Suzuki Grand Vitara: An Indestructible Mini-SUV with Peculiarities

Introduction

In the world of crossovers and SUVs, the Suzuki Grand Vitara occupies a special place. It's not just another urban pseudo-SUV — it's a genuine all-wheel-drive vehicle with serious off-road capabilities in a compact body. Unlike most modern crossovers, the Grand Vitara is equipped with longitudinally mounted engines, a real transfer case with rigid axle connection, and a low-range gear. These features make it a unique offering in its class.

The Grand Vitara's body is monocoque, however, a frame structure is integrated into its design, providing additional rigidity. Thanks to good geometric clearance, sufficient ground clearance, and a genuine all-wheel-drive transmission, this vehicle confidently handles off-road conditions.

In comparison with competitors such as Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, or Mitsubishi Outlander, which are essentially elevated station wagons with an on-demand all-wheel-drive system, the Suzuki Grand Vitara demonstrates a completely different approach to the concept of a compact SUV.

It's worth noting that the Grand Vitara is more compact than many competitors, resulting in a tighter interior and a relatively small trunk. Even the spare wheel mounted on the fifth door doesn't significantly increase the usable volume. For long trips with the whole family, owners often install a roof rack.

Let's take a closer look at the features and potential problems of this interesting vehicle.

Body and Exterior

The Suzuki Grand Vitara's body shows decent resistance to corrosion, but certain problems begin to manifest with age. Around the tenth year of operation, you might encounter corrosion on the sills, and a few years later — in the wheel arches. The edges of the rear arches are particularly vulnerable — the paint may bubble up, quickly leading to corrosion development.

The original design includes rubber moldings in the rear wheel arches. When washing the car with high pressure, they can bend outward and even fall off while driving. Additionally, dirt and moisture accumulate under them, contributing to corrosion.

A serious problem can be corrosion of the transfer case crossmember. In advanced cases, the metal can become so thin that the part breaks. Some specialized service centers offer reinforced crossmembers with improved corrosion protection.

With age, corrosion can appear in unexpected places, for example, on top of the rear doors under the rubber seal. Often, owners discover the problem only when they notice rusty streaks from under the seal. A similar situation is observed under the rubber seals of the trunk door.

Another common problem is related to the rear door seals — they can wear away the paint at the point of contact with the body. To protect these areas, it's recommended to use special protective film.

The paint on the lower edges of the doors can also bubble up over time. For protection of hidden body cavities, the application of inhibitor anti-corrosion coating is effective.

The Grand Vitara has a massive rear door that may sag over time. This problem is relatively easy to solve — it's sufficient to place two washers 1.5 mm thick under the lower lock crossmember.

Rear door limiters sometimes fail, but non-original repair kits are now available for their restoration.

Owners often complain about knocking or rattling of the spare wheel cover. The solution depends on the source of the noise. If the spare wheel itself is rattling, dampening material such as foam is placed under the mounting bolts. If the cover itself is making noise, window insulation is placed between it and the rear door. Another original method is to use a 27-inch bicycle inner tube: it's wrapped around the spare wheel, inflated, after which the cover is installed. This solution ensures complete silence.

Interior and Comfort

The Grand Vitara's interior can be characterized as budget-friendly — both in terms of material quality and assembly. However, this is typical for Japanese cars from the mid-2000s.

The most common interior problem is a squeaking driver's seat. Most often, the source of the squeak is the vertical adjustment mechanism. Less frequently, the squeak occurs due to a cracked frame or loosened threaded connections under the seat.

A serial problem of the Grand Vitara is condensation from the air conditioning system entering the cabin. Usually, moisture appears on the carpet on the front passenger side. In two-liter and facelifted models, the cause is the sticking of the drainage tube, preventing condensate from draining outside. The solution is quite simple: the tube passes into the engine compartment through the firewall, and it's enough to simply massage it or remove it from the fitting and clean it. Some owners insert an expansion tube into the problematic section to prevent it from sticking again.

In models with a 2.4L engine, the drainage tube is not inserted directly into the evaporator housing, but through a kind of funnel fitted onto the fitting. This connection deteriorates over time, and condensate begins to flow past the tube directly into the cabin. To fix the problem, it's necessary to partially disassemble the dashboard to access the evaporator box. The solution can be adding silicone to the funnel to improve the seal or replacing the entire construction — removing the funnel and directly connecting the drainage tube to the fitting.

