Suzuki Vitara common problems & fixes (2015–2018, 2018–2020 facelift, 2020– mild hybrid, 2022– full hybrid)

Written by the C4R team from DVSA data and owner reports. Fact-checked 2026-10-13.

30-second verdict

The 2015-on Suzuki Vitara is a dependable small SUV with good owner-survey scores. Check its recalls are done and test the gears, radar and electrics. It suits buyers who want a compact, easy-to-drive five-door SUV, and the optional ALLGRIP four-wheel drive is unusual at this size. The faults owners raise most are radar brake support that warns or brakes for no reason, crunchy first and second gears on manuals, and patchy sat nav and electrics. Six recall campaigns cover braking, rear axle bolts and emissions, so check each one against the VIN. Our pick is a 1.4 Boosterjet (2016–2020) or a 1.4 48V mild hybrid (2020 on) with a full service history. Try the full hybrid's AGS gearbox in traffic before you commit.

Generations at a glance

This guide does not cover the Grand Vitara, earlier Vitara models or the electric e Vitara. The DVSA file lists older recalls under the Vitara name for cars built between 1991 and 2004, and a separate 2026 recall for the e Vitara; none of those apply to the 2015-on car.

Known issues

Owner surveys are broadly positive. Suzuki reported a 97.7% score for the 2015-on Vitara in What Car?'s 2024 reliability survey, which covered cars up to five years old. In Auto Express's 2022 Driver Power new-car survey, 12.8% of Vitara owners reported a fault, and about a fifth of those faults involved exterior paint and trim. The points below are the ones worth checking at a viewing.

1. Radar brake support warning or braking for no reason

Label: Confirmed recall R/2015/165

• What you notice: the collision warning sounds, or the car brakes by itself, near parked cars, traffic islands, skips or speed bumps. Snow over the sensor can also switch the system off and bring up a warning light.
• Which cars: the recall covers Vitaras built 07/01/2015–06/05/2015. Owner reports of false warnings or unwanted braking also cover cars outside that window, including 2016 and 2017 cars.
• Why: on the early cars, DVSA says the Radar Brake Support unit may not have been programmed correctly at the factory, may fail to recalibrate and could brake unnecessarily. On later cars, owners describe a system that is too sensitive rather than a known defect.
• Fix: the recall remedy is a reprogram of the Radar Brake Support control unit at a Suzuki dealer. Auto Express's long-term car had the update in about an hour, but the system stayed sensitive afterwards. On a later car that still warns or brakes on a clear road, ask a Suzuki dealer to check the system and its software.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5 to check recall status; the recall work is for a dealer.
• Check when buying: confirm R/2015/165 is closed on early 2015 cars. On the test drive, pass parked cars on a narrow street and note any warnings or unexpected braking.
• Evidence: the DVSA recall record; Auto Express's long-term test of a Vitara SZ5 diesel; RAC Drive's owner-survey findings; separate Carbuyer owner reviews of 2015, 2016 and 2017 cars.

2. Brake vacuum pump valve recall (2018–2019 builds)

Label: Confirmed recall R/2022/267

• What you notice: a heavier brake pedal than normal. The EU safety alert for Suzuki's matching vacuum-pump valve recall says a swollen valve can interrupt the vacuum feeding the brake servo, so the brakes keep working but you have to push the pedal noticeably harder.
• Which cars: DVSA lists Vitaras built 21/09/2018–27/05/2019. The same DVSA campaign also covers some S-Cross, Swift, Swift Sport and Baleno models.
• Why: DVSA says the check valve in the brake vacuum pump was of an unsuitable design and material.
• Fix: a Suzuki dealer replaces the vacuum pump check valve under the recall.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5 to check recall status; the fix is dealer recall work.
• Check when buying: confirm the recall has been done. With the engine running, the pedal should feel consistent each time you press it, with no sudden hardening.
• Evidence: the DVSA recall record; the EU Safety Gate alert (A12/01781/22) as summarised by Car-Recalls.eu.

