1994 Suzuki Sidekick

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 21 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension › front. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires2
000
Suspension › Front2
100
Structure › Frame and Members2
101
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Suspension › Rear1
000
Structure › Body › Door1
000
Structure1
002
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Pump1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Differential Proportional Valve1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Suspension › Rear94V073002
Filed Apr 16, 19945,247 vehiclesAmerican Suzuki Motor Corp.

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Mar 26, 2002MA

CONSUMER HEARD A CREAKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING, DURING INSPECTION OF VEHICLE THE DEALER NOTICED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, ALL THE WELDS CAME APART. NLM

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Feb 1, 2002CA

VEHICLE STARTED TO CATCH ON FIRE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, FIRE BEGAN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

Structure › Body › Door
Filed May 21, 2001MA

PLASTIC PORTION OR THE REAR DOOR LATCH KEEPS MELTING WITHIN DAYS OF BEING INSTALLED. NO OBVIOUS REASON FOR FAILURE. DOOR WILL NOT STAY LATCHED. *AK

Structure2 injured1 killed
Filed Nov 13, 2000KS

THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BY OVERSTEERING, THE VEHICLE HAD VEERED OFF OF THE ROADWAY AND THE DRIVER TURNED THE VEHICLE SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, WHICH CAUSED IT TO ROLL OVER APPROXIMATELY 5 TIMES, 3 OUT OF FOUR OCCUPANTS HAD BEEN THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE, THERE WERE 2 SEVERE INJURIES AND 1 DEATH BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, SEAT BELTS HAD NOT BEEN USED. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SLC

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Differential Proportional Valve
Filed Oct 14, 1999FL

WHILE DRIVIN GON HIGHWAY CAR LOST CONTROL. CAR WOULD NOT STEER OR BRAKE GOING ACROSS THE ROAD. THEN IT SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT BRAKE HOUSING DIFFERENTIAL CRACKED. *AK

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Pump
Filed Jun 12, 1999PA

MOUNT BOLT AT A/C COMPRESSOR ADJUSTMENT BROKE CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO LOOSE TENSION RESULTING IN POWER STEERING LOSS. NLM

Power Train
Filed Nov 6, 1998AL

WHEN DRIVING HEARD A HUMBLE NOISE, AND NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPED. CONSUMER CAN'T DETERMINE HOW FAST THEY ARE TRAVELING. NOW THE ENTIRE NEEDLE IS OFF THE SPEEDOMETER AND IS LYING ON THE DASHBOARD. *AK *ML

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed Oct 14, 1998DC

DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT VEHICLE EMISSION PROBLEM; VEHICLE GIVES OFF FUEL VAPOR INTO VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control › Gas Recirculation Valve (egr Valve)
Filed Jul 9, 1998MI

EGR VALVE STUCK AND SENSOR FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Dec 19, 1997LA

SPRING IN REAR DOOR LATCH SEPERATED FROM OTHER PARTS CAUSING LATCH TO FAIL.

Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Filed Feb 1, 1997GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed Dec 16, 1996NJ

HAD BRAKING (ABS) PROBLEM 1 YR AGO, AT SERVICE CENTER MECHANIC SAID WRONG CALIPER PUT ON, NOW PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, TOOK IT TO MECHANIC IN MIDDLE OF NIGHT, INFORMED CALIPER SEAL HAD BUSTED & HAD WRONG ROTORS ON LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK

Exterior Lighting › Headlights › SwitchFire
Filed May 9, 1996NC

UPON TURNING ON HEAD LAMP SWITCH ON STEERING COLUMN, NOTICED SMOKE, THEN FLAMES, FANNED OUT, RESULT HEAD LAMP AND PARK LIGHTS ARE INOPERATIVE. *AK

Power Train › Axle Assembly
Filed Feb 6, 1996AL

SPACER DRIVE BEVEL FAILED.

Suspension › Rear
Filed Dec 28, 1995AL

REAR END PROBLEMS. *SD

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Nov 30, 1995CA

THE TIRES KEEP BALDING AND THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Tires
Filed Aug 11, 1995NY

BRIDGESTONE TIRES FAIL TO STOP ON WET ROADS. *DH

Tires
Filed Jul 3, 1995NY

TIRES PROVIDE INSUFFICIENT TRACTION , RESULTING IN VEHICLE SKIDDING IN WET CONDITIONS. *DH

Suspension › FrontCrash
Filed May 11, 1995NJ

VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER WHEN HIT ON FRONT PASSENGER'S DOOR. *AW

Structure › Frame and MembersCrash1 injured
Filed May 9, 1995NJ

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM SIDE AND IT ROLLOVER. TT

20 of 21 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1996
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20001000Routine
199827010Routine
199736100Routine
199659230Routine
199526010Routine
1994 — this page21121Fatalities reported
199314110Routine
199210000Routine
199114110Routine
19905100Routine

Compare every Sidekick year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

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: Apr 16, 1994. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.