2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara Reviews

The plastic trim is in bad condition. Changed some caps and bulbs.

I don't have the manual and schedule shop book, so I'm trying to find what would be the next maintenance at 180k Km!

My wife uses this car, sometimes even using 4wd, and sometimes more than 600 Km per week. Comparing with the V6 of the previous car, it seems like this car has a trailer engaged, but it is not as thirsty as the Isuzu.

It may be quite early to write a review, but I'm quite nervous regarding a buying an 8 year old (169k Km on the clock) car!

The rest sounds, works and runs fine until today!

The listed problems below all happened around the 85000 km mark.

- Water pump showed signs of failing (8-10 hrs of labor).

- Seal where drive shaft connects onto transfer case failed.

- Front hub assembly worn out.

- Rear wheel bearing worn out.

- Head gasket suspected of forming cracks.

I've been fortunate that I still have warranty on it, which covered all costs.

According to some forums and other GV owners, my problems seem to be isolated. The 4X4 is really good. I've yet to get it stuck or use 4L. The ride is loud but comfortable and confident. So far I'm happy with this truck minus the recent problems.

The day after I got my new Grand Vitara I drove to my second home, 300 miles away. When I arrived there, there was a smell of burning fluid and smoke POURING out of the engine compartment. Fluid had leaked and sprayed all over the engine compartment, and even pooled in some places. After 2 visits and 29 days in the shop, and a new front end, my car is still smoking and smelling of burning fluid. The service dept. tells me that the fluid is still burning off from the previous leak despite my argument that it should be all burned off by now, since I've had it back for a week and a half.

Suzuki's response to my certified letter of complaint was a telephone call telling me that they would contact the service manager. Great. Thanks. Also, they asked if I had used the car in four wheel drive - as if using the 4WD would cause repeated the front axle to have so much play that it keeps breaking axle seals.

While the warranty covered the daily cost of a rental vehicle, it did not however cover the 7.75% tax. This isn't such a big deal on a $40 per day rental rate for a couple days. It IS a big deal thirty days later, after a $75 bill that I had to foot. (Not to mention the gas driving back and forth to the service dept. repeatedly, the inconvenience of making a 100 mile round trip to the shop, and the loss of that "new car piece of mind". I bought the car so I wouldn't have to worry about reliability issues.