There are 14 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Suzuki XL7in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE VEHICLE TIMING IS OFF, DUE TO FAULTY TIMING EQUIPMENT. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL?
I have went through 2 engines 2 timing chains and 4 loans to keep this suv running 3999.98 for the first engine and the same for the second 1200 times 2 for the timing chain if you know a vehicle has this many problems why haven't you removed it. It's not safe or reliable now my locks don't want to lock unlock I have 14 different error codes on my check engine light after I put the second engine in! In less than a year!!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI XL7. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT AND TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE TIMING CHAIN BELT FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
RECEIVED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CODES WERE AS BEFORE POINTED TO A STRETCHED TIMING CHAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP SAID THIS TIME IT WAS FROM LOW OIL PRESSURE. WHY WAS THERE NOT A LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT IF IT WILL RUIN ENGINE COMPONENTS? SUZUKI HAS A TSB FOR TIMING CHAINS AND INDIVIDUAL PART NUMBERS FOR THESE KITS WHICH TELLS ME THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI XL7. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WAS TOLD BY OUR LOCAL GARAGE THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NEEDED SPECIAL TOOLS TO DO THE JOB, SO WE HAD TO TAKE IT TO A FORMER SUZUKI DEALER THAT STILL HAD SPECIALTY TOOLS AND HAD IT FIXED FOR $2200. FORMER DEALERSHIP SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. ALSO CONTACTED SUZUKI USA AND FILED A COMPLAINT.
IN GEORGIA WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE EMISSIONS COMPLETED EVERY YEAR AROUND YOUR BIRTHDAY. FOR SOME REASON THE CAR WOULDN'T PASS BECAUSE OF CODES P0018, P0017, AND P0008. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON TREND WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. SO I ASSUME IT'S A MANUFACTURER ERROR. IT'S ALSO COMMON FOR THE 2007 MODELS AS WELL. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE TIMING ON VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI XL7. THE CONTACT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THERE WAS A SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI XL7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING MESSAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000. *TR
I WAS IN THE PARKING LOT OF WALL MART WITH THE ENGINE IDLING HEARD A LOUD NOISE THE CAR STARTED SHAKING,TURNED IT OFF IMMEDIATELY,GOT OUT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD NOTHING VISIBLE AT THE TIME. GOT BACK IN STARTED THE CAR CHECKED TEMP GAUGE EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, AND THE LOUD NOISE AGAIN CAR STARTED SHAKING,GOT OUT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD COULD SEE A LITTLE ANTIFREEZE ON THE GROUND,TURNED CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY,HAD IT TOWED TO MATT BLATT A SUZUKI DEALER IN GLASSBORO NJ GOT A CALL THREE DAYS LATER, INFORMED THE FAN BLADES CAME OFF THE PULLEY HIT THE RADIATOR MADE A HOLE IN IT, THE SERVICE PERSON SAID IT WOULD COST$1200 TO REPAIR, INFORMED THE FRONT BUMPER WOULD HAVE TO COME OF WHICH ADDED TO THE LABOR COST, TOLD SERVICE TECH THAT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, HE THEN GAVE ME THE NUMBER TO SUZUKI INTERNATIONAL.CALLED SAME THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT, THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AT 57000 MILES FOR THIS PROBLEM.NEEDLES TO SAY THIS LEFT A BAD TASTE IN OUR MOUTH FOR THIS PRODUCT WE ALSO HAD NO HELP FROM THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE: P008 (VALIDATED THROUGH A LOCAL PARTS STORE) AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT TIRE SENSOR LIGHT ALL ARE ON OR OFF OR A COMBINATION OF ANY OF THEM. *TR
I TOO HAVE 2008 XL7, THAT REQUIRED SERVICE DUE TO ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON WITH TICKING NOISE. I TOO WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO IMPROPER OIL FILTER BEING USED. MY CAR HAD LESS THAN 21,000 MILES. MY CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED AT SPEED LUBE IN MT. VERNON, IL. IF SUZUKI KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH IMPROPER OIL FILTERS, WHY WERE THE OWNERS NOT ADVISED OF THIS PROBLEM WITH A BULLETIN NEWS LETTER. ONLY THE DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I TOO SPENT APPROX $1500 TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI XL7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OR IF THE ENGINE WAS IDLE THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AND MAKE A LOUD TICKING NOISE. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CHECK OIL LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE REPAIRS AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED O HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER CONTINUED TO REPAIR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE VEHICLE BUT NOT THE CORRECT PART TO STOP THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE OIL FILTER THAT WAS BEING USED TO CHANGE THE OIL DISINTEGRATED, BROKE UP IN BIG PIECES AND BECAME STUCK IN THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR COST WILL BE $1600 IN ORDER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE APART TO DETERMINE THE CORRECT WAY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.
THE TIMING CHAINS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 2 YEARS EVERY TIME INSPECTION IS DEW THEY ALWAYS KICK ON LIGHT SUZUKI REFUSES TO FIX ISSUE BUT SAME MOTOR AS CHEVY EQUINOX AND THEY HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON CHAINS .THIS RECALL SHOULD BE ON XL7 AS WELL HAS SAME ISSUE SAME MOTOR BUT NOTHING BEING DONE TO FIX PROBLEM. 2700 DOLLAR REPAIR EVERY YEAR TO PASS INSPECTION. THEIR A LEMON.( JUNK) *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