What breaks most · 1999 to 2013 model years
Suzuki Grand Vitara problems by year
Owners have filed 616 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Suzuki Grand Vitara across model years 1999 to 2013. Two years stand out: 2006 for air bags complaints and 1999 for fuel system complaints. The quietest years are 2005, 2004 and 2011.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 1999
- Fewest complaints: 2005, 2004, 2011
- Complaints on file
- 6161999 to 2013, all trims
- Worst year
- 2006155 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 6312 fires · 44 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 45kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 55Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | 16 | 5 | Fuel system (21) | |
| 85 | 8 | 5 | Fuel system (26) | |
| 38 | 8 | 6 | Speed control and throttle (9) | |
| 46 | 6 | 4 | Speed control and throttle (16) | |
| 29 | 1 | 4 | Speed control and throttle (12) | |
| 8 | 2 | 2 | Speed control and throttle (3) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Latches and locks (1) | |
| 155 | 14 | 6 | Air bags (48) | |
| 55 | 3 | 3 | Air bags (17) | |
| 39 | 3 | 2 | Exterior lighting (20) | |
| 12 | 0 | 4 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 15 | 0 | 5 | Air bags (7) | |
| 10 | 1 | 4 | Air bags (4) | |
| 11 | 1 | 2 | Air bags (5) | |
| 4 | 0 | 2 | Air bags (2) |
What fails on the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 31% |
48 | 4 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 17% |
27 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 15% |
23 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 14% |
22 | 1 | Shop steering parts for the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara |
| Seat belts | 6% |
10 | 0 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| Seats | 6% |
10 | 0 | — |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 6% |
9 | 9 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 5% |
8 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
My 2006 suzuki grand vitara has blown at least 4 head lights since i bought the vehicle. Suzuki says that there is a problem with the transistor to the lights,in that it gives too much power to the lights, thus causing it to blow prematurely. They have not issued a recall, suzuki needs to do something asap!!
-
Parts for recall 01v146000 repairshave not been available since july 2001. Dealership keeps cancelling appointment after they have been made due to no parts. *ak
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Suzuki Grand Vitara years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 1999 carry the most filings on the Suzuki Grand Vitara. The 2006 alone has 155 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Suzuki Grand Vitara problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 48 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Suzuki Grand Vitara problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Suzuki Grand Vitara complaints that include mileage is about 45,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.