1990 Suzuki Sidekick

Routine

Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seat belts › front › anchorage. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage2
000
Structure › Body1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder1
000
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly1
101

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly95V103008
Filed May 24, 1995127,155 vehiclesAmerican Suzuki Motor Corp.

Defect. THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Risk. THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Body
Filed Jun 7, 2002CD

FIREWALL CRACKED AFTE CLUTCH WAS INSTALLED IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK IT TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD BY MECHANIIC THAT THERE WAS A WEAK SPOT IN FIREWALL. COST TO HAVE IT REPAIRED WAS $1700.OO. CONSUMER THINKS THIS MAY OR SHOULD BE A RECALL.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Apr 5, 2001VA

THE MASTER CYLINDER IS DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKES DRAG INTERMITENTLY, AND THE MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME THAT THE "CHECK VALVE" INSIDE THE MASTER CYLINDER IS FAILING TO RELEASE WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN THE CHECK VALVE FAILS TO RELEASE, THE BRAKES DRAG, AND IF I NEED TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY HARD TO PUSH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO TWO REBUILT MASTER CYLINDERS, AND ALSO TO A NEW REPLACEMENT MASTER CYLINDER FROM SUZUKI.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle AssemblyCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 5, 1996NY

DURING IMPACT, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASED FROM THE BELT BUCKLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Jul 10, 1995FL

SEAT BELT FAILURE. *AW

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Feb 23, 1995OH

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS FAILED, ONE SHATTERING AND NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL. TT

5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1996
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20001000Routine
199827010Routine
199736100Routine
199659230Routine
199526010Routine
199421121Fatalities reported
199314110Routine
199210000Routine
199114110Routine
1990 — this page5100Routine

Compare every Sidekick year →

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.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 24, 1995. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.