2003 Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL ARE AT THE PROPER ELEVATION TO PRESS THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH ONE FOOT. BECAUSE IT IS REAR WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, THE CAR SPEEDS UP WHEN THAT HAPPENS. THIS IS A TYPICAL ENGINEERING FLAW THAT HAPPENS WITH MANY VEHICLES ("HE THOUGHT HE WAS STEPPING ON THE BRAKE WHEN HE RAN INTO THE CROWD OF PEOPLE..."). THE FRONT ANTI-LOCK BRAKES RELEASE WHEN THE REAR WHEELS WANT TO KEEP TURNING. WITH REGULAR BRAKES, ONE CAN STILL OVERCOME THE FORCE OF THE ENGINE AND STOP A CAR. I RAN INTO A HOUSE TRAILER BECAUSE OF THE CAR ACCELERATED WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE! THE PROBLEM CAN BE ENGINEERED OUT. I HAVE NOT YET FOUND A WAY TO DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION TO ANY NATIONAL SAFETY COMMITTEE. IT IS PROBABLY A COMMON PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE WHO USE ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE OTHER FOOT ON THE GAS.

I HAD BOUGHT A USED SUZUKI AUTO FROM ENTERPRISE RENTAL CARS. IN MID-JUNE 2005 I WAS RETURNING TO PHILA. ON I-95 AFTER TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO CAMP IN MASSACHUSETTS. JUST OUTSIDE DARIEN, CONN. ALL THE POWER ON THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AN 18-WHEELER WAS BARRELING DOWN ON ME IN THE CENTER LANE BUT FORTUNATELY FOR ME THE LANE TO MY RIGHT WAS EMPTY AND THE SHOULDER WAS WIDE ENOUGH FOR ME TO PULL OVER. AFTER SPENDING THE NIGHT IN DARIEN AND HAVING A REPAIR SHOP TOW THE CAR, THE MECHANIC SAID THERE HAD BEEN A BLOWN FUSE. HE REPLACED THE FUSE AND GAVE ME A SPARE AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REPLACE IT IF I NEEDED TO ON MY WAY HOME. AFTER I GOT BACK TO PHILA., I TOOK THE CAR TO MY NEAREST SUZUKI DEALER. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM WHICH HE SAID WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THAT ENTERPRISE HAD NEVER TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM, BY THE WAY, WAS THAT A WIRES RUBBER COATING HAD BEEN ABRADED DUE TO RUBBING AGAINST THE CHASSIS OF THE CAR. ONCE THE WIRE WAS EXPOSED, ITS TOUCHING THE METAL FRAME CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (INCLUDING THE ACCELERATOR) TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. I DON'T FAULT SUZUKI BUT RATHER ENTERPRISE CAR RENTALS FOR NOT ALLOWING THE CAR TO BE SERVICED BY SUZUKI WHEN THEY WERE GIVEN THE RECALL NOTICE AND THEN SELLING IT TO ME WITHOUT TELLING ME ANYTHING ABOUT THE RECALL OR WHAT THEY DID ABOUT THE RECALL.. AFTER I GOT BACK TO PHILA., I TOOK THE CAR TO MY NEAREST SUZUKI DEALER. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM WHICH HE SAID WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THAT ENTERPRISE HAD NEVER TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM, BY THE WAY, WAS THAT A WIRES RUBBER COATING HAD BEEN ABRADED DUE TO RUBBING AGAINST THE CHASSIS OF THE CAR. ONCE THE WIRE WAS EXPOSED, ITS TOUCHING THE METAL FRAME CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (INCLUDING THE ACCELERATOR) TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. *TR

DT: THE BRAKES ARE SQUEAKING, AND THE TECHNICIAN CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AND WERE STILL SQUEAKING. THE FRONT SHOCKS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE REAR SHOCKS NOT WORKING WELL, AND THIS WAS NORMAL. AIR CONDITIONER (A/C) WAS NOT COOLING. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE ANYMORE.*AK

FAILURE ON BRAKES, ACCELERATOR, ALARM, LIGHTS AND PROBLEMS WITH THE CARPET. *MR THE BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR WERE RECALLED. THE BRAKES MADE A LOUD NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ALARMED FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ABOUT TEN TIMES IN REFERENCE TO THE ALARM. THE DOOR AJAR CHIME DID NOT WORK. THE CARPET WAS LOOSE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT TWO MONTHS BEFORE IT WAS FIXED. *NM