1995 Suzuki Sidekick

Routine

Owners filed 26 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension › Front3
101
Power Train › Automatic Transmission3
000
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments2
000
Structure › Body2
000
Seats2
102
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline2
000
Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior1
000
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
112
Unknown or Other1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jun 17, 2003PR

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK. *MR *SCC *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jun 10, 2002NY

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO GEAR IT MAKES A HARD BANGING NOISE. IT MOMENTARILY LOCKS UP THE POWER STEERING, AND CAUSES HESITATION AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHEER INFROMATION.*AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Nov 1, 2001PA

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND SHIFTING TO SECOND GEAR, SEAT BACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE.*AK *JB

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 30, 2001NJ

SUZUKI HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE SOFTWARE IN THE VECHICLE TURNS ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT 50,000 REGARDLESS WHETHER THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED A LITTLE BEFORE 50,000 MILES. BECAUSE OF THIS LIGHT MY WIFE WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VECHICLE UNTIL IT WENT IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN. SERVICE CENTER REPORTED NO PROBLEM WITH VECHICLE AFTER A $90 DIAGNOSTIC. THEY SPENT 1.5 HOURS LOOKING FOR A NON EXISTANT PROBLEM. ASKED SUZUKI TO REIMBURSE, THEIR CS REP LOURAINE AT 800-934-0934 HUNG UP AFTER ADMITTING TO THE 50K LIGHT BUT SAYING I SHOULD TAKE UP WITH DEALER. IF THE NHTSA WANTS OWNERS TO TAKE WARNING LIGHTS SERIOUS IT MUST STOP THIS PRACTICE OF USING TRICKS TO PIMP SERVICE WORK. NOTHING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL INDICATES THE 50,000 MILE SERVICE LIGHT. THE SERCET TO SAFETY IS MAINTEAIN THE VECHICLE AND RELY ON DIAGNOSTICS. MAKE SUZUKI CHANGE THE SOFTWARE ON ALL VECHICLES AND OUTLAW THYE PROCESS OF TURNING ON THE WARNING LIGHTS WHEN THERE'S NO PROBLEM.*AK

Vehicle Speed ControlCrashFire2 injured
Filed Dec 1, 2000TX

WHEN MAKING A TURN TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL, RPMS RACED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A CURB, RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Sep 25, 2000FL

AFTER STOPPING AT DESTINATION, TOOK CHILD CAR SEAT OUT AND WHEN UNBUCKLED SEATBELT TO DO SO, SEATBELT WENT IN AS NORMAL, BUT LOCKED AND WILL NOT COME OUT, CANNOT USE THAT SIDE AT ALL W/ USAGE OF SEATBELT. EXPECTING ANOTHER CHILD, AND AM WORRIED. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Jul 27, 2000IN

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER EXPLODED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Jun 23, 2000MI

CONSUMER'S DOOR FELL OFF BECAUSE HINGES HAD RUSTED. THE ONLY WAY FOR DOOR TO STAY ON WAS BY LOCKING IT. MANUFACTURER SAID THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE TO LOOK AT VEHICLE BECAUSE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *AK *ML

SeatsCrash2 injured
Filed Mar 29, 2000AZ

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHILE AT A STANDSTILL POSITION. IMPACT WAS ESTIMATED AT 30 MPH AT WHICH BOTH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEATBACK RESTS COLLAPSED BACKWARD. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK INJURY, AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. *AK

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
Filed Mar 11, 2000PA

IN REGARDS TO SECURITY, HAD IT CHECKED BY DEALER WHO STATED BATTERY, WORKED FOR A WEEK AND FAILED AGAIN. HAVE NOT HAD IT CHECKED SINCE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Nov 26, 1999CA

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Aug 18, 1999MA

VEHICLE WAS AT A STAND STILL WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FELL OFF THE HINGES. THE BOLTS HAD RUSTED & PULLED OUT PANEL.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 27, 1999TX

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Jan 7, 1998IN

WHILE OUT DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL GETS STIFF; FEELS AT 55MPH BUT NOT LOW SPEED. WHEEL DOES NOT PASS STIFF AREA WHEN TURNING & SUDDENLY WOULD JERK. PRESSURE REGULATOR REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

Suspension › FrontCrash1 injured
Filed Sep 4, 1997NV

VEHICLE LOST CONTOL/ROLLED OVER ON DIRT ROAD, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *AK

Structure › Body
Filed Aug 1, 1997MD

VEHICLE'S REAR FOLDING SEAT STRAP THAT KEEPS THE SEAT UP WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT UP, HAS HAD SHORT STRAP REPAIRED TWICE. *AK

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System
Filed Jun 21, 1996MD

STEERING REACHES A POINT OF RESISTANCE AND THEN SLIPS. DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAIL. *AK

Seats
Filed Jun 8, 1996DE

STRAP/LOOP THAT HOLDS REAR SEAT UP SEPARATES FROM FLOOR, CAUSING SEAT TO FLY BACK. *DH

Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior
Filed Jan 31, 1996NY

SIDE VIEW MIRRORS ARE JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE. ALMOST HIT TRACKER TRAILER BECAUSE CONSUMER COULD NOT SEE OUT OF WINDOW CLEARLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Suspension › Front
Filed Jan 23, 1996CT

432-4575, DAY NO. VEHICLE IS VERY UNSAFE DUE TO FACT IF GOING AT A SPEED OF 55MPH OR GREATER WILL TILTED OVER. TT

20 of 26 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1996
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20001000Routine
199827010Routine
199736100Routine
199659230Routine
1995 — this page26010Routine
199421121Fatalities reported
199314110Routine
199210000Routine
199114110Routine
19905100Routine

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.

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