1993 Suzuki Sidekick

Defect. THE RIGHT REAR AND LEFT AXLE SHAFT HOUSING TUBES WERE INCORRECTLY WELDED AND CAN FRACTURE. FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE SHAFT HOUSING CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE AFFECTED WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND SEPARATION OF THE BRAKE LINE.

Risk. SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAN CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND SEPARATION OF THE BRAKE LINE RESULTS IN LOSS OF ONE-HALF OFTHE BRAKING SYSTEM, INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCE. IN EITHER CASE, AN ACCIDENTCAN OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WELDS OF THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES ON INVOLVED VEHICLES AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE COMPLETE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY.

APPROXIMATELY. 14 MO. AFTER PURCHASE, SPEEDOMETER CABLE ASSEMBLY BEGAN MAKING NOISE, GOT WORSE (INTERMITTENTLY), AND CULMINATED 7 YRS. LATER IN A "FROZEN" SPEEDOMETER PLUS EXTREMELY LOUD SCREECHING (STUCK CABLE HEAD) AT SPEEDS OVER 20 MPH. REPLACEMENT OF COMPLETE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ASSEMBLY BY INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP WAS COMPLICATED BY LACK OF AVAILABLE USED UNITS (WE LOOKED UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR OVER 8 MOS.). USED UNIT FINALLY FOUND BUT NOT CORRECTLY DIGITIZED (5 SETTINGS INSTEAD OF MANUFACTURED 6 SETTINGS). ONLY OPTION OFFERED BY DEALER WAS NEW UNIT AT COST OF $700. I PAID $300 TO INSTALL USED (AND INCORRECTLY DIGITIZED) REPLACEMENT. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALER WITHIN FIRST 14 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, AND WAS REPEATEDLY BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION EVERY YEAR AS NOISE GREW WORSE. DEALER WAS NON-RESPONSIVE EVERY TIME. HOWEVER, I NOW UNDERSTAND FROM THREE DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIR SHOPS THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS VERY COMMON TO 1993 - 1995 VEHICLES OF MY MAKE AND MODEL, WHICH IS WHY NO CORRECT USED UNITS WERE AVAILABLE TO ME FOR REPLACEMENT. IT APPEARS THAT SUZUKI HAS EITHER NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THIS DEFECT, OR NEVER NOTIFIED OWNERS OF A FIX. *LA

AT APPROX. 90,000 MI., TURN SIGNAL STEM BEGAN MAKING LOUD BUZZING NOISE INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MOVED UPWARD (RIGHT BLINK). PROBLEM INCREASED SO THAT BY 138,000 MI. BUZZING HAPPENED WHENEVER STEM WAS MOVED UPWARD OR DOWNWARD (RIGHT OR LEFT BLINK). BY 140,000 MI. BUZZING WAS CONSTANT, WHETHER TURN SIGNAL STEM WAS ENGAGED OR NOT. THIS PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO ATTENTION OF DEALER FROM 1997 - 1999. DEALER WAS NON-RESPONSIVE, SAYING THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. WIRING WAS REPAIRED BY INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP, COSTING OVER $200. PROBLEM IS BEGINNING INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN LESS THAN 500 MILES LATER. THERE APPEARS TO BE FAULTY OEM WIRING INSIDE STEERING COLUMN AND DASHBOARD. VEHICLE (ORIGINAL OWNER) HAS NEVER BEEN ROUGHLY USED OR IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. *JB

AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROX. 60 MPH, THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF A CHUNCK OF TREAD. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY, WHERE I WAS CALLED TO CHANGE IT WITH MY SPARE, WHICH IS A BRIDGESTONE( DOT NUMBER: 19681 TIRE SIZE: P20575R15 )

POWER PASSENGER WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP DUE TO REGULATOR GOING OUT. POSSIBLE SHORTING OUT AND WINDOW ROLLING DOWN BY ITSELF. VEHICLE WAS SECURED WHEN LEFT, AND WHEN RETURNED PASSENGER WINDOW WAS DOWN. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS: 350.00 BECAUSE SUZUKI DOES NOT MAKE REGULATOR'S WITHOUT A WHOLE NEW MOTOR.

THE SPRING WHICH CONTROLS THE REAR LIFTGATE GOT OUT OF ITS PLASTIC DUE TO WIRE MELTING THE PLASTIC, AND CAUSED THE REAR DOOR TO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSD INJURIES. THE REAR DOOR WILL NOT SHUT CLOSED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

ELECTRICAL FIRE.

THE REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE LOCKS WHERE IT CAN NOT COME OUT OF ITS RETRACTOR AND IS UNABLE TO BE USED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

LACK OF GRILL OVER AIR VENTS ALLOWS RODENTS TO ENTER VENTILATION SYSTEM.

CONTINUOUS WEAR ON THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND DISC. DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAIL. *AK

WHILE UNSCREWING GAS CAP, FIRE BALL CAME OUT OF GAS TANK INTO DRIVER'S FACE, FIRE ENGULFED DRIVER'S HEAD; GAS TANK WAS NOT FULLY REMOVED. *AK

VEHICLE FIRE.

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT FAILURE SEAT BROKE IN HALF. TT

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE FAILED/BLEW ESTIMATED SPEED 40 MPH DUE TO ROD FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

STEERING KNUCKLE BETWEEN STEERING COLUMN AND STEERING BOX WORE PREMATURELY AT 50,000 MILES. TT