The 2000 Suzuki Vitara has 1 safety recall and 35 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (8 complaints).
Recalls1safety recalls
Complaints35filed by owners
Crashes · fires5 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths3 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Exterior lighting
NHTSA recall 09E012000 · Apr 7, 2009 · 16,270 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (OVSC)
Problem: SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
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
Vitara 2Door 2WD
24mpg combined
City / highway
22 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $2,800/year to fuel
Vitara 2Door 2WD
23mpg combined
City / highway
22 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $2,900/year to fuel
Vitara 2Door 4WD
23mpg combined
City / highway
22 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $2,900/year to fuel
Vitara 2Door 4WD
22mpg combined
City / highway
21 / 24 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
Vitara 2Door 2WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
20 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Vitara 2Door 2WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
20 / 22 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Vitara 4Door 2WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
20 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Vitara 4Door 2WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
19 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Vitara 2Door 4WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
20 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Vitara 2Door 4WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
20 / 22 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Vitara 4Door 4WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
20 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
Vitara 4Door 4WD
21mpg combined
City / highway
19 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-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
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Engine and engine cooling Engine › Gasoline; Engine
8
0
0
0
78,272 mi
Suspension Front; Front › Control arm › Lower arm
7
0
0
0
—
Service brakes, hydraulic Foundation components › Disc; Foundation components
6
0
0
0
—
Power train Automatic transmission; Driveline › Differential unit
5
1
0
0
—
Air bags Frontal
4
4
0
3
—
Visibility Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core; Glass, side/rear
2
0
0
0
—
Equipment Appliance › Air conditioner
2
0
0
0
—
Structure Frame and members › Underbody shields; Frame and members
2
0
0
0
—
Unknown or other
1
0
0
0
—
Tires
1
0
0
0
—
Steering Hydraulic power assist › Pump
1
0
0
0
—
Seat belts Front › Anchorage
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Jul 8, 2010 · 108,519 milesSuspension › Front MY SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER FAIL WHILE HITTING THE BRAKES ON AN OFFRAMP ON MY 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. MY WHOLE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. THE PASSENGER NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL AND AFTER I INSPECTED IT, I FOUND THAT WHERE THE CONTROL ARM IS MOUNTED TO THE CROSSMEMBER, IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PART FOR THE 2000 CHEVY TRACKER WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND A RECALL ON THIS PART FOR THE VITARA HOWEVER. I THINK THIS SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THIS COMPONENT IS REPLACED AND SOMEONE COULD HAVE ALSO GOTTEN HURT. *TR
Mar 17, 2008 · 130,000 milesEngine and engine cooling I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 3/18/08 AND AS I LEFT THE GAS STATION I HEARD THIS POP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR CUT OFF. LATER AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BELT POPPED. I WAS ALSO NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE WITH THE VEHICLE AND SUZUKI KNEW OF THIS, BUT HAD NO RECALL TO FIX OR CHANGE IT. I HAD NO IDEA OF THIS AND WAS TOLD WHEN BUYING THAT HAVING A CHAIN RATHER THAN A BELT WAS MUCH BETTER FOR YOUR CAR. NOT UNLESS IT POPS AND REPAIRS OF $2000 ARE NEEDED. I AM APPALLED THAT SUZUKI WOULD KNOW OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND IN NO WAY OF FIXING IT. I AM HOPING THAT SUZUKI COVERS THE COST OF THIS REPAIR AND REALIZES THAT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE…
Mar 28, 2007 · 29,000 milesStructure › Frame and members › Underbody shields TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUZUKI VITARA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND LOSE STEERING ABILITY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME ROTTED AT THE POINT WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT CONTROL ARM DETACHED FROM THE CROSS MEMBER. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE CROSS MEMBER AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,300.
Mar 4, 2007 · 52,000 miles · crash · 1 injuryAir bags › Frontal AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DESPITE FRONTAL IMPACT AT ROUGHLY 550 MPH. *JB
Jun 6, 2006 · 53,500 milesEngine and engine cooling › Engine SUZUKI IS AWARE OF LATENT DEFECTS CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN COVER SEALS THAT LEAK OIL AND WILL WORSEN OVER TIME. IT IS DOCUMENTED THAT THE LEAKS OCCUR WITH SUZUKI GRAND VITARAS FROM 1999-2001. MY GRAND VITARA IS ONE OF THOSE CARS WITH THE LATENT DEFECT. I TOOK IT TO A AUTHORIZED SUZUKI MECHANIC AS REQUIRED, BUT THEY NEVER INFORMED ME THAT SUZUKI WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH ON MY PART DID SUZUKI CORPORATION ACKNOWLEDGE THEY KNEW OF THE LATENT DEFECT. I AM ASKING SUZUKI IN ALL FAIRNESS TO COVER THE COST OF THIS REPAIR BASED ON THIS DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE. *NM
Dec 30, 2005 · 94,545 milesEngine and engine cooling › Engine MOTOR BLEW AT 94000 MILES RINGS WORE OUT AND POURED OIL. *JB
Aug 1, 2005 · crashPower train › Automatic transmission 1. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION PUT INTO PARK POSITION. KEY WITHDRAWN. KEY TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK FAULTY 2. PARK POSITION DID NOT HOLD AND VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN HILL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AND PROPERTY. 3. AUTOMOBILE BEING REPAIRED, TRANSMISSION IGNITION KEY INTERFACE BEING INVESTIGATED. *NM
May 15, 2001Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY WIFE BROUGHT IT IN TO ROYAL SUZUKI TUCSON,, ARIZONA REPEATEDLY WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER KEPT TELLING HER IT WAS HER FAULT FOR NOT CLOSING GAS CAP TIGHTLY ENOUGH. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AT A CHARGE OF $50 , EXTENDED WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE, EACH TIME. I EVEN BOUGHT A NEW GAS CAP, NO CHANGE. NOW THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, THEY TELL US IT THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR IN THE TANK NEEDS REPLACING. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET PARTS FOR THIS, AND I REFUSE TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE PART THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THEREFORE, MY WIFE , LISA SCHRANT, IS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THIS MAY HIDE ANY NEW…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.