Most common 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems
Share of the 161 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Suzuki Grand Vitara complaints by model year
Best Grand Vitara years: 2013, 2004, 2009. Years to avoid: 2006, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2002. Compare all years →
2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara recalls (6)
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kizashi and 2006-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat may shrink due to high humidity and high temperature.
Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist system
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicles. The power steering pump belt tension adjuster pulley has an outer portion that is made of plastic. Repeated heat stress can cause the plastic material to deteriorate, causing pieces of the pulley to break off.
Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018.
Air bags
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat.
Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the OCS sensor mat) free of charge.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Pump
Suzuki is recalling certain model year model year 2006 grand vitara and model year 2005-2006 xl-7 vehicles. The tension adjuster pulley for the drive belt that operates the power steering pump and air conditioner compressor (if equipped) has an outer portion that is made of plastic.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley free of charge. The safety recall began on June 28, 2010. Owners May contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift
Certain vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, 'theft protection. ' the automatic transmission selector lever "park" lock function May be inoperative due to a sticking shift lock arm.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the shift lock module free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2008. Owners May contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
On certain passenger vehicles, the left side of the retainer rear drive shaft May crack and the gears May get stuck due to oil leakage by the retainer.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left side of the retainer rear drive shaft. Suzuki will call owners on or about December 15, 2005. Followup letters to owners were mailed on February 13, 2006.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara:
Occupant Classification System Failure
Suzuki Motor of America is conducting a safety recall to remedy the occupant classification system's (OCS) sensor mats in approximately 193,936 model year 2006-2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 Suzuki SX4 vehicles (see NHTSA recall 13V-405 for more details).The sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat can develop an electrical circuit disconnection as a result of repeated flexing of the seat from use of…
What 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara owners say
Air bags all 50 →
The contact owns a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The contact stated that the door ajar warning light was constantly illuminated while the doors were securely closed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front passenger's side occupant classification system sensor was inoperable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
I was involved in a front end collision where I t-boned another vehicle and my 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara became immobilized because the impact was so hard that the driveline broke. But the driver airbag did not deploy at all!
Lights all 31 →
The contact owns a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the headlight bulbs several times; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
I bought this car used one year ago and have had to change the low beam lights twice and now they are out again. At night I drive with the high beams on and they are so weak no one can tell. Last month the engine started surging making the car try to take off wether in neutral, park or drive. I have to hold the brake very strongly to keep the car from taking off. This is extremely dangerous for obvious reasons and someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed because Suzuki will not acknowledge or fix this problem. This will be my last Suzuki product ever. I can't afford to get another vehicle right now so I'm having to drive this nightmare daily.
Electrical system all 26 →
I bought this car used one year ago and have had to change the low beam lights twice and now they are out again. At night I drive with the high beams on and they are so weak no one can tell. Last month the engine started surging making the car try to take off wether in neutral, park or drive. I have to hold the brake very strongly to keep the car from taking off. This is extremely dangerous for obvious reasons and someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed because Suzuki will not acknowledge or fix this problem. This will be my last Suzuki product ever. I can't afford to get another vehicle right now so I'm having to drive this nightmare daily.
We have had severe headlight issues with this 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara since we purchased it. The wiring harness for the headlights continue to melt even after being replaced 3 times! The dealership or Suzuki motors have been of any help and offer zero assistance with the problem. A quick search online of Grand Vitara headlight issues will get thousands of results. I am confident that Suzuki is well aware of this issue, but simply refuses to issue a recall notice because it will cost them many millions of dollars in repairs. My headlight caught fire driving down the interstate and I could have been killed due to their faulty equipment. This is a problem that a gov't agency needs to make Suzuki fix. This could cause accidents and could be fatal if headlights are bursting in to flames. I suggest anyone who has headlight harness sockets that are melting...not drive the vehicle! …
2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 21 / 19 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara a good car?
Based on 161 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Grand Vitara rates avoid: 4.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Grand Vitara at the same age. It is one of the Grand Vitara years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara?
The air bags — 50 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the lights (31) and electrical system (26).
How many recalls does the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara, the most recent from March 7, 2019 (occupant classification). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Suzuki Grand Vitara?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2004 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 1999, 2000, 2007 and 2002. See the full Suzuki Grand Vitara years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 48,000 miles; 52% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.