SUZUKI SIDEKICK · model year

1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK

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.

29
Complaints
4
Crashes
2
Fires
7
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

29 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION4
SUSPENSION:FRONT3
STRUCTURE:BODY2
SEATS2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR1
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM1
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY1

Recent Complaints

20030627POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK. *MR *SCC *JB

20020610POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20011101SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND SHIFTING TO SECOND GEAR, SEAT BACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE.*AK *JB

20010904UNKNOWN OR OTHER

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

20001201CrashFireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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

20001201CrashFirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20001002SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

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

20001002SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

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

20000727SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER EXPLODED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

20000623STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

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

20000329CrashSEATS

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

20000311ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

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

19991126ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

19990818STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

VEHICLE WAS AT A STAND STILL WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FELL OFF THE HINGES. THE BOLTS HAD RUSTED & PULLED OUT PANEL.

19990527ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

19980107STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

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

19970904CrashSUSPENSION:FRONT

VEHICLE LOST CONTOL/ROLLED OVER ON DIRT ROAD, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *AK

19970801STRUCTURE:BODY

VEHICLE'S REAR FOLDING SEAT STRAP THAT KEEPS THE SEAT UP WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT UP, HAS HAD SHORT STRAP REPAIRED TWICE. *AK

19960628SEATS

STRAP/LOOP THAT HOLDS REAR SEAT UP SEPARATES FROM FLOOR, CAUSING SEAT TO FLY BACK. *DH

19960621STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

STEERING REACHES A POINT OF RESISTANCE AND THEN SLIPS. DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAIL. *AK

Compare 1995SUZUKISIDEKICK to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK have?
The 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK has 29 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 2 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK?
The most-complained component for the 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT and STRUCTURE:BODY.
Is the 1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.