2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara: 6 recalls, 161 owner complaints and up to 19 mpg combined.
Recalls
6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #05V548000 · 2005 · 95 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles, the left side of the retainer rear drive shaft May crack and the gears May get stuck due to oil leakage by the retainer.
Why it matters: This can lead to the rear differential gears locking up and the vehicle May become disabled increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the left side of the retainer rear drive shaft. Suzuki will call owners on or about December 15, 2005. Followup letters to owners were mailed on February 13, 2006.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #07V554000 · 2007 · 40,424 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 114, 'theft protection. ' the automatic transmission selector lever "park" lock function May be inoperative due to a sticking shift lock arm. The shift lever May be able to be shifted out of "park" with the key removed and without depressing the brake pedal.
Why it matters: This can give rise to increased incidents of crashes resulting from the rollaway of parked vehicles as a result of inadvertently moving the shift lever from the "park" position when the parking brake is not fully engaged.
The fix: Dealers will replace the shift lock module free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2008.
Steering Vehicle recall #10V250000 · 2010 · 46,549 vehicles
What's wrong: The tension adjuster pulley for the drive belt that operates the power steering pump and air conditioner compressor (if equipped) has an outer portion that is made of plastic. Repeated heat stress can cause the plastic material to deteriorate and pieces of the pulley can break off.
Why it matters: Broken pieces of the pulley can get caught between the pulley and the drive belt, causing the drive belt to come off and resulting in the driver needing increased effort to steer the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the power steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley free of charge. The safety recall began on June 28, 2010.
Airbags Vehicle recall #13V405000 · 2013 · 189,901 vehicles
What's wrong: Suzuki motor of america, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 grand vitara and 2007-2011 sx4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the ocs sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat May fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat occupant is an adult…
Why it matters: Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child.
The fix: Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the ocs sensor mat) free of charge. Sufficient quantities of parts are not currently available to fix all of the affected vehicles. Owners will be notified of the recall in October 2013 and…
Steering Vehicle recall #18V667000 · 2018 · 304 vehicles
What's wrong: Suzuki motor of america, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2006 Suzuki grand vitara vehicles. The power steering pump belt tension adjuster pulley has an outer portion that is made of plastic. Repeated heat stress can cause the plastic material to deteriorate, causing pieces of the pulley to break off.
Why it matters: Broken pieces of the pulley can get caught between the pulley and the drive belt, causing the drive belt to come off, resulting in a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018.
Airbags, Seats Vehicle recall #19V187000 · 2019 · 31,302 vehicles
What's wrong: Suzuki motor of america, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 kizashi and 2006-2013 grand vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat May shrink due to high humidity and high temperature. As a result, the occupant classification system (ocs) sensor mat May not accurately detect if an adult or child is occupying the seat.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, an incorrect classification May result in the passenger frontal air bag deploying even if there is a child in the front passenger seat, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019. All second letters notifying owners of the remedy were mailed by April 10, 2020.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 3 mention a fire, 12 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (50): the most common themes are warning light on (21), fails to deploy (7).
- Exterior lights (30): the most common themes are warning light on (4), electrical failure (3).
- Electrical (26): the most common themes are warning light on (7), stalls / loses power (5), electrical failure (3).
- Steering (22): the most common themes are steering problems (20), warning light on (3).
The 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara has 161 owner complaints, ranking #1 of 15 Grand Vitara model years for complaints (3.8× the average Grand Vitara year). Complaints peaked in 2010 (31 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 46,351 miles. Neighboring years: 2005 (1 complaints, 1 recalls), 2007 (58 complaints, 3 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7 L 6-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 22 | 19 | Regular |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 22 | 18 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara.
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FAQ
Does the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems?
Owners have filed 161 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (50), exterior lights (30), electrical (26).
What gas mileage does the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara get?
EPA ratings run up to 19 mpg combined (2.7 L, Automatic 5-spd), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.