AT APX. 10000 MILES, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE CAR, AND DID NOT GO OUT. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER; WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WEIGHT SENSOR HAD FAILED IN THE SEAT, AND WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT APX. 25000 MILES, THE AIR BAG LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON. THE CAR WAS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG WEIGHT SENSOR IN THE SEAT HAD FAILED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I INFORMED THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED, THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE SENSOR FOR $300 DOLLARS. WHICH I PAID FOR. AT APX. 52000 MILES, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. (IT WAS INTERMITTENT, AS IT WOULD SOMETIMES NOT BE ON) AFTER A FEW MONTHS, WE WERE INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT, (STRUCK BY ANOTHER CAR ON REAR QUARTER) WHEN THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, I WAS ASKED ABOUT THE SEATBELT LIGHT; I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE INDICATED A FAILURE OF THE WEIGHT SENSOR. I INFORMED THE REPAIR SHOP AND INSURANCE THAT THE LIGHT WAS NOT DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. WHILE I WAS AT THE SHOP, THE ERROR LIGHT WENT OUT, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY (WITHIN 5 MILES) CAME BACK ON AGAIN. THE SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS <<>> IN THE WIRING HARNESS OR SENSOR CONNECTOR, RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL SENSOR (AS THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT.) THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS STILL ON. THAT IS THREE AIR BAG WEIGHT SENSOR RELATED PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE A PERVASIVE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE 2006 GRAND VITARA... [IN ADDITION, THE CAR BLOWS THE LOW-BEAM (AND SOMETIMES HIGH BEAM) HEADLIGHTS QUITE OFTEN - MORE THAN ANY OTHER CAR I'VE DRIVEN IN NEARLY 40 YEARS OF DRIVING.] *TR
2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT BULBS IN MY VEHICLE NEARLY EVERY 6 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED IT. LAST YEAR I REPLACED THE RT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY UNIT AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE HOUSING UNIT WAS BURNED AND WOULD NOT SEAT PROPERLY INTO THE ADAPTER. REPLACING THE ADAPTER WAS NOT AN OPTION, SO I INCURRED LABOR AND PARTS EXPENSES. NOW IN THE SHORTER DAYLIGHT FALL SEASON, THE LEFT BULB HAS BLOWN AND THE ADAPTER WAS BEGINNING TO BURN, SO I REPLACED IT. I INSPECTED IT TO CONFIRM THE STATE OF THE UNIT AND IT WAS INDEED, ON ITS WAY TO ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THERE IS NO WAY, WHEN DRIVING NOR IDLE, TO KNOW THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE IS DECAYING. I HAVE PURCHASED HL7 55WATT BULBS, WHICH ARE THE LOWEST WATTS AVAILABLE. I FEEL UNSAFE DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER, FALL AND WINTER SEASON DRIVING. THIS FREQUENT NEED FOR REPLACEMENT TO AVOID POTENTIAL CRASHES IS OF MAJOR CONCERN TO ME. *TR