IllustrationTHIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS THAT I'LL NEED TO HAVE MY CLUTCH REPAIRED/REPLACED. IT WILL NOT GO INTO 1ST OR REVERSE WITHOUT USING EXCESSIVE FORCE. PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW BARELY GOES UP AND DOWN-IT'S BEEN REPAIRED BEFORE. REAR PASSENGER SIDE PANEL FALLING OFF CAR.
1996 Suzuki Sidekick
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sidekick years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 59 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
59 reportsCLUTCH WELD ATTACHMENT BROKEN: PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR UPON STARTING THE ENGINE. REOCCURING SIGNS OF "STICKING" OCCURED WHILE UP-SHIFTING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY SAFETY WAS IN JEOPORDY! CAR WOULD NOT HAVE STARTED-UP AGAIN, IF THE PEDAL BROKE DURING ANY TRIP.
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. CONSUMER HAS HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
AIR CONDITIONER LEAKING/CONDENSATION THRU THE VENTS CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
CONSUMER WAS SITTING IN PARKING LOT WITH ENGINE ON, HEARD LOUD HISSING NOISE, SMELLED FOUL ODOR, AND NOTICED THAT PROPELANT OR CHEMICALS OF AIRBAG WAS BEING RELEASED INSIDE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE VARIOUS MILES OCCUPANT BEGAN TO STEP ON THE BRAKE THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, STILL GOING THE SAME RATE OF SPEED. OCCUPANT HAS TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE POWER DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *AK
PULLEY ASSEMBLY PLATE DESIGN WAS NOT THICK ENOUGH FOR AMOUNT OF PRESSURE RECEIVED, RESULTING IN PULLY TO BE BROKEN AWAY FROM ENGINE BLOCK DAMAGING COMPONENTS WITHIN ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN VEHICLE BEGAN TO DEACCELERATE AT APPROXIMATLEY 25 MPH. DEFECT WITHIN BRAKES CAUSED SMOKE AND BRAKES TO LOCK UP, RESULTING IN POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS/CALPIRS AND BRAKES. *AK
COMPLETE FAILURE OF INBOARD PADS EVERY 15,000 MILES.
Official recalls
200V008000 · Suspension
Jan 20, 2000
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STRUT BROKE LOOSE, A DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A REINFORCEMENT, FOR BOTH FRONT STRUTS, BETWEEN THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING BASE AND THE VEHICLE BODY. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING BASES, MOUNTING BOLTS AND NUTS, AND STRUT BAR STAYS WILL BE REPLACED.
96V121002 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Jul 2, 1996
THE FUEL TANK ON THESE VEHICLES CAN BECOME PUNCTURED BY A FUEL TANK FLANGE ATTACHMENT REINFORCEMENT DURING REAR-END COLLISIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL TANK INTEGRITY."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, FUEL LEAKAGE RESULTING FROM THIS PUNCTURE COULD RESULT IN A POST-CRASH FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL TWO NEW SHIELD GUSSETS BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND ATTACHMENT BRACKETS TO PREVENT THE REINFORCEMENT FROM PUNCTURING THE FUEL TANK WALL.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.