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FaultScore report

1989 Suzuki Sidekick problems

Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 1989 Suzuki Sidekick with NHTSA between 1995 and 2009. The largest single group is the electrical system.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Suzuki Sidekick
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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

15

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

How 1989 compares with every other Suzuki Sidekick

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1989 Suzuki Sidekick

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Electrical System 7 46.7%

Median failure at 50,000 miles

Seat Belts 4 26.7%
Engine & Cooling 2 13.3%

Median failure at 50,000 miles

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 6.7%
Fuel & Propulsion 1 6.7%

When owners complained

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.

Feb 1995 peak 8 Apr 2009

NHTSA investigations into the 1989 Suzuki Sidekick

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

EA95006 Opened 10 Mar 1995 Closed 2 Aug 1995 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE

PE90008 Opened 19 Oct 1989 Closed 30 Apr 1990 STRUCTURE

WELD FAILURE IN STRUCTURE

Recalls on the 1989 Suzuki Sidekick

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1995116 44,844 units in Canada

Seats And Restraints

THE (Takata) ABS PLASTIC FRONT SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTONS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY BREAK ALLOWING PLASTIC PIECES TO FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, A NO LATCH, FALSE LATCH OR FAILURE TO UNLATCH CONDITION COULD OCCUR CREATING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR SUDDEN STOP. CORRECTION: FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AS NECESSARY.

Recall 1989124 1,410 units in Canada

Emissions

CERTAIN VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1101 - EMISSION DEVICE. INCORRECT INFORMATION ON EMISSION CONTROL LABEL.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 50,000 miles Mariatta, GA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 SUZUKI SIDEKICK. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ON TWO OCCASIONS, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND PAID $100 TO HAVE THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THERE IS A SWITCH IN THE CIRCUIT THAT HE CANNOT LOCATE, BUT NEEDS TO REMOVE IT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FROM ILLUMINATING AGAIN. THE SUZUKI DEALER WILL NOT REMOVE THE SWITCH BECAUSE IT IS A FEDERALLY MANDATED MALFUNCTION, ACCORDING TO THE PAPERWORK THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED. IF THE SWITCH IS NOT REMOVED, THE WARNING INDICATOR WILL ILLUMINATE AND PREVENT THE CONTACT FROM RECEIVING AN EMISSIONS STICKER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 5/5/09 *CN THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE OXYGEN SENSOR. UPDATED 05/06/09.

NHTSA complaint #10266231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Mariatta, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 SUZUKI SIDEKICK. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ON TWO OCCASIONS, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND PAID $100 TO HAVE THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THERE IS A SWITCH IN THE CIRCUIT THAT HE CANNOT LOCATE, BUT NEEDS TO REMOVE IT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FROM ILLUMINATING AGAIN. THE SUZUKI DEALER WILL NOT REMOVE THE SWITCH BECAUSE IT IS A FEDERALLY MANDATED MALFUNCTION, ACCORDING TO THE PAPERWORK THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED. IF THE SWITCH IS NOT REMOVED, THE WARNING INDICATOR WILL ILLUMINATE AND PREVENT THE CONTACT FROM RECEIVING AN EMISSIONS STICKER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 5/5/09 *CN THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE OXYGEN SENSOR. UPDATED 05/06/09.

NHTSA complaint #10266231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Madison, WI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER/LAP BELT EXPLODED INTO BUNCH OF LITTLE PIECES, NOW INOPERATIVE, HAPPENED AS RELEASE BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED.

NHTSA complaint #986721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Union, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

EXHAUST LEAK, CONSUMER REPORTED BURNED REAR PASSENGER SEAT AREA WHILE DRIVING, CAUSED BY LEAK FROM THE TAIL PIPE PE91-1260.

NHTSA complaint #985487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

THE ALTERNATOR OVER POWERED THE SYSTEM, FRIED THE BATTERY

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

THE ALTERNATOR OVER POWERED THE SYSTEM, FRIED THE BATTERY

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE BURNED.

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

TURN SIGNAL ELECTRICAL RELAY BURNED.

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

FUEL INJECTOR ELECTRICAL RELAY BURNED.

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES

WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED.

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

VOLTAGE REGULATOR STUCK WIDE OPEN.

NHTSA complaint #968403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rochester, NY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

FT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE, REPLACED, REPLACEMENT BROKE ALSO. TT

NHTSA complaint #965666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Mont, NJ

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH WILL POP OUT WHILE DRIVING. TT

NHTSA complaint #961502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Barrington H, 00

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT UNLOCK. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT

NHTSA complaint #960637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.