Total Complaints
6 filings
SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT · model year
1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT
6 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997SUZUKISIDEKICK SPORT carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 SIDEKICK SPORT is tires:tread/belt with 2 filings, followed by power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive) (1) and suspension (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1997 SIDEKICK SPORT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030813ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL WHICH CAUSES LOSS OF ALL POWER. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN WHICH THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS; THE FAILED COMPONENT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. *AK
20021015POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
CONSUMER STATED THE RING AND PINION GEARS FAILED. NLM
20020328SUSPENSION
CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT: MARKET PLACE SUZUKI, HENERETTA, NY 585-359-4900. NLM
20010816TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRES SEPARATED WITH COMPLETE STEEL TREAD AND TIRES CHUNKS MISSING, THIS OCCURRED AT 60MPH. I STILL HAVE TIRES ON CAR.*AK (TIRESIZE: 275 60R16H)
20010813TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRES SEPARATED WITH COMPLETE STEEL TREAD AND TIRES CHUNKS MISSING, THIS OCCURRED AT 60MPH. I STILL HAVE TIRES ON CAR.*AK
20010502POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE UNIT WOULD NOT ENGAGE OR WORK ON OCCASIONS, THE TRANSFER CASE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. *MJS
Compare 1997SUZUKISIDEKICK SPORT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT have?▼
The 1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT is TIRES:TREAD/BELT with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) and SUSPENSION.
Is the 1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 SUZUKI SIDEKICK SPORT; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.