Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Suzuki Esteem, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Wheels2
- Structure2
- Steering1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Fuel system, other1
- Tires1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 8.5–9.1 L/100 km (about 26–28 mpg US), CO₂ 196–209 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esteem Wagon · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.6 | 7.2 | 8.5 |
| Esteem Wagon · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.3 | 7.5 | 9.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2002 Suzuki Esteem.
| 2003155 16 Jun 2003 | Other On certain vehicles, the windshield may not be properly secured to the vehicle body due to insufficient adhesion between paint applied during the second-stage p… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
CERTAIN PASSENGER (111 MY 2002 ESTEEM, 777 MY 2002 AERIO, 2,368 MY 2003 AERIO) AND SPORT UTILITY (324 MY 2002 GRAND VITARA, 274 MY 2003 GRAND VITARA, 684 MY 2002 GRAND VITARA XL-7, AND 781 MY 2003 GRAND VITARA XL-7) VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, 'WINDSHIELD MOUNTING." THE WINDSHIELD MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SECURED TO THE VEHICLE BODY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT ADHESION BETWEEN THE PAINT APPLIED DURING THE SECOND-STAGE PAINTING PROCESS AND THE PAINT APPLIED DURING FINAL-STAGE PAINTING.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Suzuki told its dealers about the 2002 Suzuki Esteem: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 629544 | SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE DAMAGE TO THE VAPOR CONTROL VALVE. *SLC |
| 10216558 | 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. |
| 10152052 | 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 to prevent the ball stud from becoming separated from the suspension lower arm. |
| 10014822 | CORRECT COOLANT USAGE. *EH |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)