2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara recalls and problems

The 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara has 5 recalls and 20 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara
Photo: 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara by IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2010 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Average complaint count among 14 Grand Vitara model years — 8th most.

5recalls
20complaints
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
50,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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5 recalls

Air Bags

Mar 7, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V187000 · 31,302 vehicles

Problem: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kizashi and 2006-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat may shrink due to high humidity and high temperature. As a result, the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor mat may not accurately detect if an adult or child is occupying the seat.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, an incorrect classification may result in the passenger frontal air bag deploying even if there is a child in the front passenger seat, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy & notes

Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019. All second letters notifying owners of the remedy were mailed by April 10, 2020. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's numbers for this recall are 4011 and 4012.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Power Train

Feb 9, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V085000 · 791 vehicles

Problem: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The gear shift rear shaft on these vehicles may break, preventing the gears from being able to be changed.

Risk: If the transmission cannot be shifted, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the gear shift rear shaft, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's number for this recall is VZ.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Air Bags

Sep 6, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V405000 · 189,901 vehicles

Problem: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat occupant is an adult or a child.

Risk: Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child.

Remedy & notes

Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the OCS sensor mat) free of charge. Sufficient quantities of parts are not currently available to fix all of the affected vehicles. Owners will be notified of the recall in October 2013 and will receive a second notification when parts are available to have their vehicle repaired. The recall began on May 23, 2014. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's recall campaign number is VD.

Note: Vehicles which previously had a countermeasure occupant classification system (OCS) sensor mat installed under the special coverage campaign conducted by Suzuki distributors in the United States are not affected by this recall.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Jan 27, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V055000 · 32,291 vehicles

Problem: Suzuki is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Suzuki grand vitara multipurpose passenger vehicles equipped with 4-CYLINDER engines; model year 2011 Suzuki grand vitara multipurpose passenger vehicles produced prior to October 17, 2010; model year 2010 Suzuki SX4 passenger vehicles; and 2011 Suzuki SX4 passenger vehicles produced prior to October 14, 2010. The tension adjuster pulley for the drive belt that operates the alternator, water pump, air conditioner compressor and power steering pump, has an improperly manufactured internal spring that can break due to repeated stress. If the spring breaks, the drive belt will not be adjusted properly and can slip, causing a squeaking noise. Or the drive belt could come off causing the driver to increase to steer the vehicle. This can also cause the coolant temperature indication to rise, which can lead to the engine overheating, or can cause the charging light to come on, which can lead to battery discharge and engine stall.

Original NHTSA wording

SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINES; MODEL YEAR 2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 17, 2010; MODEL YEAR 2010 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES; AND 2011 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 14, 2010. THE TENSION ADJUSTER PULLEY FOR THE DRIVE BELT THAT OPERATES THE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND POWER STEERING PUMP, HAS AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED INTERNAL SPRING THAT CAN BREAK DUE TO REPEATED STRESS. IF THE SPRING BREAKS, THE DRIVE BELT WILL NOT BE ADJUSTED PROPERLY AND CAN SLIP, CAUSING A SQUEAKING NOISE. OR THE DRIVE BELT COULD COME OFF CAUSING THE DRIVER TO INCREASE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THIS CAN ALSO CAUSE THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE INDICATION TO RISE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING, OR CAN CAUSE THE CHARGING LIGHT TO COME ON, WHICH CAN LEAD TO BATTERY DISCHARGE AND ENGINE STALL.

Risk: If the drive belt comes off, requiring the driver to use increased steering effort, or the engine stalls, a vehicle crash could occur

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE DRIVE BELT COMES OFF, REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO USE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, OR THE ENGINE STALLS, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the tension adjuster pulley with an improved part. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on February 16, 2011. Owners May contact Suzuki at 1-887-697-8985 or visit Suzuki's website at http://www.suzukiauto.com.

Suzuki safety recall no. Sm.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Equipment

Sep 1, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V392000 · 20,692 vehicles

Problem: Suzuki is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 SX4, 2010 grand vitara, and 2009 through 2010 equator vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750, 760, and 765 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected GPS units can overheat.

Original NHTSA wording

SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 SX4, 2010 GRAND VITARA, AND 2009 THROUGH 2010 EQUATOR VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750, 760, AND 765 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.

Risk: Overheated batteries could result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Suzuki will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on September 24, 2010. Owners May contact garmin directly at 1-866-957-1981 or Suzuki at 1-887-697-8985. Owners May also visit garmin's website at www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall.

Suzuki's recall campaign number is sj.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2013: 3 complaints20132014: 3 complaints20142015: 3 complaints20152016: 1 complaints20162018: 1 complaints20182019: 5 complaints201952020: 4 complaints20204

NHTSA investigations

Occupant Classification System Failure

PE13021 · opened Jun 14, 2013 · closed Sep 30, 2013 · led to recall 13V405000
Summary

Suzuki Motor of America is conducting a safety recall to remedy the occupant classification system's (OCS) sensor mats in approximately 193,936 model year 2006-2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 Suzuki SX4 vehicles (see NHTSA recall 13V-405 for more details).The sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat can develop an electrical circuit disconnection as a result of repeated flexing of the seat from use of the seat.According to Suzuki, when the failure occurs, the OCS system, by design, will not suppress the frontal passenger air bag for a seated child or small-stature adult.A deploying passenger air bag can cause serious injury to such an occupant.The recall population excludes those vehicles that previously had proper remedies under the special coverage campaign for this issue (~11,600) that began in July 2012.The recall remedy will be to install a new front passenger seat cushion assembly that includes an improved OCS sensor mat and an OCS control module with updated algorithms designed to properly identify the type/size of the seated occupant.Consequently, this recall action will address various OCS related problems, including a programming error (associated with diagnostic trouble code B1318) related to detecting a change or shifting in load on the front passenger seat in the model year 2009 Grand Vitara and SX4 vehicles.This Preliminary Evaluation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID …

2010 vs. other Suzuki Grand Vitara years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2010. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara, the latest from Mar 7, 2019 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (10), electrical system (6), exterior lighting (5). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.