2007 Suzuki XL7

FAMILY WAS TRAVELING TO TOWN WHEN WE SMELLED SOMETHING THAT SMELLED LIKE WIRES BURNING. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE SMELL DISAPPEARED. UPON LEAVING THE STOP SIGN WE WERE AT, WE TRAVELED ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE & THE DRIVER (MYSELF), STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. I THEN PULLED OVER TO FURTHER INSPECT THE VEHICLE AT WHICH TIME, I TURNED ON THE OVERHEAD LAMP IN THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS STARTING TO GET DARK, & NOTICED THAT THE WHOLE FRONT DASHBOARD AT THIS POINT, WAS GLOWING RED, ORANGE, & BLUE & THICK BLACK SMOKE WAS BOILING UP ON THE ENTIRE INSIDE WINDSHIELD & THAT THE TRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. I IMMEDIATELY GOT MY CHILDREN (TEENAGERS) OUT OF THE TRUCK & LEANED OVER TO GRAB MY PURSE & SAW THAT THERE WAS BLUE FLAMES DRIPPING DOWN FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD ONTO THE FLOOR WHERE MY FEET HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN JUST SECONDS BEFORE. WE ALL RAN AS FAST & AS FAR AS WE POSSIBLY COULD AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE TO SAFETY. WITHIN 3 MINUTES OF GETTING SAFELY OUT OF THE TRUCK (BY THE GRACE OF GOD), THE ENTIRE TRUCK WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE TRUCKS WINDOWS HAD AT THIS POINT, ALREADY HAD STARTED BLOWING OUT & SHATTERING & IT WAS SHOOTING HUGE BASKETBALL SIZE FIREBALLS OUT OF THE TOP OF THE TRUCK INTO THE FIELDS THAT WERE BESIDE THE ROAD WE WERE ON. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AT 4 MINUTES AFTER THE TRUCK HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, & THE FLAMES WERE NEARLY 30 TO 40 FEET ABOVE THE TRUCK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE FIRE CHIEF, DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND/OR MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE TRUCK ITSELF. I AM JUST VERY THANKFUL TO THE GOOD LORD THAT WE ALL GOT OUT SAFELY. IF, I HAD KEPT DRIVING, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT WE ALL COULD HAVE PASSED OUT FROM SMOKE INHALATION & POSSIBLY LOST OUR LIVES THAT NIGHT. I JUST WANTED OTHERS TO BE AWARE OF THIS VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI XL7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT A PARKING SPACE, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD HARDLY STEER THE VEHICLE AND WOULD HAVE TO ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN ORDER TO REGAIN SOME TYPE OF CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION, AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI XL7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS STRETCHED AND THE FAILURE HAD BEEN PRESENT SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

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

I PURCHASED MY 2007 X7 NEW FROM A DEALERSHIP THAT CLOSED WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE PURCHASE (THAT SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME SOMETHING) FORTUNATELY, I HAVEN'T HAD ANY MAJOR ISSUES SINCE THE PURCHASE UNTIL RECENTLY. THANK GOODNESS, BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY 2 SUZUKI DEALERSHIPS WITHIN 120 MILES OF ME. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE POWER STEERING HAS BECOME VERY SLUGGISH AND DIFFICULT TO TURN, AND MAKES A LOT OF NOISE WHENEVER I TURN. IN READING THE MANY OTHER VEHICLE COMPLAINTS, I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I'VE BEEN TO ONE OF THE 2 DEALERSHIPS IN ALL OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW STEERING GEAR BOX, WHICH WOULD RUN ABOUT $800+ . THIS VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 68000 MILES ON IT, AND OF COURSE ALTHOUGH IT HAS AN 80,000 POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE XL7, SUZUKI WILL NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM UNDER THIS WARRANTY. I HOPE THE NHTSA WILL HELP REPRESENT THE MANY SUZUKI OWNERS WHO ARE BEING SHAFTED BY THIS COMPANY'S APPARENT LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF IT'S CUSTOMERS. THERE SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL OF VEHICLES IMPACTED BY THIS ISSUE. I WILL NEVER BUY A SUZUKI AGAIN! *TR