3. Rear axle bolts may loosen (late-2015 builds)

Label: Confirmed recall R/2016/041

• What you notice: possibly nothing beforehand. DVSA warns that an affected bolt could work loose, drop out or snap, which could leave the car undriveable.
• Which cars: Vitaras built 29/10/2015–17/12/2015. DVSA lists the same campaign for some Swift and SX4 S-Cross models built in that window.
• Why: during production, some rear axle bolts without their anti-friction coating got mixed in with the correct ones.
• Fix: a Suzuki dealer replaces the rear axle bolts under the recall.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5 to check recall status; the fix is dealer recall work.
• Check when buying: on any car built in late 2015, ask for proof the recall is closed rather than relying on the registration date.
• Evidence: the DVSA recall record; Auto Express's used Vitara buyer's guide also lists this recall.

4. Crunchy first and second gears on manual cars

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: a crunch, grind or clunk when selecting first or second, difficulty getting second, or a generally notchy shift.
• Which cars: manual Vitaras. The named owner reports we found are on 2016 1.4 Boosterjet petrols, a 2017 1.6 diesel and a 2019 1.4 Boosterjet manual, and RAC repeats the warning in its 2018–2020 used review.
• Why: none of our sources identifies one cause, and we found no published Suzuki bulletin for it.
• Fix: have a gearbox specialist or Suzuki dealer assess the clutch and gearbox before assuming internal wear. Any internal repair means taking the gearbox out of the car.
• DIY difficulty: 2/5 to assess; 5/5 for internal gearbox work.
• Check when buying: start from cold if you can. Change up and down through first, second and third, including third to second while moving, and listen for crunching.
• Evidence: RAC Drive's used reviews say owners often reported crunchy first and second gears on manuals; separate Carbuyer owner reviews describe lower gears clunking or grinding and a crunchy second gear on 2016 1.4 petrols, trouble engaging second on a 2017 diesel and a clunky first-to-second change on a 2019 1.4 manual, and a 2016 diesel owner called the gearbox notchy.

5. Sat nav, infotainment and electrical glitches

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: sat nav that doesn't work properly, a DAB radio that loses its presets, a screen that reverts to FM, lights switching themselves on and off, faulty window motors, stop/start that doesn't work, erratic parking sensors or indicators that don't cancel.
• Which cars: reported across 2015–2020 cars, petrol and diesel. Wheels-Alive also found the 2022 full hybrid's infotainment slow and sometimes reluctant to connect to phones.
• Why: the sources describe a spread of separate faults rather than one failing part. In Auto Express's Driver Power results, connectivity and infotainment displays were among the Vitara's weakest owner scores.
• Fix: ask a Suzuki dealer to check for software updates, then diagnose the specific circuit or module. Don't swap parts on guesswork.
• DIY difficulty: 2/5 for basic checks; 4/5 for module diagnosis.
• Check when buying: pair your phone, enter a route on the sat nav, tune the DAB, and work every window, light, sensor and the stop/start.
• Evidence: RAC Drive's owner-survey findings; Carbuyer owner reviews, where electrics are the most often tagged problem; Auto Express's long-term test (lost DAB presets) and its Driver Power summary; Wheels-Alive's full hybrid road test.

6. Boosterjet engine cutting out or losing power

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: the engine cutting out on the move, or a sudden loss of power at speed.
• Which cars: a small number of reports on the 1.4 Boosterjet (including a 2016 Vitara S) and on a 2018 1.0 Boosterjet manual.
• Why: the reports don't give a cause, and we found nothing to show it is widespread.
• Fix: have a Suzuki dealer read the engine fault memory and check for software updates; the repair depends on the diagnosis.
• DIY difficulty: 2/5 to read codes; repair difficulty varies.
• Check when buying: take a long test drive from a cold start that includes a faster road. Ask whether the car has had warning lights or dealer visits for running problems, and have the fault memory read.
• Evidence: RAC Drive's owner-survey findings (a 1.4 Boosterjet that cut out twice); Carbuyer owner reviews (sudden loss of power on a 2016 1.4 Vitara S; cutting out on a 2018 1.0 Boosterjet).

