AI DamageSuzuki Samurai: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Suzuki Samurai across 10 model years: 48 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 33% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 17% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 10% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 7 Seats 6% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 2% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 16 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 8 complaints (17% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 5 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 5 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 4 complaints (8% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.3 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1986–1995
- manual, 5-speed 1986–1995
Drive: AWD, RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 48 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Bridgestone, p205/70r15, dot unknown, replacement tire, milage unknown on a 1988, suzuki, samurai. While driving 55 mph heard a noise. Then, vehicle started to fishtail, spun around 180 degrees and hit a tree. Damage to vehicle unknown. No injuries.
The left rear tire delaminated and wrapped around the axel, causing the car to go out of control... Causing us to go out into the desert and roll over... I was injured, my husband only suffered a bruise, I received sever trauma to my head, causing me to need eye surgery within a year to regain vision.
While driving south on freeway 101 there was a vehicle in front that was in the way. Consumer's vehicle made a slight turn to the right to avoid an accident, and all of sudden vehicle rolled over, hitting an embankment, then hit a wall, then vehicle stood up.
Steering mechanism failed, causing loss of control/rollover.
Loss control of vehicle on wet pavement, causing vehicle to strike side of hill/rollover.
During impact driver's side seat belt did not lock. Please describe.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.