2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems
The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara has 55 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (36%) concerns lighting. Next are air bags (22%) and electrical system (18%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 55 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Lighting 36% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 3 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 40,000 miles 47 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 15 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 8 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 9 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 9 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 2 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 0 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Of the 47 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 40,000 miles. For lighting specifically, the median reported mileage is about 25,000 miles (20 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 3 complaints mention a crash; 3 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 7th most-complained-about out of 9 model years of the Suzuki Grand Vitara with enough data (36 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The drivers' side of my car was hit, as I was making a left turn, by a car traveling approx 50MPH. That car had run a red light. My seat belt had come undone upon impact.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 suzuki grand vitara. The contact was driving approximately 40 MPH when he crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy and the contact sustained injuries to the back. A police report was filed. The vehicle sustained severe front end damage and was towed to a collision repair center. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 suzuki grand vitara. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, she crashed into the rear of another vehicle but the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and the contact sustained whiplash and minor bruising. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 40,000.
Had to constantly replace drivers side low beam headlight 6 times since I have owned this vehicle. Now both driver and passenger side do not work, bulbs are not blown, and fuses are fine. My mechanic says that it is a known problem that suzuki refuses to acknowledge. I should not have upwards of $1200.00 out of pocket for a known problem. I still have 2 payments to go and I bought this brand new. Something needs to be done now before someone gets killed because of this. That's if it hasn't happened already.
Suzuki passenger seat airbag control sensor is defective and often does not turn off the passenger side airbags for very light passengers as it was designed to do. Suzuki has a kit to rectify the issue, but will not send me the parts. They will only send the parts to a kia dealer, and the nearest one to the location where my vehicle is kept is about 250 miles. I have asked them for the parts kit so I can perform the installation and calibration myself.