7. Jerky changes from the full hybrid's AGS gearbox

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: occasional jerky gearchanges, mostly when you accelerate hard.
• Which cars: the 1.5 full hybrid, 2022 on, which uses Suzuki's six-speed AGS gearbox.
• Why: AGS is an automated manual gearbox, not a conventional automatic, and Wheels-Alive's tester found its changes could be jerky under heavy throttle. This is how the gearbox behaves rather than a known fault.
• Fix: easing off the throttle as a change approaches smooths things out. If changes are harsh every time, or a gearbox warning appears, ask a Suzuki dealer to diagnose it.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5 to assess.
• Check when buying: drive in stop-start traffic and accelerate firmly at least once. Decide whether the shift quality suits you, and check the smaller boot is big enough.
• Evidence: Wheels-Alive's road test of the full hybrid; Drive's review describes the AGS as an automated manual; Auto Express's used guide and Wheels-Alive both give a boot figure under 300 litres.

8. EVAP carbon canister recall (2019–2024 builds)

Label: Confirmed recall R/2025/127

• What you notice: the DVSA record doesn't describe any symptom the driver would notice.
• Which cars: DVSA lists eight overlapping build windows for the Vitara, running from 13/09/2019 to 21/03/2024. The same campaign covers S-Cross models.
• Why: an air gap can form inside the activated carbon in the fuel-vapour (EVAP) canister, so it works less well and fuel vapour can escape, breaking emissions rules.
• Fix: a Suzuki dealer replaces the EVAP canister under the recall.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5 to check recall status; the fix is dealer recall work.
• Check when buying: the windows together run from September 2019 to March 2024, so ask a Suzuki dealer to check the VIN of any car built in that period.
• Evidence: the DVSA recall record.

9. Paint chips and loose trim

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: stone chips on the bumpers and bonnet, lifting exterior trim, or interior panels that rattle or work loose.
• Which cars: any 2015-on Vitara. Auto Express's survey figures don't say which build years the paint and trim complaints came from.
• Why: the sources don't give a cause. In Auto Express's 2022 Driver Power figures, about a fifth of the faults Vitara owners reported involved exterior paint and trim. Auto Express's long-term car had interior trim come away under the dashboard, and a Carbuyer owner of a 2019 car reported a chipped bumper.
• Fix: touch in small chips before rust starts, and refit or replace loose trim clips. Larger paint damage is a bodyshop job.
• DIY difficulty: 2/5 for touch-ups and trim clips.
• Check when buying: look along the bonnet, front bumper and lower doors in good light for chips and mismatched paint, and press the dashboard and door trims for looseness or rattles.
• Evidence: Auto Express's used Vitara guide (2022 Driver Power results); Auto Express's long-term test; Carbuyer owner reviews.

Recalls (DVSA data)

These are the recalls for the 2015-on Vitara in the DVSA recalls CSV (downloaded 2026-10-07), summarised in our own words. Launch dates and build windows are copied from that file. R/2025/127 appears as eight Vitara rows with overlapping build windows; they are merged into one line below, with every window kept. Not every car built inside a window is necessarily affected, so check the exact car.

The DVSA record for R/2021/059 does not say which engine it covers. The same campaign and build window appear for the SX4 S-Cross. In 2020 Suzuki said its Euro 6b diesel Vitara and S-Cross used engines built by Fiat Chrysler, and that a Fiat Chrysler software update had been applied through a service campaign from November 2016. On a 2015–2016 car, and especially a diesel, ask a Suzuki dealer to confirm what applies to that VIN.

Run the GOV.UK vehicle recall check and ask a Suzuki dealer to check the VIN for completed and outstanding campaigns.

MOT watch-points

C4R hasn't computed its own MOT statistics for this guide, so no pass rates are given here. Published analyses of DVSA MOT data for 2015-on Vitaras point mainly to everyday wear items:

• Lights: individual sidelight and tail-light failures are the most common first-attempt failure for 2015–2019 cars in Motorwise's analysis, and brake lights and other lamps also feature. Walk round the car with a helper and check every bulb.
• Tyres: tread depth is the top failure item for every registration year from 2015 to 2020 in MOT Data's figures. Check the full width of each tyre, including the inner edge.
• Front brake pads: worn pads appear among the leading failures in both analyses. Ask when the pads and discs were last replaced.
• Wipers: front wiper faults top Motorwise's list for 2021 and 2022 cars, and MOT Data lists wipers that don't clear the screen for 2020 cars. They are cheap to replace, but worth checking.

These are condition checks, not a prediction that a particular car will fail. Read the individual car's record on the GOV.UK MOT history service and look for advisories that keep coming back.

