There are 10 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2001 Suzuki Grand Vitarain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I PURCHASED A 2001 SUZUKI GRAND VITARTA WITH 8000 MILES. AT 24,500 MILES THE ENGINE BEGAN TO HAVE NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER WHO STATED IT WAS TIMING CHIN TENSIONER. THEY REPLACED 2 TENSIONERS AT THE DEALERS EXPENSE. I HAVE PUT AN ADDITIONAL 5000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE BACK. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE TENSIONERS AND FOUND 100'S OF COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME PART. SUZUKI HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS ITEM AS OF YET, HOWEVER IF THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BREAK, ACCIDENTS CAN OCCUR. I HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND AM NOT SURE IF THE PROBLEM WITH BE FIXED AND IS SO AT WHOSE EXPENSE. THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP IS 65 MILES AWAY. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN TSB ON THIS PART SO SUZUKI IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM
CONSUMER LETTER REGARDING CONCERNS WITH THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS ON THE 1999-2002 GRAND VITARI XL7. *MR OTHER PROBLEMS: BROKEN KEYLESS ENTRY WHICH OCCURRED TWICE, THE VEHICLE RADIATOR (TWICE), WATER PUMP (TWICE), AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED TWICE. TSB TS 07 03014R2 *SC
MY WIFE'S 2001 SUZUKI XL-7 HAS MADE AN ENGINE NOISE SINCE SHE BOUGHT IT. WE HAD IT SERVICED AT 32,000 MILES FOR A RECALL AND NOTHING WAS SAID BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ( STILL UNDER WARRANTY ) AGAIN AT 64,000 PLUS WE HAD IT SERVICED AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TIMING BELT TESIONER PUT ON FOR AROUND $1300.00 DOLLARS. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID TO GO BY A DEALERSHIP AND GET THE DISTRICT MANAGER'S NUMBER TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I DID , AND I CALLED : ONLY TO BE TOTALLY DISRESPECTED BY THE DISTRICT MANAGER ([XXX]) , HE REALLY DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT I GOT HIS PHONE NUMBER AND TOLD ME SO ; I HOPE HE LIKES IT NOW! THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE HAS REALLY NOT SHOWN ANY CONCERN ABOUT MY FAMILY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE EITHER SO I'M TELLING EVERYONE THAT DONALD CRAIG SUZUKI IN MOORESVILLE , NC COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS AFTER YOU BUY A CAR FROM THEM AND THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS EVEN WORSE. THEIR SERVICE MANAGER HASN'T BOTHERED TO EVEN CONTACT ME EVEN AFTER A COMPLAINT TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER ( WHO'S A REAL JERK) AND A COMPLAINT TO SUZUKI'S CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS. I HOPE THAT NOONE ELSE GETS MIXED UP[ WITH THIS GROUP BUT IF YOU DO OR HAVE PLEASE GIVE THEM A CALL AND VOICE YOUR COMPLAINT : I'M SURE THEY WOULD LOVE TO HERE FROM YOU!. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE TIMING CHAIN SNAPPED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CEASE. THE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND CHAIN WAS $3600. THIS VEHICLE IS 38 MONTHS OLD WITH 52,000 MILES OF WEAR: 2001 SUZUKI XL7. *JB
THE TIMING TENSIONER FAILED, CAUSING THE TIMING CHAIN TO MALFUNCTION. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT THREE CYLINDERS. THERE WAS A LOSS OF PROPER TIMING, AND VALVES TENSIONERS STARTED TO KNOCK. *AK
VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY LOST OIL DUE TO A OIL LEAK. *PH *MR
NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AND A NIGHTMARE TO OWN.. DEALER NOT SYPATHETIC. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK
A BURNING ODOR IN THE CAR FOR OVER A YEAR. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALERSHIP TWICE. HAVE SPOKEN WITH SUZUKI COMPANY WHO HAS TOLD ME TO CONTINUE TAKING IT TO DEALER. THE DEALER ONLY STEAM CLEANS THE ENGINE. *NLM
WHENEVER EXHAUST GOT HOT FUME ODORS GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO BECOME SICK. HAD BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. WAS INFORMED EXHAUST IS SPRAYED WITH COSMOLINE.*AK THE DEALER WAS INFORMED THAT PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY AT ABOUT 5000 OR 6000 MILES. *YH
CONSUMER COMPLAINING ABOUT ENGINE NOISE INVOLVING THE 2001 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA.*MR CONSUMER WAS TOLD NOISE IS FROM TIMING CHAIN AND HAD THE TENSIONER ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY REPLACED. [XXX] IS THE VIN. *TT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026