Suzuki Grand Vitara 2009 Problems

Many owners of Suzukis of this era are shifting from the original green-coloured coolant to the long-life blue type (believe it or not, engine coolants are broadly identifiable by colour these days). Make sure that whatever brand you buy is borate and silicate-free, as this is important for Japanese engines (European engines, in comparison, need Phosphate-free coolant).

If you’re still unsure, you can buy coolant form a Suzuki dealership spare parts department and know that you’re getting the right product. One other tip; don’t mix coolants. Like oils, coolants are a sophisticated blend of base-product and additives and these formulations, when mixed, can cancel out some of the protection you’re paying for.

There are a number of things it could be. Start by replacing the spark plugs and air cleaner, and clean the throttle body. You could add for fuel system cleaner to the petrol when you fill up, and you could give it a longish hard run to blow out any carbon build-up.

It's hard to believe that something seemingly so obvious could not be found and fixed quite quickly. It's always worth checking the obvious.

The noises are most likely caused by a worn or over-tightened bush, or bearing, in the front-end. The people who were doing the work appear to have been on the right track, but hadn't yet found the solution. Trading the car in would seem to be a drastic solution to your problem, but it's good that you are happy.

Finding the cause of a problem can be challenging, particularly if it is intermittent, or like yours, only when the radio was turned on. You have to pity the mechanic sometimes, but it does highlight the need to be observant when you find a problem. Write down as much information as you can about what happens, when it happens and anything else that might help the mechanic diagnose it.

THE Territory will do everything you want. It's not a four-wheel drive as such and won't go where a Patrol or a LandCruiser would, but it is quite capable off the beaten track. Ground clearance can be a problem in really rough going -- we grounded one in a deep wheel rut on a forest track, flattened the fuel tank, and knocked off the rear bumper on a steep climb when we tested it a couple of years ago. Despite all of that it kept going.