2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara problems, recalls, safety rating, MPG & value

Q: Does the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are free.

Q: What gas mileage does the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara get?

The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara has U.S. EPA estimates of 18–19 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

Q: How much is a 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara worth?

Comparable 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara listings run roughly $2,450–$6,900, typically around $4,748 (from 28 vehicles).

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara at a glance

Safety recalls2

Owner complaints42

Combined18–19 mpg

Typical price$4,748

Free: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara recalls 2

Seats NHTSA Campaign #19V187000 · 07/03/2019

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kizashi and 2006-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat may shrink due to high humidity and high temperature. As a result, the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor mat may not accurately detect if an adult or child is occupying the seat.

Fix: Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat bottom cushion, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2019. All second letters notifying owners of the remedy were mailed by April 10, 2020. Owners may contact Suzuki customer service at 1-800-934-093…

Air Bags NHTSA Campaign #13V405000 · 06/09/2013

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat occupant is an adult…

Fix: Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the OCS sensor mat) free of charge. Sufficient quantities of parts are not currently available to fix all of the affected vehicles. Owners will be notified of the recall in October 2013 and…

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 5 Oct 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Exterior Lighting

Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.

Air Bags

Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

Electrical System

Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Engine

Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.

Suspension

Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.

Seats

Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara safety ratings

Frontal crash★★★★★

Side crash★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4-DR. w/SAB. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara MPG & running costs

Combined18–19 mpg

City17 mpg

Highway22 mpg

Est. annual fuel cost$3,625

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

What's a 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara worth?

Low

$2,450

Typical price

$4,748

High

$6,900

From 28 comparable 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$18,125

Fuel only$18,125

Per mile$0.24

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara trims & engines on record

Trims

Base · XSport · Luxury

Engines

2.5L 6-cyl · 2.7L 6-cyl

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicles on record

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara LuxuryJS3TD947584100291 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara XSportJS3TE944484101029 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941784103248

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941884100035 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941X84102160

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941384102312 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941584101307 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara XSportJS3TD944984102275

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941884100443

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941384104087

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941884100894 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara XSportJS3TE944184101876

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941584103104

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941384100706 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941884100603

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941484103207

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941X84101027

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941984101792

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara LuxuryJS3TD947784100776

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941584102129 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941984100726 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TD941884100703 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara LuxuryJS3TE947084100504

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara BaseJS3TE941684101555

Other Suzuki Grand Vitara model years

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara — frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are free.

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara?

Across all 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are exterior lighting, air bags, electrical system.

What is the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara crash-test ratings of frontal 4★, side 5★, rollover 4★ (out of 5; this model year pre-dates NHTSA's overall score).

What gas mileage does the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara get?

The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara has U.S. EPA estimates of 18–19 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

How much is a 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara worth?

Comparable 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara listings run roughly $2,450–$6,900, typically around $4,748 (from 28 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.