Total Complaints
29 filings
SUZUKI SIDEKICK · model year
29 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1995SUZUKISIDEKICK carries 29 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 2 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1995 SIDEKICK is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by suspension:front (3) and structure:body (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1995 SIDEKICK. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
29 filings
Crashes Reported
4 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| SEATS | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK. *MR *SCC *JB
WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO GEAR IT MAKES A HARD BANGING NOISE. IT MOMENTARILY LOCKS UP THE POWER STEERING, AND CAUSES HESITATION AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHEER INFROMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND SHIFTING TO SECOND GEAR, SEAT BACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE.*AK *JB
SUZUKI HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE SOFTWARE IN THE VECHICLE TURNS ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT 50,000 REGARDLESS WHETHER THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED A LITTLE BEFORE 50,000 MILES. BECAUSE OF THIS LIGHT MY WIFE WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VECHICLE UNTIL IT WENT IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN. SERVICE CENTER REPORTED NO PROBLEM WITH VECHICLE AFTER A $90 DIAGNOSTIC. THEY SPENT 1.5 HOURS LOOKING FOR A NON EXISTANT PROBLEM. ASKED SUZUKI TO REIMBURSE, THEIR CS REP LOURAINE AT 800-934-0934 HUNG UP AFTER ADMITTING TO THE 50K LIGHT BUT SAYING I SHOULD TAKE UP WITH DEALER. IF THE NHTSA WANTS OWNERS TO TAKE WARNING LIGHTS SERIOUS IT MUST STOP THIS PRACTICE OF USING TRICKS TO PIMP SERVICE WORK. NOTHING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL INDICATES THE 50,000 MILE SERVICE LIGHT. THE SERCET TO SAFETY IS MAINTEAIN THE VECHICLE AND RELY ON DIAGNOSTICS. MAKE SUZUKI CHANGE THE SOFTWARE ON ALL VECHICLES AND OUTLAW THYE PROCESS OF TURNING ON THE WARNING LIGHTS WHEN THERE'S NO PROBLEM.*AK
WHEN MAKING A TURN TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL, RPMS RACED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A CURB, RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHEN MAKING A TURN TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL, RPMS RACED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A CURB, RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
AFTER STOPPING AT DESTINATION, TOOK CHILD CAR SEAT OUT AND WHEN UNBUCKLED SEATBELT TO DO SO, SEATBELT WENT IN AS NORMAL, BUT LOCKED AND WILL NOT COME OUT, CANNOT USE THAT SIDE AT ALL W/ USAGE OF SEATBELT. EXPECTING ANOTHER CHILD, AND AM WORRIED. *AK
AFTER STOPPING AT DESTINATION, TOOK CHILD CAR SEAT OUT AND WHEN UNBUCKLED SEATBELT TO DO SO, SEATBELT WENT IN AS NORMAL, BUT LOCKED AND WILL NOT COME OUT, CANNOT USE THAT SIDE AT ALL W/ USAGE OF SEATBELT. EXPECTING ANOTHER CHILD, AND AM WORRIED. *AK
BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER EXPLODED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER'S DOOR FELL OFF BECAUSE HINGES HAD RUSTED. THE ONLY WAY FOR DOOR TO STAY ON WAS BY LOCKING IT. MANUFACTURER SAID THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE TO LOOK AT VEHICLE BECAUSE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *AK *ML
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHILE AT A STANDSTILL POSITION. IMPACT WAS ESTIMATED AT 30 MPH AT WHICH BOTH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEATBACK RESTS COLLAPSED BACKWARD. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK INJURY, AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. *AK
IN REGARDS TO SECURITY, HAD IT CHECKED BY DEALER WHO STATED BATTERY, WORKED FOR A WEEK AND FAILED AGAIN. HAVE NOT HAD IT CHECKED SINCE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
VEHICLE WAS AT A STAND STILL WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FELL OFF THE HINGES. THE BOLTS HAD RUSTED & PULLED OUT PANEL.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE OUT DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL GETS STIFF; FEELS AT 55MPH BUT NOT LOW SPEED. WHEEL DOES NOT PASS STIFF AREA WHEN TURNING & SUDDENLY WOULD JERK. PRESSURE REGULATOR REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
VEHICLE LOST CONTOL/ROLLED OVER ON DIRT ROAD, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *AK
VEHICLE'S REAR FOLDING SEAT STRAP THAT KEEPS THE SEAT UP WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT UP, HAS HAD SHORT STRAP REPAIRED TWICE. *AK
STRAP/LOOP THAT HOLDS REAR SEAT UP SEPARATES FROM FLOOR, CAUSING SEAT TO FLY BACK. *DH
STEERING REACHES A POINT OF RESISTANCE AND THEN SLIPS. DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAIL. *AK
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.