Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7 problems

Owners filed 62 complaints about the 2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7 with NHTSA between Dec 2003 and Jan 2021. The most-cited component is air bags (39).

Complaints
62
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags39
  2. Electrical system8
  3. Vehicle speed control6
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic6
  5. Power train3
  6. Seats3
  7. Seat belts3
  8. Exterior lighting2
  9. Equipment2
  10. Structure2
  11. Service brakes1
  12. Parking brake1
  13. Visibility1
  14. Service brakes, air1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20031
20044
20057
20067
20072
20087
20091
20103
20116
20127
20138
20145
20150
20161
20172
20180
20190
20200
20211

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

39 reports2 crashes
“ONE DAY, I STARTED MY CAR, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE CLOCK/TEMP WAS FLASHING, IT HASN'T GONE AWAY. I AM UNABLE TO FIX THE CLOCK, AND WHEN I WENT TO THE MECHANIC TO FIX THE AIRBAG PROBLEM, HE CALLED OUR LOCAL SUZUKI DEALERSHIP AND HE WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR YEARS, AND WOULD COST ME OVER $3500 JUST FOR THE PARTS. I'VE SEEN OTHER SITES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ON ONE FORUM I SAW THAT SOME SUZUKI DEALERSHIPS WERE OFFERING TO RESET THE SENSOR MODULE FOR FREE, BUT I WASN'T OFFERED THAT HERE (HAWAII). I SPENT MOST OF MY DAY TRYING TO SEE IF THERE WERE RECALLS, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY. AT THIS POINT, BEING THAT THE CAR IS ALREADY 12 YEARS OLD, HAVING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WILL COST MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. I AM UNABLE TO GET A SAFETY CHECK, AND AM UNABLE TO DRIVE IT ANYWHERE NOW. I FEEL THAT SUZUKI SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST SEEING THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2016Air bagsODI 10853447

Electrical system

8 reports
“"AIRBAG" LIGHT ON AND CLOCK/TEMP DISPLAY FLASHES. THIS SYMPTOM WAS REPORTED TO SUZUKI MOTORS USA AS A SAFETY CONCERN SOON AFTER THE VEHICLE BEGAN SELLING BECAUSE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG MIGHT NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. SUZUKI MOTORS USA ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND MADE AVAILABLE A NEW "ADJUSTER SET FRONT RIGHT" FOR REPLACEMENT. SUZUKI MOTORS WILL NOT REPLACE THE BAD COMPONENT, IT IS REQUIRING CUSTOMERS TO PAY THE 1HR LABOR + $1500 PART COST FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE PAST THE FACTORY WARRANTY (36 MONTHS, 100K MILES). THE COST TO CORRECT THE SAFETY PROBLEM SHOULD BE PAID SUZUKI MOTORS USA. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2012Electrical system, Air bags, SeatsODI 10451013

Vehicle speed control

6 reports1 crash
“BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM ORIGINAL OWNER. AFTER NOTICING SOME ISSUES & LOOKING BACK OVER CARFAX, REPAIR REPORT, & RECALLS ONLINE, I CALLED SUZUKI. GAVE THE VIN# AND WAS TOLD A RECALL WAS DONE IN 2004 BY DEALER. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE OTHER RECALLS, SHE SAID THERE WAS NO OTHER RECALLS. ALL PAPERWORK I HAVE HAS NO INDICATIONS OF THE RECALL BEING DONE. I SEE 3 RECALLS ON THIS SITE AS WELL. WHAT SHOULD I DO OR WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2017Power train, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11014782

Service brakes, hydraulic

6 reports2 crashes
“BRAKES MADE LOUD GRINDING NOISE, HAVE HAD BRAKE PADS/LINERS REPLACE 3 TIMES IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. PROBLEM WILL NOT RESOLVE. BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES MUSHY AND ABS HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. SEAT BELTS LOCK AND STAY LOCKED AT THE SLIGHTEST BRAKING PRESSURE AND/OR VEHICLE SPEED AND DO NOT RELEASE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO ADDRESS. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2007Service brakes, hydraulic, Seat belts, Vehicle speed controlODI 10205087

Power train

3 reports
“FIRST OF ALL, I AM A MOTHER OF 5 AND DO NOT MISUSE MY VEHICLE. REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE . THE FIRST TIME WAS IN MAY 2004. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO, HAD TO HAVE IT IN 3 TIMES FOR THE KEYLESS ENTRY, 1 TIME TO RESET AIRBAG SENSOR, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES SQUEALING. , AND HAD BRAKE FAILURE ONCE, BUT NO ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, INTERIOR LIGHT FAILED.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2005Power train, Latches/locks/linkages, Interior lightingODI 10118032

Seats

3 reports
“DT: THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON. TODAY WAS THE FOURTH TIME THAT CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT CAUSED THIS LIGHT TO GO OFF FOR A FEW DAYS. THE DIGITAL CLOCK ALSO BEGINS TO FLASH. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY WITHOUT IMPACT OR NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. DEALERSHIP WAS COOPERATING WITH NOT CHARGING FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT OR DIAGNOSTIC.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2005Air bags, SeatsODI 10125767
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.