FaultScore report
Owners have filed 24 complaints about the 2001 Suzuki Esteem with NHTSA between 2001 and 2015. The largest single group is the body & structure. Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 6 worst.
FaultScore 36/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Suzuki Esteem.
How this is worked out24
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
123,000 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
7%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 129,000 miles
Median failure at 41,600 miles
Median failure at 30,000 miles
1 crashes, 0 fires
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN RIGHT TURN POSITION. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO COLLIDE INTO AN EMBANKMENT, HITTING A TREE.
NHTSA complaint #10079368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE ENTERING A RAMP CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO SLOWDOWN AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. CONSUMER HAD TO RUN CAR UP ON CONCRETE TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT BRAKES FELT SMUSHY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #896206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SUSPENSION
I WAS DRIVING ONTO AN EXIT AT 45 MILES PER HOUR AND I HEARD A VERY LOUD POPPING NOISE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED OVER. THERE WAS NO MORE STEERING.
NHTSA complaint #10760295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
HUSBAND WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN THE FRONT TIRE GAVE WAY AND BENT IN FROM FRAME. TOOK TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS ROTTED OUT. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AS THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CAR ONLY HAD 129,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. SHAME ON SUZUKI FOR PRODUCING INFERIOR CARS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFELY ISSUE!
NHTSA complaint #10594844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
HUSBAND WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN THE FRONT TIRE GAVE WAY AND BENT IN FROM FRAME. TOOK TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS ROTTED OUT. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AS THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CAR ONLY HAD 129,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. SHAME ON SUZUKI FOR PRODUCING INFERIOR CARS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFELY ISSUE!
NHTSA complaint #10594844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND TOOK THE EXIT AND THEN TURNING RIGHT FROM STOP SIGN ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR AND THEN HEARD A CLICK AND THEN TIRE WERE RUBBING AGAINST THE CAR BODY THE KFRAME GOT RUSTED AND TWISTED PUSHING THE TIRE BACK AND STEERING WHEEL OFF.
NHTSA complaint #10588723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUZUKI ESTEEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSTABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 199,000.
NHTSA complaint #10458674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
BOUGHT A 2001 SUZUKI ESTEEM IN APRIL OF 2011 CAR LOT TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A SMALL BRACKET THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BY MOTOR AND NEED TO BE REPLACE ASAP HERE TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS THE WHOLE SUBFRAME THAT HOLDS UP THE MOTOR AND TRASMISSION FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SUZUKI RECALL ON THAT PART. TOOK THE CAR TO SUZUKI DEALER THE SERVICE GUY CALLED ME AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A MODIFICATION DONE TO THE SUBFRAME IT SELF AND THAT IT WAS WELDED TO THE FRAME TO HELP SUPPORT IT WHILE WAITING FOR A RECALL SUZUKI DEALER CALLED ME AND SAID SUZUKI CANNOT DO RECALL DUE TO THE MODIFICATION THAT WAS MADE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #10432914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CROSS MEMBER RECALL WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE ROTTED OUT CONTROL ARMS THAT WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE ROTTED OUT CROSS MEMBER?
NHTSA complaint #10400665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUZUKI ESTEEM. THE CONTACT STATED ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND WHEEL COMPLETELY FRACTURED FROM THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS OFFERED TO THE OWNERS OF THOSE VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE BUT THE WARRANTY WAS VOIDED DUE TO THE MILEAGE LIMITATIONS OF THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,000.
NHTSA complaint #10381122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
2001 SUZUKI ESTEEM. STEERING WAS SUDDENLY OFF CENTER SO I HAD AN ALIGNMENT COMPLETED WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. ABOUT 1 WEEK LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY OFF CENTER AGAIN. A FEW BLOCKS FURTHER (I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AT THE TIME, AT SLOW SPEEDS) THE FRONT PASSENGER SUB-FRAME BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL TO SLOPE AND THE SUSPENSION TO PULL OUT FROM THE TRANSMISSION, IMMEDIATELY MAKING THE CAR INOPERABLE. HAD THIS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, I AM SURE AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE ENSUED. FORTUNATELY IT OCCURS AS I WAS PULLING UP TO A STOP SIGN. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE I LEARNED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE FRAME RUSTING THROUGH AND BREAKING. WHILE THERE WERE SMALL RUST SPOTS ON THE BOTTOM OF ONE OF THE DOORS, THE CAR WAS NOT AT ALL RUSTY. DUE TO EXPENSE TO REPAIR, I SOLD THE CAR TO THE HORSEHEADS, NY PICK-A-PART USED CAR PARTS LOT AND PURCHASED A NEW CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10344528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
