1997 Suzuki Esteem

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › foundation components. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails

Component	Reports	Injuries
Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields	1	0
Structure › Frame and Members	1	0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components	1	0
Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings	1	0
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor	1	1
Electrical System › Horn	1	0
Electrical System	1	0

What owners reported

Newest filings

Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields

Filed Jan 15, 2013185,500 milesIL

DRIVING ALONG BIG TIMBER STRAIGHT AT 40 MPH THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND STARTED TO SHAKE, I MANAGED TO STAY STRAIGHT UNTIL I TURNED LEFT TO MEADOWS RD. I MADE IT HOME OKAY IN THE COMPLEX BUT WAS UNABLE TO USE THE CAR AGAIN. NEXT DAY LOOKED AT THE UNDER CARRIAGE AND THEN NOTICED THE RUSTED OUT SUB FRAME (CRADLE) BY THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) CONTROL ARM.THIS CAR IS GARAGE KEPT IF THAT MEANS ANYTHING. WELL THIS CERTAINLY IS A BUMMER, I'LL HAVE TO FIGURE ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AT A REASONABLE EXPENSE. *TR

Structure › Frame and Members

Filed Aug 5, 2009125,000 milesIN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SUZUKI ESTEEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART THAT SUPPORTS THE A-FRAME WAS RUSTED IN HALF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

Filed Oct 4, 2001AR

OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES , BEING PLASTIC, KEEP BREAKING AND YOU CAN'T GET IN THE CAR.

Electrical System › Horn

Filed Jun 15, 2001NV

HORN STOPPED WORKING, CONSUMER NOT ABLE TO PASS INSPECTION . NOT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK STEREO AND TAPE PLAYER FAILED. *SLC

Electrical System

Filed Feb 8, 1999MS

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXEPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAD A TOTAL ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN. IN ADDITION, VEHICLE MADE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor1 injured

Filed May 6, 1998ME

DURING A COLLISION, PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. PASSENGER SUFFERED BROKEN RIBS. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components

Filed Jul 18, 1997NV

BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Fires	Assessment
2002	5	1	0	Routine
2001	21	0	0	Routine
2000	26	0	0	Routine
1999	20	0	0	Routine
1998	24	0	1	Routine
1997 — this page	7	0	0	Routine
1996	5	0	0	Routine
1995	13	0	0	Routine

Compare every Esteem year →

Other Suzuki models

All Suzuki models →

Forenza 907 Grand Vitara 639 XL7 380 SX4 312 Verona 216 Sidekick 213 Reno 173 VZR1800 146 Boulevard M109r 130 Vitara 115

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.