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2002 Suzuki XL-7

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Suzuki XL-7 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 26.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all XL-7 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

23 reports with mileage · 12 unknown

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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Steering complaints

4 reports
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115,420 miles · Oct 17, 2014
Steering

THIS 2002 SUZUKI XL7 LIMITED STARTED TO HAVE TOUCHY STEERING AT 55 MPH AND UP. IT IS SO SENSITIVE THAT IT CAN EVEN CHANGE LANES. WHEN THE STEERING ACTS UP THE WHOLE VEHICLE VIBRATES. I HAD NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT AND CHECKED FOR ANY SLACK IN ANYTHING UNDER THE VEHICLE AND IT CHECKED OUT GOOD. I HAVE CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND …

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THIS 2002 SUZUKI XL7 LIMITED STARTED TO HAVE TOUCHY STEERING AT 55 MPH AND UP. IT IS SO SENSITIVE THAT IT CAN EVEN CHANGE LANES. WHEN THE STEERING ACTS UP THE WHOLE VEHICLE VIBRATES. I HAD NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT AND CHECKED FOR ANY SLACK IN ANYTHING UNDER THE VEHICLE AND IT CHECKED OUT GOOD. I HAVE CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME OF THE PEOPLE SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND OTHER PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10648401

80,000 miles · Oct 11, 2012
Engine And Engine CoolingSteeringStructure

AC COMPRESSOR WENT OUT TWICE IN MY 2002 SUZUKI XL-7. ONCE IN AUGUST 2009 AND AGAIN IN MAY 2012. I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE IT WAS A PRETTY HOT SUMMER. IT ASSUME IF THE CAR LAST ANOTHER FEW YEARS, I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. HOW ANNOYING! ALSO, AFTER THE SUMMER MONTHS, DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN I NEED TO TUR…

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AC COMPRESSOR WENT OUT TWICE IN MY 2002 SUZUKI XL-7. ONCE IN AUGUST 2009 AND AGAIN IN MAY 2012. I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE IT WAS A PRETTY HOT SUMMER. IT ASSUME IF THE CAR LAST ANOTHER FEW YEARS, I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. HOW ANNOYING! ALSO, AFTER THE SUMMER MONTHS, DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN I NEED TO TURN ON THE HEAT, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I GOT THIS TESTED AND IT HAD TO DO WITH THE AC COMPRESSOR. THIS MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THE XL-7 COMPRESSOR IS DUAL. IT'S RUNS AC AND HEAT. POWER STEERING HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR THE PAST YEAR. I WOULD ADD POWER STEERING FLUID EVERY TWO WEEKS OR SO. BUT NOW IT'S PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. I HAVE TO ADD FLUID EVERY OTHER DAY. FRONT AND BACK BUMPER IS DISPLAYING CORROSION. IT LOOKS LIKE THE METAL HINGES THAT HOLD UP THE BUMPERS ARE WEARING AND YOU CAN SEE IT. THIS CAR WAS NOT BUILT TO LAST. I FORESEE MANY MORE ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10479723

59,000 miles · May 13, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentSteering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUZUKI XL-7. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND. THE AIR CONDITIONING SHUT OFF AND SHE EXITED OFF THE INTERSTATE. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO TURN PROPERLY. SHE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT, BUT THE FAILURES CONTIN…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUZUKI XL-7. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND. THE AIR CONDITIONING SHUT OFF AND SHE EXITED OFF THE INTERSTATE. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO TURN PROPERLY. SHE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE TO A SERVICE STATION AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ISSUE MAY HAVE BEEN THE POWER STEERING. SHE PURCHASED FLUID, BUT ANOTHER MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BELT FAILED. THE CONTACT WENT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND A MECHANIC REPLACED THE BELT. SHE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $2,500. SHE WENT TO AN AUTO SERVICE SHOP AND THE MECHANIC DISABLED THE AIR CONDITIONING MECHANISM BECAUSE IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A SAFETY HAZARD, IF ACTIVATED. THE COMPRESSOR HAS NOT YET BEEN REPLACED. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.

NHTSA ODI #10268646

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2005
Steering

VEHICLE DOES NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT AND WANDERS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MANY TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NO FIX. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10139131

Official recalls

2

05V452000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor

Oct 5, 2005

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 16-INCH WHEELS, THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS MAY BREAK UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE BREAKAGE CAN OCCUR IN CONDITIONS WHERE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON A REGULAR BASIS ON EXTREMELY STEEP PAVED DOWN-SLOPES WHILE CONTINUOUSLY APPLYING THE BRAKES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE FRONT BRAKES MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE AND THE VEHICLE MAY PULL TO ONE SIDE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS ON THESE VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2005. THESE VEHICLES ARE LOCATED ON ST. THOMAS ISLAND (VIRGIN ISLANDS). OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI DEL CARIBE AT 787-622-0600.

03V512000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Dec 5, 2003

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE CASING CAP THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FIREWALL CAN CRACK DUE TO EXTENDED EXPOSURE TO FORCES FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND INSUFFICIENT LONG-TERM DURABILITY OF THE PLASTIC CASING CAP. IF THE CASING CAP BECOMES CRACKED, MOVEMENT OF THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE THROUGH THE CAP CAN CAUSE THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE TO BECOME FRAYED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE INNER ACCELERATOR CABLE BECOMES FRAYED, IT CAN STICK DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IN THE CASE WHERE AN ACCELERATOR CABLE STICKS, THE DRIVER COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE SPEED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE, WHICH INCLUDES THE PLASTIC CASING CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.