Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Suzuki Sidekick, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension9
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Power train7
- Air bags4
- Visibility4
- Unknown or other4
- Steering3
- Electrical system3
- Equipment3
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 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 1997 Suzuki Sidekick failed the safety check 3.08% of the time — 92% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 138,403 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 10.6–11.3 L/100 km (about 21–22 mpg US), CO₂ 244–260 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidekick 2-Door · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.5 | 9.6 | 10.6 |
| Sidekick 4-Door · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.5 | 9.7 | 10.7 |
| Sidekick 4-Door · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 9.7 | 10.9 |
| Sidekick 2-Door · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 10.5 | 11.3 |
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 1997 Suzuki Sidekick.
| 2000086 17 Feb 2000 | Suspension On certain Sidekick Sport vehicles, insufficient strength of the mounting base on the upper end of the front struts can lead to breakage of the mounting bolts t… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH OF THE MOUNTING BASE ON THE UPPER END OF THE FRONT STRUTS CAN LEAD TO BREAKAGE OF THE MOUNTING BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE UPPER END OF THE FRONT STRUTS TO THE VEHICLE BODY.
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 1997 Suzuki Sidekick: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 610525 | THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE REVISED CLAIMS SUBMISSION PROCEDURES FOR REPLACEMENT BATTERIES UNDER WARRANTY. *TT |
| 51320 | WHEN SERVICING THE NEW STYLE AUTO HUB, PLEASE USE THE NEW STYLE TOOLS AS LISTED. *JD |
| 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. |
| 10014818 | CORRECT COOLANT USAGE. *EH |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)