MY VEHICLE (IN ADDITION TO HEADLIGHTS THAT BURN OUT FREQUENTLY), HAS HAD THE AIRBAG SENSOR CONTROL LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT ILLUMINATED OFF AND ON FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, ACCOMPANIED BY THE HIGH PITCHED BEEP-BEEP-BEEP ...ALARMING, OF COURSE. MINE ALSO CAME ON A LITTLE OF 54,000 MILE. AS IT IS INTERMITTENT, AND I AM GENERALLY IN THE VEHICLE ALONE, I HAVEN'T HAD IT LOOKED AT OR REPLACED. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN NO ONE AND/OR NOTHING IS ON THE FRONT SEAT. VARIOUS SPEEDS (FROM 35 MPH TO FREEWAY SPEEDS). E LIGHTS FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG AND SEATBELT ARE CONSTANTLY ON. THEY CAME ON AT APPROXIMATELY 56000 MILES. I WAS TOLD BY SUZUKI OF NASHVILLE THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY THE SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, BUT NOT SURE. COST OF $2700 TO REPAIR. ALSO I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY OR IF THE SEAT BELT WILL CATCH WHEN BRAKES ARE ACTIVATED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY SUZUKI - POSSIBLE A RECALL WOULD BE THE PROPER APPROACH. APPARENTLY THE SENSOR MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, NOT THE WHOLE SEAT. IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS TO CHARGE $2700 FOR A FRONT SEAT CUSHION WHEN THE CAR IS WORTH APPROX $10,000. *TR
2011
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE I REALIZED THAT THE REAR HEAD RESTRAINTS FOLDED FORWARD (TO ALLOW FOR EASE OF VIEWING THROUGH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DRIVER). THESE HEAD RESTRAINTS DO NOT LOCK UP AND FOLD OVER VERY EASILY. IT IS LIKELY THAT IF THE VEHICLE STOPPED SUDDENLY OR STRIKE SOMETHING FROM BEHIND THAT THESE HEAD RESTRAINTS WOULD FOLD FORWARD. WHEN FORWARD THESE RESTRAINTS REST AT THE BASE OF MY NECK AT ABOUT THE C1-C2 JUNCTION. THIS LOCATION IS THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF SEVERE SPINAL DAMAGE AND PARALYSIS WHEN INJURED. WHILE I AM HOPEFUL THAT NOONE HAS BEEN INJURED YET, I AM NOT PLEASED WITH SUZUKI'S RESPONSE WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY THAT THE NHTSA TESTED THE VEHICLE AND PASSED SO IT MUST BE SAFE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS HEAD RESTRAINT WAS A PARTY TO ANY DIRECT IMPACT CRASH TESTING WITH REAR OCCUPANTS (WITHER WITH OR WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT IN THE DOWN POSITION. MY HOPE IS THAT IT IS TESTED TO DETERMINE ITS SAFETY BEFORE SOME ONE'S LIFE IS FOREVER ALTERED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY IN MY OPINION. AS FOR MY GRAND VITARA. I HAVE REMOVED MY HEAD RESTRAINTS AND WOULD RATHER RISK WHIPLASH THAN PARALYSIS. *TR
