Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags4
- Structure1
- Electrical system1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Seats1
- Tires1
- Unknown or other1
- Service brakes1
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
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara failed the safety check 3.91% of the time — 57% more often than the average 2011 passenger car (2.49%). Median odometer at inspection: 104,802 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2011
14,445 new Suzuki Grand Vitara cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2011; the largest markets were Germany (4,313), Italy (2,565), the United Kingdom (1,783).
- Average mass
- 1,646 kg
- Average power
- 100 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 66% · Petrol 34%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the Netherlands
102 first registered in 2011 are on Dutch roads; 35% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €32,953.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde53
- Band onvoldoende profiel42
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt37
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)33
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht32
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld26
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm20
- Band beschadigd16
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,313 cars built in 2011 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 122 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, 1,499 of these cars first registered in 2011 took their annual MOT test. 72% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2011 the figure was 63%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 14.6% | 16.0% |
| Brakes | 9.4% | 8.6% |
| Suspension | 5.6% | 14.1% |
| Visibility | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Tyres | 3.1% | 7.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 1.9% | 4.4% |
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
93 of these cars first registered in 2011 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 207,000 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
293 2011 cars are on the New Zealand register; 3% arrived as used imports, 96% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV AWD | — | 18.5 % |
| 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV RWD | — | 19.1 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 11.5 L/100 km (about 20 mpg US), CO₂ 265 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Vitara · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 12.7 | 10.2 | 11.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2011 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 … |
| 2011041 27 Jan 2011 | Engine On certain vehicles, the tension adjuster pulley for the drive belt, which operates the alternator, water pump, air conditioner compressor and power steering pu… |
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 2009-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The gear shift rear shaft on these vehicles may break, preventing the gears from being able to be changed.
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.
SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINES; MODEL YEAR 2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 17, 2010; MODEL YEAR 2010 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES; AND 2011 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 14, 2010. THE TENSION ADJUSTER PULLEY FOR THE DRIVE BELT THAT OPERATES THE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND POWER STEERING PUMP, HAS AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED INTERNAL SPRING THAT CAN BREAK DUE TO REPEATED STRESS. IF THE SPRING BREAKS, THE DRIVE BELT WILL NOT BE ADJUSTED PROPERLY AND CAN SLIP, CAUSING A SQUEAKING NOISE. OR THE DRIVE BELT COULD COME OFF CAUSING THE DRIVER TO INCREASE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THIS CAN ALSO CAUSE THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE INDICATION TO RISE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING, OR CAN CAUSE THE CHARGING LIGHT TO COME ON, WHICH CAN LEAD TO BATTERY DISCHARGE AND ENGINE STALL.
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 2011 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. |
| 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 |
| 10044035 | SUZUKI: SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE: TENSIONER AND IDLER PULLEY REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION. *JS |
| 10035624 | SUZUKI VEHICLE: CHANGE IN ESP ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AFTER VEHICLE IS STARTED. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IF THE BATTERY IS NOT FULLY CHARGED, THE BATTERY VOLTAGE MAY DROP TO A LEVEL THAT THE ESP UNIT JUDGES TO BE BELOW SPECIFICATION. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Occupant Classification System Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation