2007 Suzuki Reno on 2040-cars

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205k Suzuki models being investigated for airbag sensor issue

The Detroit News is reporting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation on the 2006-11 Suzuki Grand Vitara and 2007-11 Suzuki SX4 due to issues with the airbag and seatbelt for the front passenger seat. So far, NHTSA has received 128 complaints on these vehicles for airbag warning lights, airbag off lights and seatbelt lights, on a vehicle set that totals around 205,000 units, but there is no indication as to how many, if any, injuries have reported.
Via technical service bulletins, Suzuki has already acknowledged two airbag-related issues with front passenger seats on both vehicles, including a programming error for the passenger seat load indicator on 2009 models and an open-circuit problem for the sensor mat that determines if an adult or child is sitting in the front seat. Since this latter issue would not shut off or lessen the impact of the passenger airbag, Suzuki has already extended the warranty for the seat cushion bottom to 10 years or 120,000 miles. After ceasing new-car sales in the US and Canada, potential recall repairs (which still may or may not happen) would be handled by remaining dealers as laid out in the recent court-approved bankruptcy plan.

Junkyard Gem: 1997 Geo Metro LSi

General Motors created the Geo brand in order to sell cars built in partnership with Suzuki, Isuzu and Toyota in the United States, and Geo-badged machinery was sold from the 1989 through 1997 model years. Today's Junkyard Gem, found in a New Orleans self-service boneyard recently, is one of the very last Geos ever built. There was always a close relationship between Geo and Chevrolet, which GM demonstrated by sneaking the Chevrolet bowtie into the Geo logo. The first three Geo-branded models began their careers with Chevrolet badging before getting Geo-ized for 1989. The Spectrum, twin to the Isuzu I-Mark, was a Chevrolet from 1985 through 1988. The 1985-1988 Chevrolet Sprint was a badge-engineered first-generation Suzuki Cultus, with its second-generation successor becoming the Geo Metro. The Prizm was a NUMMI-built Toyota Corolla Sprinter, which replaced the Sprinter-based 1985-1987 Chevrolet Nova. The Daewoo-built Pontiac LeMans never became a Geo, presumably because its ancestry was South Korean rather than Japanese. In 1989, Geo added the Storm (Isuzu Impulse), followed by the Tracker (Suzuki Sidekick) as a 1990 model. In December 1996, GM announced that the Geo brand would get the axe in the fall of 1997, with the Prizm, Tracker and Metro becoming Chevrolets. This car was built at CAMI Automotive in Canada in May 1997, making it one of the final handful of Geos assembled. The Chevrolet Metro stuck around through 2001. For its final model year, the Geo Metro was available with one of two trim levels: base and LSi. This car is an LSi three-door hatchback, which had an MSRP of $9,180 ($17,906 in 2024 dollars). The base three-door hatchback for 1997 listed at $8,580, or $16,735 after inflation. The most important difference between the base and LSi versions was found under the hood. The base Metro got a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine rated at 55 horsepower and 58 pound-feet, while the LSi got the 1.3-liter "big-block" four-cylinder with 70 horses and 74 pound-feet. I owned a '96 Metro with the four-banger for a brief period, and it wasn't quite intolerably slow. This car has the optional three-speed automatic, which added $595 ($1,161 today) to the price. It also has air conditioning and a Delco AM/FM radio, which were included as part of the $1,346 1SE option package ($2,625 in today's money). It was thus a boring but serviceable commuter car that sipped gas and got its job done for 27 years and 113,610 miles.

Suzuki iK-2 and iM-4 concepts suggest future style

Suzuki might no longer sell cars in the US, but the Japanese brand is showing that it's still vibrant in the rest of the world by unveiling two concepts at the Geneva Motor Show. The models also debut some the company's future technology and preview the look of upcoming production vehicles. The iK-2 Concept (top) foreshadows a future compact hatchback, and Suzuki is clear that a production version is due to arrive in Europe in 2016. Its styling is a flowing take on the traditional five-door hatchback, especially around the front fenders. More importantly, the model also rides on the Japanese brand's next-gen platform that promises to be lighter, more rigid, offer better efficiency and improve safety. Power comes from the new Boosterjet engine, but despite the speedy name, it's a 1.0-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged three-cylinder. A mild hybrid system is also going to be offered on the iK-2, but outputs for the powertrains aren't specified yet. The more interesting of the pair visually is the Suzuki iM-4 Concept (pictured inset) that imagines a simple, mini offroader, possibly a replacement for the Jimny. It's on the same platform as the iK-2 but with a much higher ride height and quirky styling. The grille and headlight configuration take inspiration from a pair of sunglasses, Suzuki claims. The model also features broad, fairly unadorned surfaces and short overhangs. The whole look just gives the impression of a little mountain goat ready to go anywhere. Power goes to all four-wheels thanks to a 1.2-liter engine and mild hybrid system. With Suzuki long gone from the US, your best chance to look at the brand's latest concepts might be to check out our live galleries from the Geneva show. iK-2 – SUZUKI'S NEW COMPACT HATCHBACK CONCEPT The smartest compact car developed by pursuit of compact hatchback ideals to a new even higher level for Suzuki Excellent design and utility integrated into a single package Design theme of "Liquid Flow", elegant design with flowing lines suggestive of an energetic movement of liquid Built around a new-generation platform and equipped with BOOSTERJET engine Production model to be released in Europe in 2016 Making its global debut at the 85th Geneva Motor Show, Suzuki Motor Corporationreveals its new compact hatchback concept car, the iK-2. The iK-2, the smartest compact car, offers all the elements expected in a car of this size.