF PARKING . IT JUMPED THE CEMENT MOLDING ON FLOOR BANGED AGAINST IRON RAILING KNOCKING IT DOWN. AS SOON AS I FELT THE JOLT I PULLED BACK ON THE EMERGENCY BREAK AND NOTHING HAPPENED. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. I SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE BUT I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. DO I HAVE ANY RIGHTS ON THIS MATTER?
Feb 23, 2017 · 180,810 miles
Electrical system
THE VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY PERFORMING IN VERY ODD MANNERS SUCH AS STALLING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS (LIGHTS, STEREO, ETC) TURNING OFF AND ON RANDOMLY, REDUCING SPEED IGNORING ACCELERATOR POSITION AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS. SEVERAL VISITS TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS FOUND NO ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. WHILE SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT ONE POINT WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER FLOOR WAS SOAKING WET AND WE HAD NOT HAD RAIN FOR MANY DAYS. AFTER DOING MY OWN INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT THE DRAIN PAN FOR THE A/C CONDENSER IS LOCATED INSIDE THE CAR BEHIND THE STEREO JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE GLOVE BOX. THE DRAIN PAN HAS A HOSE THAT ROUTES THROUGH THE…
Jun 12, 2014 · 170,000 miles
Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS MISSING A LUG NUT ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND INSPECTED WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LUG NUT SHEERED OFF OF BOLT AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT NO COST. ONE YEAR LATER THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE LUG NUT SHEERED OFF OF THE TIRE; HOWEVER, A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE LUG NUT HAD NOT SHEERED OFF OF THE BOLT AND BILLED THE CONTACT $60.00 TO REPAIR THE TIRE . THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,594.
Sep 11, 2008 · 23,000 miles
Power train
2004 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA WITH REPLACEMENT OF MULTIPLE SAFETY CONCERNS. CONSUMER STATES THAT A SEAL ON THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, THE SHIFT CABLES AND NUMEROUS SEALS. SHE STATED THEY FINALLY HAD TO PUT IN A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. *KB AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, THE CONSUMER BEGAN HEARING A ROAR FROM THE TRANSMISSION AFTER REACHING 50 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED ANOTHER SHIFT CABLE. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED,THE AC COMPRESSOR WOULD COME ON EVERY FEW SECONDS AND THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS A HORRIBLE WHISTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 12-15 TIMES FOR…
Nov 1, 2007
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
MY 2004 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR GETTING STUCK DOWN. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE THIS YEAR (07). I WAS LUCKY BOTH TIMES AS IT HAPPENED BEFORE I HAD GOTTEN ONTO THE HIGHWAY. AND NO ONE WAS HURT EITHER TIME.I LOOKED UP SUZUKI RECALLS ONLINE AND FOUND A RECALL FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED SUZUKI AND A LOCAL SUZUKI DEALER, I WAS TOLD MY VIN WAS NOT ON THEIR RECALL LISTS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE DIED SINCE 2004 FROM ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THEIR ACCELERATOR STICKING? HOW MANY DEATHS OR PERMANENT INJURIES WILL IT TAKE TO CONVINCE SUZUKI THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FAR MORE…
Feb 1, 2007 · 48,000 miles
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipCrash
DT: CONSUMER NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH BRAKES AT ABOUT 6,000 MILES. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER WOULD NOT FIX THEM UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER SAID THAT BRAKES WENT FROM TEN MILLIMETERS TO FOUR MILLIMETERS. ACCUSED CONSUMER OF RIDING BRAKES. CONSUMER SAID SHE DIDN'T RIDE THE BRAKES. SHE GOT VEHICLE WITH 325 MILES ON IT, AND VEHICLE DID NOT SEEM TO ACCELERATE AT THE RATE IT SHOULD. CONSUMER BELIEVED BRAKES WERE SOMEHOW ENGAGED AND HOLD IT BACK. C VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON DEC. 6, 2004. THIS HURT THE WARRANTY. BROOME CADILAC IN MISSOURI STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BRAKE PROBLEM.*AK
Apr 15, 2005 · 6,000 miles
Air bags1 injury
VEHICLE LOST POWER COMPLETELY UNCONTROLLABLE WHILE DRIVING, FRONTAL COLLISION NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *BF THE VEHICLE HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH A TREE. THIS WAS A RECURRENT PROBLEM. *SC
Jan 1, 2005
Vehicle speed control › CablesCrash
WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE RESIDENCE. IN JANUARY 2004 VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL FOR THE THROTTLE CABLE. *AK *NM
Mar 19, 2004 · 3,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.