Model year record
1998 Suzuki Sidekick recalls & problems
The 1998 Suzuki Sidekick has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 27 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is air bags (9 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 1998 Suzuki Sidekick.
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.
Fuel economy
Sidekick 2Door RWD
| City / highway | 21 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
Sidekick 4Door RWD
| City / highway | 20 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
Sidekick 2Door 4WD
| City / highway | 21 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
Sidekick 4Door 4WD
| City / highway | 20 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
Sidekick 2Door RWD
| City / highway | 20 / 23 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 3-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Sidekick 4Door RWD
| City / highway | 19 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Sidekick 2Door 4WD
| City / highway | 20 / 23 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 3-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Sidekick 4Door 4WD
| City / highway | 19 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/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 | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Air bagsFrontal; Frontal › Sensor/control module | 9 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Engine | 8 | — |
| Fuel system, gasolineStorage › Tank assembly; Delivery | 5 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip | 4 | — |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission; Clutch assembly | 4 | — |
| Electrical systemWiring; Ignition | 3 | — |
| SuspensionRear; Front | 3 | — |
| VisibilityDefroster/defogger/hvac system › Windshield › Electrical heating element | 1 | — |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights | 1 | — |
| SeatsFront assembly › Recliner | 1 | — |
| EquipmentMechanical › Wrecker and wheel lift devices | 1 | — |
| Tires | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Tires
3 YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A SET OF 4 GOODYEAR WARNGLER DURATRAC TIRES FOR MY SUZUKI VITARA. AFTER APROX 1,5 YEARS I GO TO TIRE SERVICE SHOP TO REPAIR AIR LOSS AROUND THE RIM. WITH TIRE UNMOUNTED WE FOUND INNER LAYER SEPARATION. I REPORTED THIS TO THE SELLER AND AFTER CHECKING WITH GOODYEAR REPRESANTIVE THEY CHANGED THE TIRE WITH NEW ONE. AFTER ANOTHER APROX 1,5 YEARS I HAVE TO GO TO TIRE SHOP FOR ANOTHER REPAIR AND FOUND ANOTHER TIRE WITH SPLIT LAYERS. WE CHECKED ALL OTHER TIRES MINUS WARRANTY REPLACED ONE AND THEY ALL ARE SPLIT FROM INSIDE. I REPORTED THIS TO THE SELLER AND GOODYEAR REPRESENTIVE BUT THEY DIDN'T OFFER ANY SOLUTION YET.
- Air bagsCrash1 injury
WAS IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT. FRONT END OF CAR PRETTY MUCH TOTALED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CODES OR LIGHT BEFORE THIS.
- Air bags › FrontalCrash
WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AS A RESULT OF A VEHICLE CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
- Electrical system › Ignition
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. TOWED TO DEALER, WHO FOUND IGNITION COIL WAS TOO CLOSE TO ENGINE BLOCK, AND HAD SHORTED OUT. DEALER REWIRED IGNITION COIL.*AK
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation componentsCrash
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › GasolineFire1 injury
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ONE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED (CASE # 01-250-843-501, REPORT # 1023282). NLM
- Suspension › Front
CONSUMER 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
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
EXHAUST BOLTS VIBRATED LOOSE/BROKE OFF (7/15/98;1/4/99;11/19/99) IDLER PULLEY HAS BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES(1/4/99;11/17/99;11/19/99); DRIVE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES(1/15/99;11/19/99); MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE SECURED (2/26/99); CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (COMPLAINED 7/15/98;1/25/00. DIAGNOSED 6/12/00); NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION(6/12/00 TOLD NOISE NORMAL); DRIVESHAFT CV JOINT BAD (6/12/00 TOLD BY DEALER NOISE NORMAL. 6/14/00 TOLD DRIVESHAFT CV JOINT BAD DUE TO POOR DESIGN. 6/16/00 2ND ESTIMATE DRIVESHAFT CV JOINT BAD). THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT CONTINUES TO STONEWALL REGARDING ISSUES WITH MY CAR. *AK ALSO WRONG , SMALLER SIZE GAS TANK WAS…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.