Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Exterior lighting20
- Air bags12
- Electrical system10
- Engine3
- Suspension2
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Seats1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Seat belts1
- Wheels1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 5 2008 Grand Vitara vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara failed the safety check 2.25% of the time — 9% less often than the average 2008 passenger car (2.48%). Median odometer at inspection: 119,837 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (103 kW, 138 hp), 2.4 petrol (124 kW, 166 hp) and 1.6 petrol (78 kW, 105 hp), out of 4 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 103 kW 138 hp | 439 |
| 2.4 petrol | 124 kW 166 hp | 128 |
| 1.6 petrol | 78 kW 105 hp | 104 |
| 3.2 petrol | 171 kW 229 hp | 22 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
741 first registered in 2008 are on Dutch roads; 11% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €22,606.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde355
- Band onvoldoende profiel295
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt253
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)250
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm192
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht172
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld158
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk140
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,582 cars built in 2008 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 631 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 2,320 of these cars first registered in 2008 took their annual MOT test. 62% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2008 the figure was 57%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 18.6% | 19.8% |
| Suspension | 12.4% | 17.2% |
| Brakes | 9.4% | 11.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 7.1% | 7.3% |
| Visibility | 6.0% | 6.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.7% | 6.2% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
162 of these cars first registered in 2008 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 249,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
420 2008 cars are on the New Zealand register; 1% arrived as used imports, 98% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 12.6–13.1 L/100 km (about 18–19 mpg US), CO₂ 290–301 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Vitara 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 11.0 | 12.6 |
| Grand Vitara 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 14.6 | 11.2 | 13.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara.
| 2019129 11 Mar 2019 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) may not work properly. This could cause the airbag system not to turn off the airbag when… |
| 2013305 17 Sept 2013 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the Occupant Classification System may malfunction, causing the airbag warning lamp to illuminate, and could fail to disable the passenger … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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 or a child.
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 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 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. |
| 10047119 | SUZUKI: FUEL GAUGE TAKES A LONG TIME MOVING, AFTER FILL UP, BECAUSE OF TWO (2) DIFFERENT FUEL METER MODES, NORMAL MODE AND REFUEL MODE, FOR GAUGE MOVEMENT. MODELS 2006-2008 GRAND VITARA. *PE |
| 10044320 | SUZUKI: THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION ASSEMBLY HAS THE SENSOR MAT LOCATED WITHIN AND THE ELECTRIC DISCONNECTION (OPEN) WILL OCCUR DUE TO REPEATED FLEXING, THAT MAY DEVELOP. *PE UPDATED 04/10/2013 *JS |
| 10044319 | SUZUKI: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, WITHIN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION, THE SENSING SENSOR MAT, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT DISCONNECTION MAY HAVE DEVELOPED, DUE TO REPEATED FLEXING. *PE |
| 10044041 | SUZUKI: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR 'AIR BAG' WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION. *JS UPDATED 7/25/12. *PE |
| 10022791 | DTC C1230 (TRANSFER ACTUATOR CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION) DETECTING CONDITION AND TROUBLESHOOTING. *NJ |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Occupant Classification System Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation