The Suzuki Sidekick has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1989–1997. On average a defect was admitted 2.88 years after the car was built, the slowest took 6 years. The most recalled system is Suspension (2 campaigns). Owners also filed 156 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Suzuki Sidekick
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Suspension 2 Read
What's wrong. 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
Risk. If the strut broke loose, a driver could lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. 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
What's wrong. 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
Risk. If the strut broke loose, a driver could lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. 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
What's wrong. The right rear and left axle shaft housing tubes were incorrectly welded and can fracture. Fracture of the rear axle shaft housing can result in separation of the affected wheel assembly and separation of the brake line
Risk. Separation of the wheel assembly can cause loss of vehicle control and separation of the brake line results in loss of one-half ofthe braking system, increasing stopping distance. In either case, an accidentcan occur
Fix. Dealers will inspect the welds of the rear axle assemblies on involved vehicles and, if necessary, replace the complete rear axle assembly
Fuel System, Gasoline 1 Read
What's wrong. 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."
Risk. Consequence of non-compliance: if an ignition source was present, fuel leakage resulting from this puncture could result in a post-crash fire
Fix. Dealers will install two new shield gussets between the fuel tank and attachment brackets to prevent the reinforcement from puncturing the fuel tank wall
Seat Belts 1 Read
What's wrong. The front safety belt buckle release buttons can break. These red plastic release buttons are marked "press." if a button breaks, pieces can fall into the buckle assembly causing the buckle to operate improperly
Risk. The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash
Fix. Owners should promptly check the condition and operation of both front safety belt buckles and carefully inspect the red release button for any breaks or cracks. They should ensure that both buckles are operating properly by inserting each latch plate into its buckle, tugging on the belt to make sure the latch is…
What's wrong. The front safety belt buckle release buttons can break. These red plastic release buttons are marked "press." if a button breaks, pieces can fall into the buckle assembly causing the buckle to operate improperly
Risk. The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash
Fix. Owners should promptly check the condition and operation of both front safety belt buckles and carefully inspect the red release button for any breaks or cracks. They should ensure that both buckles are operating properly by inserting each latch plate into its buckle, tugging on the belt to make sure the latch is…
What's wrong. The front safety belt buckle release buttons can break. These red plastic release buttons are marked "press." if a button breaks, pieces can fall into the buckle assembly causing the buckle to operate improperly
Risk. The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash
Fix. Owners should promptly check the condition and operation of both front safety belt buckles and carefully inspect the red release button for any breaks or cracks. They should ensure that both buckles are operating properly by inserting each latch plate into its buckle, tugging on the belt to make sure the latch is…
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 2.88 years |
| Slowest campaign | 6 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 25% |
| Campaigns on record | 4 |
Which Sidekick years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Suspension | |
| 1996 | Suspension | |
| 1994 | Suspension | |
| 1993 | Suspension | |
| 1991 | Seat Belts | |
| 1990 | Seat Belts | |
| 1989 | Seat Belts |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Suzuki Sidekick have?
4 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1989–1997. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my Sidekick still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 2.88 years, and the slowest campaign came 6 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.