1999 Suzuki Vitara Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 1999 Suzuki Vitara, and owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 1999 Suzuki Vitara
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Switch (exterior lighting)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles have an inoperative brake lamp-actuating switch. If the brake lamp-actuating switch does not function properly when the brake pedal is depressed, the brake lights may be inoperative. On vehicles equipped with automatic transaxle, a failure in the brake lamp-actuating switch…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch assembly.
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Radio/tape deck/cd etc. (equipment)
Vehicle description: 2-door passenger vehicles. During port installation of rear stereo speakers, the vehicles wiring harness could have been pinched between the rear stereo speaker and speaker retaining plate.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the position/condition of the rear wiring harness and repair the wiring harness, if necessary.
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Anchorage (seat belts)
Vehicle description: 2-door passenger vehicles. During port installation of rear stereo speakers, the front seat belt lower anchor bolts were removed to facilitate the rear speaker installation and may not have been torqued to specification after installation of the speakers.
Remedy: Dealers will retorque both of the front seat belt lower anchor bolts to specification.
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Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The coupling that connects the steering column shaft to the intermediate steering shaft is cracked. This could allow the steering shafts to separate.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering shaft coupling.
50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1999 Suzuki Vitara have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 109,789 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 16 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Tl*the contact owns a 1999 suzuki vitara. While driving at an unknown speed the vehicle accelerated on its own. When the contact applied the brakes they failed to engage. The vehicle continued to acce”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 9, 2010 · Vehicle speed control
“While driving at night, brakes were applied in an emergency stop to avoid hitting a deer running across the highway. There was a loud bang noise from the front of the car.anchor for the right "a" arm”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 1, 2010 · Structure
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1999 Suzuki Vitara (Vitara 2Door 2WD, Vitara 2Door 4WD, Vitara 4Door 2WD, Vitara 4Door 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 21–24 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 19–22 / 22–26 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6/2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Suzuki Vitara model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Suzuki Vitara model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 Suzuki Vitara | 4 | 50 |
| 2000 Suzuki Vitara | 0 | 35 |
| 2001 Suzuki Vitara | 0 | 27 |
| 2002 Suzuki Vitara | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 Suzuki Vitara | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 Suzuki Vitara | 1 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1999 Suzuki Vitara
How do I know if my 1999 Suzuki Vitara has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 1999 Suzuki Vitara; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Suzuki dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 98V324002).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Suzuki models
- Forenza907 complaints
- Grand Vitara639 complaints
- SX4312 complaints
- Sidekick221 complaints
- XL7217 complaints
- Verona216 complaints
- Reno173 complaints
- XL-7163 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.