Buying one? Our checklist

1. Run the registration through the GOV.UK recall checker, then ask a Suzuki dealer to check the VIN for R/2015/165, R/2016/041, R/2021/059, R/2022/267, R/2024/032 and R/2025/127 as they apply.
2. Look for a service history that matches Suzuki's 12-month or 12,500-mile interval, with brake fluid changed every two years. Franchised servicing also matters if you want Suzuki's extended warranty.
3. With the engine running, press the brake pedal several times; it should feel the same each time. Do a firm stop on a clear road.
4. On a manual, change through first, second and third from cold, including third to second on the move, and listen for crunching.
5. Drive past parked cars and traffic islands and note any radar braking warnings or unexpected braking.
6. Take a long test drive from cold that includes a faster road, and ask for the engine fault memory to be read to rule out cutting out or loss of power.
7. On a full hybrid, drive in stop-start traffic and accelerate hard once to judge the AGS gearchanges, and check the smaller boot is big enough.
8. Test the sat nav, DAB, phone pairing, every window, light and sensor, and the stop/start.
9. Look for chipped paint, kerbed alloys and damage in the rear cabin, and on ALLGRIP cars look underneath for knocks from rough ground.
10. Read the MOT history for repeat tyre, brake, light and wiper items.

Running costs

• Road tax: Vitaras registered from 1 April 2017 pay the standard annual rate after the first year, which is £200 for a 12-month payment at the rates shown on GOV.UK in October 2026. Cars registered before then are taxed on their CO2 band, so check the CO2 figure on the V5C. The expensive car supplement applies to petrol or diesel cars with a list price over £40,000, and the Vitara list prices quoted in our sources are below that.
• Insurance: Drive puts older Vitaras at roughly groups 11–23 depending on engine, trim and drivetrain, and current models at about 17–19. Auto Express quotes groups 17–22 for the current range. Get a quote for the exact registration.
• Fuel economy: RAC Drive quotes 45.9mpg (NEDC) for a 2WD 1.0 Boosterjet manual. Auto Express lists an official 53.2mpg (WLTP) for the current 2WD mild-hybrid manual, and its own test car of that version averaged 47.8mpg. Carbuyer quotes an official 56.4mpg for the late-2024 full hybrid; Wheels-Alive's 2022 full hybrid ALLGRIP test car showed about 46mpg. Drive suggests expecting the mid to high 40s in mixed use.
• Servicing: Auto Express gives a 12-month or 12,500-mile interval, brake fluid every two years or 25,000 miles, and long-life coolant first replaced at 100,000 miles or eight years.
• Warranty: new Vitaras come with three years or 60,000 miles of cover. Suzuki also offers an extension that continues with franchised servicing, but Drive and Auto Express give different upper limits for it, so check the current terms and whether the car still qualifies.
• Towing: Auto Express quotes a 1,200kg towing limit for most versions and 1,500kg for the 1.6 DDiS manual.

Sources & further reading

Official data and checks

• DVSA Vehicle Safety Branch recalls database (data.gov.uk)
• GOV.UK: check if a vehicle has been recalled
• GOV.UK: check MOT history
• GOV.UK: vehicle tax rate tables

Generations, reliability and reported faults

• Auto Express: used Suzuki Vitara (Mk4, 2015–date) review
• Auto Express: Suzuki Vitara review
• Auto Express: Suzuki Vitara long-term test
• Drive: Suzuki Vitara review
• RAC Drive: Suzuki Vitara (2015–2018) used car review
• RAC Drive: Suzuki Vitara (2018–2020) used car review
• Carbuyer: Suzuki Vitara owner reviews
• Carbuyer: new Suzuki Vitara gets a minor makeover for its 10th birthday
• The Car Expert: facelifted Suzuki Vitara on sale
• Wheels-Alive: Suzuki Full Hybrid Vitara road test
• Wheels-Alive: Suzuki excels again in the What Car? 2024 reliability survey (Suzuki press release)

Recalls and emissions background

• Suzuki (Magyar Suzuki corporate news): regarding vehicles equipped with diesel engines in the European markets
• Car-Recalls.eu: Suzuki Vitara (2015–2022) brake booster recall, from EU Safety Gate alert A12/01781/22

MOT data analyses

• Motorwise: Suzuki Vitara MOT reliability by registration year
• MOT Data: Suzuki Vitara MOT statistics

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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