1999 Suzuki Vitara Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Vitara years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Suzuki Vitara. That is the most of any Vitara model year in the database (6 years). The most reported problem area is suspension (15 complaints, 30%), typically at around 62,503 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 50owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Suzuki Vitara problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 15 | 30% | 62,503 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 16% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 8% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 8% | 42,214 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 6% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Suzuki Vitara recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles have an inoperative brake lamp-actuating switch. If the brake lamp-actuating switch does not function properly when the brake pedal is depressed, the brake lights may be inoperative. On vehicles equipped with automatic transaxle, a failure in the brake lamp-actuating switch may also prevent shifting out of park. This does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion and another vehicle was following closely, a vehicle crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch assembly.
Equipment:electrical:radio/tape deck/cd etc.
Problem: Vehicle description: 2-door passenger vehicles. During port installation of rear stereo speakers, the vehicles wiring harness could have been pinched between the rear stereo speaker and speaker retaining plate.
Risk: An electrical short could occur due to the pinched wires.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the position/condition of the rear wiring harness and repair the wiring harness, if necessary.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: Vehicle description: 2-door passenger vehicles. During port installation of rear stereo speakers, the front seat belt lower anchor bolts were removed to facilitate the rear speaker installation and may not have been torqued to specification after installation of the speakers.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat belts may not properly restrain an occupant increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will retorque both of the front seat belt lower anchor bolts to specification.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The coupling that connects the steering column shaft to the intermediate steering shaft is cracked. This could allow the steering shafts to separate.
Risk: If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a loss of steering control could occur increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the steering shaft coupling.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 suzuki vitara. While driving at an unknown speed the vehicle accelerated on its own. When the contact applied the brakes they failed to engage. The vehicle continued to accelerate and crashed into a truck and caused serious damages to the vehicle. The contact sustained a…
While driving at night, brakes were applied in an emergency stop to avoid hitting a deer running across the highway. There was a loud bang noise from the front of the car.anchor for the right "a" arm is rusted out in the frame front cross member causing the vehicle to dive to the left and into the…
Front suspension crossmember has rusted through on my 1999 suzuki vitara. The chevrolet tracker, which is the same car has had a safety recall due to this issue. This poses a significant safety concern! *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 suzuki vitara. While the contact was repairing the brakes, he discovered corrosion on the front cross member (frame). The contact is a mechanic and stated that if the frame comes apart, it can cause the front suspension to fail. The dealer stated that there were no…
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 suzuki vitara. The contact stated that he has extreme difficulty turning the steering column because it remains in a fixated position. He inspected the steering fluid and concluded that the levels were normal. The dealer stated that although he was experiencing the same…
Other Suzuki Vitara years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Vitara | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 Vitara | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 Vitara | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 Vitara | 27 | 0 |
| 2000 Vitara | 35 | 0 |
| 1999 | 50 | 4 |
See all Suzuki Vitara problems by year, every Suzuki model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Suzuki models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Suzuki Vitara?
Owners most often report suspension, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Suzuki Vitara?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Suzuki Vitara a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Vitara model years, the 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.