Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod Assembly
Filed Jan 3, 1997OH
DRIVING ALONG VEHICLE STARTED SLIDING AND HEARD A NOISE, LOST CONTROL AND LANDED IN SOMEONE'S YARD. THE TIE ROD END SNAPPED IN HALF, VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEABLE, HAD TO BE TOWED IN. *AK
Page 2 of 2 · complaints 51–59 of 59
1996 Suzuki Sidekick complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
Seat Belts › Rear/Other
Filed Dec 30, 1996AZ
THE REAR SEAT BELT LOCKING CLIP BROKE, WHEN TRYING TO SECURE THE CSS IT WILL NOT LOCK THE CHILD IN BECAUSE OF THE BROKEN SEAT BELT IN THE REAR. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Fan
Filed Dec 30, 1996PA
FAN BRACKET BROKE OFF ENGINE, MAKING COOLANT FAN INOPERATIVE.
Suspension › Front
Filed Dec 3, 1996PA
MADE A RIGHT TURN GOING STRIAGHT ON THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE STARTED VEERING INTO THE LEFT LANE AND HIT A GUARD RAIL. THERE WAS NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS MOVING FREELY. *AK
Power Train › Transfer Case (4-wheel Drive)
Filed Nov 4, 1996WA
WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE THE WHEELS LOCKS UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN TRAFFIC. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed Sep 30, 1996AR
VEHICLE LEAKS EXHAUST INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Aug 30, 1996NY
WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jul 23, 1996FL
ON FIVE OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TRUCK DIDN'T STOP . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
Seats › Mid/Rear Assembly
Filed Mar 11, 1996CA
WHEN FOLDED REAR TWO SEAT, BRACKET STRAP HOOK IS NOT SECURE, SLIPS OUT FROM BRACET; SLAMS FORWARD WHILE DRIVING; HAPPENS DURING VEHICLE VIBRATION.
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Suzuki Sidekick → · Every Sidekick year → · How the figures are calculated →