1) DRIVING FROM ALABAMA TO OHIO - ALIGNMENT FELT "OFF" 2) FRAME RUSTED AND DROPPED NEAR RIGHT-FRONT WHEEL. WHILE DRIVING/TURNING 5 MPH IN PARKING LOT 3) JUNK CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10339934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
2001 SUZUKI ESTEEM FRONT RIGHT WHEEL RUBBING AGAINST INSIDE FENDER CAR PULLING TO RIGHT K FRAME CROSSMEMBER ROTTED PART REPLACED BY SUZUKI DEALER OLD PART IS AVAILABLE PART AND PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10285996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT SUBFRAME ON A 2001 SUZUKI, ESTEEM CRACKED. CALL SUZUKI DEALER TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS FOR THAT PROBLEM AND THE ANSWER WAS NO. WHICH I THINK THERE SHOULD BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CAR IS NOT THAT OLD TO HAVE DOES KIND OF PROBLEMS. PART AND LABOR WILL BE REALLY EXPENSIVE CLOSE TO A $1,000 DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. WHEN I TALKED TO THE PERSON IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT, TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THE SAME PART FOR REPAIR LATELY, THIS IS WHY I THINK IS A RECALL ISSUE AND SUZUKI SHOULD WARRANTY THIS KIND OF PARTS THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO LAST FOR A REALLY LONG TIME I SUPPOSE. PLEASE HELP!!!!! I STILL HAVEN'T FIXED THE CAR BECAUSE OF COSTLY REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10259958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
FRONT SUBFRAME ON A 2001 SUZUKI, ESTEEM CRACKED. CALL SUZUKI DEALER TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS FOR THAT PROBLEM AND THE ANSWER WAS NO. WHICH I THINK THERE SHOULD BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CAR IS NOT THAT OLD TO HAVE DOES KIND OF PROBLEMS. PART AND LABOR WILL BE REALLY EXPENSIVE CLOSE TO A $1,000 DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. WHEN I TALKED TO THE PERSON IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT, TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THE SAME PART FOR REPAIR LATELY, THIS IS WHY I THINK IS A RECALL ISSUE AND SUZUKI SHOULD WARRANTY THIS KIND OF PARTS THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO LAST FOR A REALLY LONG TIME I SUPPOSE. PLEASE HELP!!!!! I STILL HAVEN'T FIXED THE CAR BECAUSE OF COSTLY REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10259958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
2001 SUZUKI ESTEEM WAGON FRONT CROSS MEMBER FRAME RUSTED OUT. CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10242615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
2001 SUZUKI ESTEEM LOST THE FRONT GRILL. *TS
NHTSA complaint #10147581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
NOTICED TICKING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TOOK IT TO GET OIL CHANGED AND STATE INSPECTED NO PROBLEM FOUND. 3 WEEKS LATER TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED AND POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 46000 MILES. PRIOR TO HEARING TICKING NOISE CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECT. TIMING CHAIN REPAIR $1000. IF THEY FIND ENGINE DAMAGE $3400.
NHTSA complaint #10141354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
PURCHASED A NEW SUZUKI ESTEEM IN 2001. ABOUT 30000 MILES THE KEY BEAGN TO STICK IN THE IGNITION AND YOU COULD NOT TAKE IT OUT. ONCE YOU TURNED THE CAR ON, YOU COULD NOT MOVE INTO PARK. HAVE HAD IT "FIXED" 3 TIMES NOW. THERE IS A LITTLE WHITE BUTTON ON THE INSIDE OF STEERING WHEEL THAT ONCE PUSHED WILL RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE LOCKED POSITION BUT IN ORDER TO GET TO IT YOU MUST TAKE OFF THE COVER.
NHTSA complaint #10117984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN RIGHT TURN POSITION. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO COLLIDE INTO AN EMBANKMENT, HITTING A TREE.
NHTSA complaint #10079368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE MAKE A TICKING NOISE AS IF IT NEEDED OIL, BUT IT DIDN'T. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY INDICATED THAT THE NOISE WAS CAUSED BY AN INTERNAL ENGINE PROBLEM. *AK *CB
NHTSA complaint #10042806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO OTHER GEARS, IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS STUCK IN LOWER GEAR. ALSO, A LOUD SOUND WOULD BE PRODUCED FROM THE TRANSMISSION AREA OF IT BEING STUCK IN A LOWER GEAR WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS AROUND 55-65, DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES BUT VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #566024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
THERE WAS A VIBRATING NOISE IN THE EXHAUST, THE DEALER LUBED THE HANGERS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #566024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE ENTERING A RAMP CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO SLOWDOWN AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. CONSUMER HAD TO RUN CAR UP ON CONCRETE TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT BRAKES FELT SMUSHY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #896206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIED. VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. THIS WAS SECOND TIME THAT PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED WHEN DRIVER LIFTED HOOD AND JIGGLED MASTER CONTROL FUSE (80 AMP) COME LOOSE. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #893993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH YOKOHAMA A460 P195/55R15 TIRES. IN WET ROAD CONDITIONS VEHICLE SKIDS WHEN MAKING A TURN, IN RAIN IT SLIDES. YOKOHAMA REPRESENTATIVE STATED THIS TYPE TIRE WILL CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS IN 50 AND BELOW DEGREE WEATHER.*AK DOT # FD8NNHB1700, YOKOHAMA ADVEN A-460 TIRES. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #882764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.