Engines

1.6-liter Engine

The three-door version of the Vitara was equipped with a 1.6-liter engine paired with a manual transmission, all-wheel drive, but without a low-range gear. This engine cannot be called ideal — it tends to consume excessive oil and occasionally may experience a blown head gasket.

2.0-liter Engine J20A

In five-door versions, the base engine is the 2.0-liter gasoline engine J20A. One of its weaknesses is the timing chains. The design uses two chains — upper and lower, and consequently, two tensioners. On some engines, chain noise becomes noticeable as early as 80,000 km, but usually this occurs closer to 150,000 km. Replacement with new chains solves the problem only temporarily — they also begin to make noise after a similar mileage.

At around 200,000 km, the two-liter engine usually begins to consume oil, mainly due to worn valve stem seals. This requires an expensive cylinder head overhaul.

It's worth noting that this engine does not have hydraulic lifters. Valve clearances usually require adjustment after 200,000 km. The adjustment procedure is quite complex — it's necessary to lift the camshafts and install pushers of the required size.

There is a known problem with bearing shell spin at high mileages. Experts and Suzuki enthusiasts recommend maintaining the oil level in the two-liter engine at the maximum mark, as the bearing problem is often caused by insufficient oil volume in the system, which in turn can be a consequence of increased oil consumption. It's also noted that the oil pickup is positioned relatively high, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining the maximum oil level.

2.4-liter Engine

The 2.4-liter engine has a somewhat different design — only one chain is used in the timing drive. It also lacks durability and begins to make noise after approximately 150,000 km. This engine can also consume oil, including due to worn valve stem seals.

Until 2009, this engine had a problem with crack formation in the cylinder block between the second and third cylinders. Because of this, coolant could leak out from the exhaust manifold side. This problem is potentially dangerous, as it can lead to engine overheating due to critically low coolant levels. Suzuki acknowledged this problem and replaced cylinder blocks under warranty, and one could contact any official dealer even with a 10-year-old car.

Another weakness of 2.4-liter engines is the tensioner pulley for the accessory belt, which usually lasts about 50,000 km. The problem lies in the wear of the axis on which the tensioner pulley pivots. As a result, the pulley skews, and the belt can slip off. Some enthusiasts modify the tensioner, mounting the axis on needle bearings, which significantly increases reliability.

2.7-liter Engine

Before the first facelift, the cars were equipped with a Japanese 2.7-liter engine. This is a very reliable unit, but after approximately 150,000 km, it's time to replace the timing chains. This engine uses three chains, and the minimum set for their replacement includes 18 parts (not counting gaskets and other consumables).

3.2-liter Engine (GM)

From 2009, the Grand Vitara began to be equipped with a 3.2-liter engine produced by General Motors. This engine is distinguished by high reliability, and the timing chains last more than 200,000 km. The procedure for their replacement is also not too complex or expensive. The only drawback is the small number of such cars in the secondary market.

Diesel Engines

The Grand Vitara was also offered with a Renault F9Q turbodiesel engine. This is a decent unit with a Common Rail system. To ensure a long service life, it's recommended to replace the connecting rod bearings about every 200,000 km, as there are cases of their spinning.

Transmission

Manual Transmission

Manual transmissions on the Suzuki Grand Vitara are known for problems with engaging first gear. This malfunction can manifest as early as 80-90 thousand kilometers. Owners have noticed that if you first engage third gear and then first, shifting is easier. The problem may be caused by wear of the shift gate, malfunction of the release bearing, or may require clutch bleeding. If engagement of first, second, and third gears is difficult, the entire clutch assembly will likely need replacement.

Automatic Transmission

If the Grand Vitara is equipped with an automatic transmission, it is most often a 4-speed Aisin Warner AW03-72L. This transmission has exceptional reliability and can last up to a million kilometers without serious problems.

Versions with the 3.2-liter engine are equipped with a 5-speed Aisin Warner A750E automatic transmission, which is also highly reliable.

Overall, automatic transmissions on the Grand Vitara rarely cause complaints and are one of the most reliable parts of the vehicle.