I WAS DRIVING AROUND THE SCHOOL, WAITING TO PICK UP MY KIDS AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE CORNER MY STEERING LOCKED UP. I COULD HARDLY MOVE THE WHEEL AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I THOUGHT I HAD SOMETHING CAUGHT IN MY TIRES, WHICH REALLY SCARED ME BEING NEAR A SCHOOL. I GOT OUT AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, BUT WHEN I GOT IN AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE, I COULDN'T STEER WELL AT ALL. AFTER SOME TIME DRIVING WITH THIS CONDITION, I REALIZED THAT I COULD STEER BETTER IF I ACCELERATED INTO THE CURVE, BUT THAT DOESN'T SEEM VERY SAFE, ESPECIALLY ON ICY ROADS. MY STEERING ALWAYS HAD A LITTLE "GROWL" TO IT, BUT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT GOT MUCH LOUDER. I HAVE READ ON THIS PAGE AND OTHERS THAT OTHER SUZUKI XL7'S HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE, THERE WAS EVEN A RECALL ON THE 2006 MODEL, BUT THEY ARE NOT HELPING ON THE 2007 MODEL. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE THREE KIDS THAT I NEED TO DRIVE AROUND AND I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO KEEP SINKING INTO THIS CAR. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AT 70,000 MILES, WHICH IS ALSO RIDICULOUS. I CONTINUE TO HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE AS WELL. AT ONE POINT LAST YEAR, MY CAR TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND TRY TO RESTART IT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, IT DID START, BUT THEY COULDN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM OR TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG. MY BATTERY ALSO KEEPS DYING, THE FACTORY CD PLAYER THINKS IT HAS A CD IN IT AND WON'T WORK, THE TEMPERATURE DISPLAY IS NEVER CORRECT, AND THE FRONT TIRE PRESSURE DISPLAYS ON THE REAR TIRES. NOT TO MENTION THAT THE OIL CHANGE TECH'S RARELY CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO RESET THE INDICATOR IN THIS MODEL. EXTREMELY POOR DESIGN/PARTS. I CAN LIVE WITH THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE DISPLAYS, BUT PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THIS STEERING ISSUE - IT IS NOT SAFE, AND IT IS HAPPENING TO LOTS OF US! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SUZUKI. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 XL-7 & THE METAL STEM LEADING FROM TPMS SENSOR IN THE TIRE JUST BROKE OFF WHICH RESULTED IN A BLOW OUT ON THE TIRE. HAD I NOT HAVE STOPPED OR BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED LIKE ON THE INTERSTATE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. I DID SOME RESEARCH & FOUND SEVERAL BLOGS OF PEOPLE REPORTING THIS TO BE A PROBLEM. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! *TR

HEARING A NOISE IN THE STEERING, REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP ALONG WITH OTHER SERVICE ISSUES IN FEB. 2011..WAS TOLD THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON WITH THE POWER STEERING DID NOT HAVE REPAIRED DUE TO COST QUOTED AT THAT TIME.... REPORTED AGAIN TODAY -11/11/11 AT DEALERSHIP AND AM NOW TOLD THAT THE COMPONENTS IN THE STEERING GEAR ARE BAD, AND IS NOT WARRANTIED. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THESE COMPONENTS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO GO BAD? WELL WHAT CAUSED IT THEN, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN WHY WON'T SUZUKI DO SOMETHING?? I WAS QUOTED A REPAIR COST OF $800!. CANNOT HAVE REPAIRED TODAY DUE TO THE COST. I ASKED QUESTION IF THE MANUFACTURER WOULD ASSIST WITH THE COST, WAS TOLD NO. I SEE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE BY SUZUKI..IS THERE A CLASS ACTION SUIT OUT THERE REGARDING THIS? WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET ONE STARTED. OR MAYBE THIS MAY FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW? OR WAS THIS EVER A RECALL ISSUE? VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH SUZUKI, I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2007 AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS!. ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANKS *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI XL7. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND ALL OF THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED. AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS, THE DOORS WERE EVENTUALLY UNLOCKED BY A PERSON ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE USING THE KEY FOB. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT HAD NOT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE ONE TIME OCCURRENCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATED 12/20/11*LJ UPDATED 01/19/12