2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems & reliability
47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 16 | 34% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 10 | 21% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 11% |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 11% |
| Suspension | 4 | 9% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6% |
| Power Train | 3 | 6% |
| Structure | 3 | 6% |
| Tires | 3 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 28,000 miles (middle 50% between 21,500 and 49,875 miles), based on 28 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owned a 2002 suzuki grand vitara. The contact stated while making a right turn onto a bridge during inclement weather conditions from a stop sign, control of the vehicle was lost causing a crash into a cement wall. The contact could not gain control of the steering wheel and her body lunged forward…”
Seat Belts · filed Jan 2, 2020
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 suzuki grand vitara. The contact stated that when at a stop with her foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle's engine would begin to rev with the rpm levels vigorously fluctuating. She noticed the problem on three different occasions since june 2009. She took the vehicle to the dealership and…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Feb 22, 2010
“Tl*the contact owns a 2002 suzuki grand vitara. Until recently, the contact has never used the tiger paw spare tire that came with the vehicle. While driving 60 mph on a busy highway, a tire blew out with a loud pop. The driver was able to maneuver the vehicle off of the road to safety. The fender was damaged due to…”
Tires · filed Nov 10, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
12 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The 10 most recent:
Reminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension and related parts that could be caused by road salt or other chemicals applied to the roadway.
SUZ_016008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 8, 2022
This Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki automobile distributors in the U.S., explaining the importance of proper inspection and maintenance of suspension lower arm ball joints…
N-Q-G-045 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2018
Oil leaking from left front of engine. *tt
0602244R2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Revised repair procedure for air conditioner compressor replacement. *tt
0502244 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Loud chain rattling noise from right front of engine behind the timing cover. *tt
0704213R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2003
Revised repair procedure for air conditioner evaporator freeze-up during use. *tt
0303273R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2003
Oil weepage/seepage from left front of engine. *tt
06011703R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2003
Revised repair procedure for air conditioner evaporator freeze-up during use. *tt
03022703R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2003
Oil level reads at low mark on oil level dip stick. 1999 - 2003 vitara/grand vitara/xl-7. *tt
0903143 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2003
Exhaust noise can be heard from under the vehicle. *tt
1703296 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions ·
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 28,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.