All-wheel Drive System

The Grand Vitara's all-wheel drive system is very reliable and does not use unreliable clutches for engaging all-wheel drive. In the five-door version, rear-wheel drive is used by default. Using the selector, you can engage 4H (all-wheel drive) and 4L (all-wheel drive with low range) modes, as well as activate the center differential lock. In three-door versions, only all-wheel drive is used by default.

At high mileages (around 200,000 km), replacement of differential and transfer case seals may be required. If the transmission modes are not switched for an extended period (about 2 months), the servo drive may seize. In this case, it must be removed and cleaned. At high mileages, the servo drive may fail, requiring its replacement or restoration (replacement of gears and electric motor).

The drive shafts are equipped with constant velocity joints (CV joints), which are fairly well protected against damage and moisture ingress. Only non-original CV joints can be purchased separately. It should be noted that facelifted models use front drive shafts with CV joints that differ from pre-facelift versions. Before the facelift, both CV joints of the front drive shaft were identical.

The front differential can fail due to water ingress when fording deep water obstacles. Its service life substantially depends on the vehicle's operating conditions. The breather, through which water can enter the differential, is recommended to be extended and routed higher than the possible water level, which will significantly increase the reliability of the unit. When water enters the differential, bearings are the first to suffer. All parts of the front differential can be purchased separately.

Steering and Braking System

A common problem with the Grand Vitara is leakage from the upper steering rack seal (power steering seal). Replacing this seal usually requires removing the rack, but some experienced mechanics manage to remove the distributor from above under the hood without dismantling the entire rack. The seal and O-ring can be purchased as part of a steering rack repair kit or separately.

Brake calipers require annual maintenance, especially if the vehicle is frequently used off-road. A common problem is seized caliper guides, which can lead to uneven wear of brake pads and discs.

Suspension

The Grand Vitara's suspension is fully independent. Typical consumable parts are the stabilizer bar links and bushings. They have a relatively short service life — about 10-20 thousand kilometers.

McPherson struts are used at the front. The front control arms are quite expensive in their original form, as the rear bushing and ball joint are not sold separately. Therefore, owners often install more affordable non-original arms. Arm replacement is usually required due to wear of the rear bushing.

Some experienced owners solve the problem by repressing a bushing from the Hyundai Tucson. The ball joints on the Grand Vitara are welded to the arms, they cannot be easily replaced, and they are not sold separately in either original or non-original form. Enthusiasts have developed a method for adapting these arms to use ball joints from the Toyota Highlander. The need to replace the arms usually arises at a mileage of around 150,000 km.

The rear suspension of the Grand Vitara is multi-link. In many high-mileage vehicles, the camber bolts in the upper arms need to be cut off. Above the steering knuckle, there is a ball joint that also cannot be replaced separately and is not sold at all. These arms usually last up to 300,000 km, but the cost of original parts is quite high.

Wheel bearings, especially rear ones, are not distinguished by longevity. Both original and non-original replacement options are available.

Operating Recommendations

Suzuki Grand Vitara owners are advised to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the main cooling radiator. The inline four-cylinder engines of this model are prone to overheating when the radiator is contaminated.

At approximately every 150,000 km, leaks may begin through valve cover gaskets and camshaft seals. During the same period, engine mounts usually need replacement, as indicated by increased vibrations of the power unit.

When operating the vehicle, it is recommended to periodically (at least once a month) switch transmission modes to prevent the servo drive from seizing.

Special attention should be paid to the condition of the body. Timely anti-corrosion treatment and prompt repair of minor paint damage will significantly extend the service life of body elements.

Conclusion

The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a vehicle for enthusiasts who value genuine off-road qualities in a compact format. The four-cylinder engines can present certain issues, especially with inadequate cooling system maintenance. They are prone to overheating and require attentive care.

Despite potential problems, with proper care, the Grand Vitara can serve long and reliably. The main attention should be paid to the body, conducting regular anti-corrosion treatments and promptly addressing paint damage.

Owners value this vehicle for its unique combination of compact dimensions and serious off-road capabilities, provided by a real transfer case with low-range gear and differential locks. There are practically no analogues on the market that combine these qualities in the same format.

The Grand Vitara is a choice for those seeking something more than an ordinary crossover but not ready for a full-size SUV. With the right approach to maintenance and operation, this vehicle can deliver driving pleasure both on asphalt and beyond for many years.

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