The airbag system defect light went on and stayed on. The diagnosis from an authorized former Suzuki dealer (Lincoln of Wayne, Wayne, New Jersey), charging approximately $270 for the diagnosis, was that the occupant sensing pad including the bottom seat on the passenger side had failed. This particular part had already been replaced under an the federal safety agency-related safety recall campaign approximately three years ago. The replaced part had not previously actually failed, but now the replacement part has failed. Contacting Suzuki headquarters in California, I found that they were saying the replacement part needed is not in stock and if it were in stock, they would be charging approximately $2700 for the part not including installation. Please contact Suzuki of America and have them produce more of the part and fund a campaign to replace the faulty replacement parts. Thank you.
The worst 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags7
- Seats2
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags7
- Seats2
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
- Lights1
- Seat belts1
- Steering1
- Transmission1
Recalls 2
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, an incorrect classification may result in the passenger frontal air bag deploying even if there is a child in the front passenger seat, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019. All second letters notifying owners of the remedy were mailed by April 10, 2020. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1‑800‑934‑0934. Suzuki's numbers for this recall are 4011 and 4012.
Recall number 19V187000 · Recall details
Power train: manual transmission
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- If the transmission cannot be shifted, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the gear shift rear shaft, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1‑800‑934‑0934. Suzuki's number for this recall is VZ.
Recall number 17V085000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara 2
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | RWD | 19 | 24-25 | 21-22 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 19 | 23 | 20 |
What 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Takata recall. My suzuki grand vitara 2012 has the airbag light on for about 3 months. I call for two times to the dealer that suzuki factory delegate the services, but they tell me that my vehicle VIN number is not in the list. I use that car to take my wife to her quimios and I and afraid that she is hurt with the malfunction of the airbag.
Seatbelt light stays on all the time.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 suzuki grand vitara. The contact stated that the steering wheel was loose when turned in either direction. The vehicle was not diagnosed by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was contacted later and informed of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. *tt the consumer stated contact the manufacturer about 02/02/2018 & 02/03/2018 in reference to the defect.
Trouble code b1312 ocm sensor mat fault. Air bag and passenger seat belt indicator light are on all the time.
The airbag light is on. Started my car in the morning and it just suddenly lit.
On september 12 2016 aproximately at 2:00am my wife was impacted on the drivers side door waiting for the green light. The vehicle was at a stanstill when a jeep late 90s model hit her full force on the drivers side door, luckily the fortification of the bar inside the door that goes across took the blunt of the impact and my wife only came out with minoir bruises and cuts from the drivers window. Neither the drivers airbag or the passenger airbag deployed and that concerns me because the vehicle wass estimated to be going around 40mph when it impacted my wifes car. Ive notified my local dealer where suzuki vehicles are dealt with and its been said that since theres no recall theres nothing to be done.
I own a 2012 suzuki grand vitara with 38,000 miles. The manual transmission linkage broke while the vehicle was in motion. I was rounding a corner and preparing to downshift in order to negotiate a large hill on a main street. I grabbed the gearshift depressed the clutch to downshift into 4th gear when I pulled the gear shift back into the 4th gear position there was a noticeable pop and the the gearshift was extremely loose. I let out on the clutch and realized that the vehicle was still in 5th gear. The gearshift was obviously no longer connected to the transmission but I was able to take back streets to our mechanic's shop while avoiding all stop lights. This in my opinion should be a factory recall due to the fact that this is a significant failure of a critical component. I have owned other standard transmission vehicles and in the 12 years I owned my last vehicle I never had any issues with this particular problem.
I am having problems with front low beam headlights, have had to replace them four times in the last year and half. It also affects the interior light of the vehicle and the climate control panel making the heat/cool controls unable to work properly. And the fuel door release lever doesn't open the fuel door.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 suzuki grand vitara. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor was damaged and needed replacement. The extended warranty did not cover electrical failures. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was invalid. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.
Compare the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara
Other model years
199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013
Questions about the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara
Is the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara reliable?
Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara, fewer than a typical Grand Vitara model year.
What is the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara year score?
The 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara scores 83 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Suzuki Grand Vitara: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara?
Airbags, with 7 complaints, typically around 46,000 miles. Next is seats (2).
How many recalls does the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara have?
2 recalls, covering air bags and power train.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara airbags?
Yes, 1 recall: 19V187000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Suzuki Grand Vitara have bad airbags?
The Suzuki Grand Vitara model years with the most airbags complaints are 2006 (50 complaints), 2007 (19 complaints) and 1999 (12 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara get?
Official estimates for the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara range from 20 to 22 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.4L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 19 city and 24-25 highway.
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