KnownCarProblemsHome › Suzuki › Grand Vitara › 2006
2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 161 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara, most often about the air bags (31% of complaints, typically around 59,500 miles). It is the most complained-about Grand Vitara model year since 2000 and has 6 recalls.
Most common 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems
Air bags
50 complaints · 31%Half of these problems showed up before 59,500 miles. Parts named most often: frontal, sensor.
Low beam headlights frequently burn out airbag seat sensor twice changed, now it is out of warranty. Check engine light turns on frequently. Ac blows hot air suddenly. Power steering plastic tensioner may break out. Rear wheel cover impact wiil dent backdoor.
The contact owns a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The contact stated while driving at various speeds the front passenger air bag off indicator illuminated whenever a passenger was positioned in the front seat. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they informed the air bag sensor module would need to be…
Lights
31 complaints · 19%Half of these problems showed up before 45,000 miles. Parts named most often: headlights.
Having to replace my headlamp bulbs every few months. Driver's side and then passenger side back and forth back and forth since 2009. This is completely ridiculous and apparently there is an issue with the manufacturing Suzuki!!!! Give ear to these complaints and do the right thing and take heed and action please.
The headlights have intermittently gone out since 2009. I replaced the bulbs twice before I realized the bulbs were good, but the socket was bad. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't. They have also gotten extremely dim. My husband was following behind me at night in our Suzuki and I had to tell him to turn on…
Electrical
26 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 59,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel, wiring.
Low beam headlights frequently burn out airbag seat sensor twice changed, now it is out of warranty. Check engine light turns on frequently. Ac blows hot air suddenly. Power steering plastic tensioner may break out. Rear wheel cover impact wiil dent backdoor.
The contacts owns a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The contact stated that the instrument cluster failed to provide the speedometer reading, fuel gauge reading, and ABS reading. The contact took the vehicle to germain toyota of naples (13315 tamiami trl n, naples, fl 34110, ([phone]) to be diagnosed. The contact was…
Steering
22 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 52,000 miles. Parts named most often: column, hydraulic power assist.
I was driving my 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.7l SUV on a highway when the power steering belt tensioner pulley lost it's outer ring without warning. The loss of this ring caused the belt to slip, resulting in a complete loss of steering, not just power steering, but of steering altogether because the belt slippage was…
My 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara has a broken power steering tensioner pulley. The reason is that the many 2006 models of the Grand Vitara used a metal pulley wrapped with a piece of plastic around it. The plastic has cracked, and according to Suzuki, it is not free to replace it. Since 2007, Suzuki has started using a…
Engine
11 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 41,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine.
Sat 1/3/09: 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara died while driving at 30 MPH on mtn loop highway. The vehicle simply died-no warning-speedometer fell to zero. Engine light and transmission lights came on after trying to restart engine. Restarted vehicle and drove a short distance to get it off of the road. Could not start it…
Driver side intake manifold butterfly valve came loose and the screws went through the engine. Recently the butterfly itself got stuck and leaned out and ruined my o2 sensor and idle air controller
Seats
10 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 41,500 miles. Parts named most often: front assembly.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The contact stated that whenever a person was sitting in the passenger seat, the air bag light illuminated. The passenger seat module was defective. The contact had to turn the vehicle off and restart it to reset it. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated…
A hot day or any bag weighing over 5 lbs. Will trigger the passenger seat sensor for the air bag. The only way to stop this problem is to permanently buckle the passenger seatbelt.
Speed control
10 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 55,000 miles.
( corrected report ) my wife had just filled the truck up at sheetz..I went to pull it up and as soon as I put it in gear it took off...went about 70 feet into a parked car and brick wall..brakes were either ineffective or not working..my wife had a similar event the day before but it was brief and we did not pay…
My wife had just filled the truck up at sheetz..I went to pull it up and as soon as I put it in gear it took off...went about 70 feet into a parked car and brick wall..brakes were either ineffective or not working..my wife had a similar event the day before but it was brief and we did not pay attention to it..…
Seat belts
10 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 71,500 miles. Parts named most often: rear/other.
My vehicle (in addition to headlights that burn out frequently), has had the airbag sensor control light and seat belt light illuminated off and on for the past few months, accompanied by the high pitched beep-beep-beep ...alarming, of course. Mine also came on a little of 54,000 mile. As it is intermittent, and I am…
I was traveling on the highway at about 55 miles per hour when the passenger airbag and seatbelt light came on. Then the dash airbag light came on and stays on constantly. Now the passenger airbag light comes on and goes off at any time with or without a passenger.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara recalls
Air bags: occupant classification
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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Steering: hydraulic power assist system
Risk: Broken pieces of the pulley can get caught between the pulley and the drive belt, causing the drive belt to come off, resulting in a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley, free of charge. The recall began november 9, 2018. Owners may contact suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's number for this recall is 4009. Note: the vehicles included in this recall were not previously recalled under 10v-250.
Full defect summary
Suzuki motor of america, inc. (suzuki) is recalling certain 2006 suzuki grand vitara vehicles. The power steering pump belt tension adjuster pulley has an outer portion that is made of plastic. Repeated heat stress can cause the plastic material to deteriorate, causing pieces of the pulley to break off.
Air bags
Risk: Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Steering: pump
Risk: Broken pieces of the pulley can get caught between the pulley and the drive belt, causing the drive belt to come off and resulting in the driver needing increased effort to steer the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the power steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley free of charge. The safety recall began on june 28, 2010. Owners may contact suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Full defect summary
Suzuki is recalling certain model year model year 2006 grand vitara and model year 2005-2006 xl-7 vehicles. The tension adjuster pulley for the drive belt that operates the power steering pump and air conditioner compressor (if equipped) has an outer portion that is made of plastic. Repeated heat stress can cause the plastic material to deteriorate and pieces of the pulley can break off.
Transmission: column shift
Risk: This can give rise to increased incidents of crashes resulting from the rollaway of parked vehicles as a result of inadvertently moving the shift lever from the "park" position when the parking brake is not fully engaged.
Fix: Dealers will replace the shift lock module free of charge. The recall began on january 7, 2008. Owners may contact suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Full defect summary
Certain vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, 'theft protection. ' the automatic transmission selector lever "park" lock function may be inoperative due to a sticking shift lock arm. The shift lever may be able to be shifted out of "park" with the key removed and without depressing the brake pedal.
Transmission: driveshaft
Risk: This can lead to the rear differential gears locking up and the vehicle may become disabled increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the left side of the retainer rear drive shaft. Suzuki will call owners on or about december 15, 2005. Followup letters to owners were mailed on february 13, 2006. Owners may contact suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Full defect summary
On certain passenger vehicles, the left side of the retainer rear drive shaft may crack and the gears may get stuck due to oil leakage by the retainer.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Occupant classification system failure
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 th
Questions about the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (50 complaints, typically around 59,500 miles); lights (31 complaints, typically around 45,000 miles); electrical (26 complaints, typically around 59,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara have?
- 6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from March 7, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2006 a bad year for the Suzuki Grand Vitara?
- It is the most complained-about Grand Vitara model year since 2000, with 161 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.