Rear Shock failure issue and TSB & Warranty Repair

[krell]

Kuro... i bet you read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

[~tc~]

Let's also not forget Suzuki has one of the best powertrain warranties in the business. You won't get that from the big names.

I'm not so sure about that ... The "powertrain" warranty apparently only covers the engine, transmission, and diffs - not anything bolted to them like the alternator, power steering, etc. GM covers these items under their powertrain warranty. Unless you have a catastrophic major failure, the Suzuki warranty is going to be tough to invoke.

I'll probably hold on to mine a year after it's paid off (0% interest is free money) and then get killed on a trade in for something else.

[bdleonard]

thank God none of my shocks are out, and i have my car lowered on h&r springs too.. But as soon as KYB or another provider comes out with performance shocks for us, ima goin to change them anyway. I live in NY too, its pothole city over here, i just try to dodge every single one lol

I have my doubts about anyone ever releasing a performance shock, but the KYB aftermarket replacements are available now. You can find them available from Rockauto and other parts stores.

[murcod]

KYB make the OEM shocks AFAIK, but their aftermarket version might be more performance orientated? The quality of the product will probably be no different.

It would be nice if Koni or Bilstein brought something out in their performance range. (The likelihood of that is probably nil.)

[KuroNekko]

Let's also not forget Suzuki has one of the best powertrain warranties in the business. You won't get that from the big names.

I'm not so sure about that ... The "powertrain" warranty apparently only covers the engine, transmission, and diffs - not anything bolted to them like the alternator, power steering, etc. GM covers these items under their powertrain warranty. Unless you have a catastrophic major failure, the Suzuki warranty is going to be tough to invoke.

I'll probably hold on to mine a year after it's paid off (0% interest is free money) and then get killed on a trade in for something else.

Perhaps GM includes those, but is their powertrain warranty 10 years/100,000 miles? It's not.

Regarding KYB vs. aftermarket. I don't think the KYBs are that bad, but I'm sure Koni or Bilstein AFTERMARKET would be better. I really don't think the brand matters too much. KYB has a pretty good reputation, but their products start at a lower, OEM level as they are the world's largest OEM shock producer. They have some high end shocks, but they are aftermarket. I see ads for them in my JDM magazines.

I wonder if TEIN and other Japanese aftermarket suspension brands make shocks for the Kizashi. Koni and Bilstein are European.

[murcod]

2011 Suzuki Kizashi SE L4 2.4L GAS FI NA FWD
Series:
Show All Series
Thank you, your search will affect future product development at BILSTEIN. Unfortunately, at this time we do not make any products for this vehicle.

from http://cart.bilsteinus.com/ - start under "Find Your Part" with your model year Kizashi and keep going!

Get to it and one day there might be some Bilsteins for Kizashi's. (I think I'll put it in my favourites and try to remember to visit it regularly....)

[PittsburghJoe]

I don't think you need to access the trunk to remove the rear shocks. If I recall correctly, the TSB shows exactly what and how to do it for the mechanic at the dealership. I don't recall reading about trunk access to remove anything.
I have no idea if they will install a polyurethane bushing on the shock, but it may void the parts and labor warranty for whatever stupid reason they come up with.

Symptoms of the issue to be attentive to include a creaking noise from the rear. You will hear them at low speeds over speed bumps and potholes. It's not a clunking but a creaking noise. It was very similar to my Mazda's when its rear shocks went out too.
It will get worse over time. As it gets worse, you will notice that the ride quality of the car will go down. It won't be as comfortable over rough roads. This was when I knew something was really wrong as the car felt different from how it used to be.

I strongly advise all Kizashi owners to pay close attention to their rear shocks as the failure is due to a design flaw of the bump stopper that was installed on ALL Kizashis regardless of model year or trim. Try to get this covered under warranty if you can. This will very likely be an issue to people who live in regions with a lot of snow.

I think I have a bad rear shock too. I hear a clunking sound at low speeds when I hit bumps or go around slow tight turns. It sounds almost like there is a box rolling around in the trunk. It's coming from the passenger side btw. I have an appt. to have it looked at today.

Do you know where I can get a copy of the TSB to "wave around?" I have 33k on the 2012 sls but I also bought the extended warranty so I should be good either way but I'd like to have a print out if possible.

Thanks!

[KuroNekko]

I don't think you need to access the trunk to remove the rear shocks. If I recall correctly, the TSB shows exactly what and how to do it for the mechanic at the dealership. I don't recall reading about trunk access to remove anything.
I have no idea if they will install a polyurethane bushing on the shock, but it may void the parts and labor warranty for whatever stupid reason they come up with.

Symptoms of the issue to be attentive to include a creaking noise from the rear. You will hear them at low speeds over speed bumps and potholes. It's not a clunking but a creaking noise. It was very similar to my Mazda's when its rear shocks went out too.
It will get worse over time. As it gets worse, you will notice that the ride quality of the car will go down. It won't be as comfortable over rough roads. This was when I knew something was really wrong as the car felt different from how it used to be.

I strongly advise all Kizashi owners to pay close attention to their rear shocks as the failure is due to a design flaw of the bump stopper that was installed on ALL Kizashis regardless of model year or trim. Try to get this covered under warranty if you can. This will very likely be an issue to people who live in regions with a lot of snow.

I think I have a bad rear shock too. I hear a clunking sound at low speeds when I hit bumps or go around slow tight turns. It sounds almost like there is a box rolling around in the trunk. It's coming from the passenger side btw. I have an appt. to have it looked at today.

Do you know where I can get a copy of the TSB to "wave around?" I have 33k on the 2012 sls but I also bought the extended warranty so I should be good either way but I'd like to have a print out if possible.

Thanks!

I sent it via PM as a reply.

In case others are interested, here it is:
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... =12&t=2634

[ipaqxman]

My local dealer replaced my shock assembly, with thee L01 instead of L03 counter measure part. It looks light yellow which is different compare to the original dark yellow, but do not have the groove. Yup, it appears they put on new but pretsb bump stopper like i suspected

[SamirD]

KuroNekko wrote:Well, people are having a hard enough time trying to find an accessory roof rack for the car.
A TSB-related part that's not even in stock at dealerships may be harder.

Dunno...it don't look too promising holding on to my Kizashi, what gonna happen two years down the road i bought this car to keep when i retire two years from now, you got dealers gouging prices on repairs i'm thinking of getting rid of my 2013 SLS before i retire i can't be stock with a car note when my income is fixed two years time. I love the car but the way it look now i better get rid of it and save myself a whole lot mess later.

I agree somewhat. As I've said before, the car is great, but the circumstances around it are not. With the Suzuki pull out and their hard-to-find service dealers, ownership is not as reassuring as those of popular cars like from Honda, Toyota, Ford, GM, etc.

However, the car itself is pretty good. It's rather reliable and while this rear shock issue was a smudge on the car's reputation, it was addressed rather swiftly and competently by Suzuki. I paid nothing. Let's also not forget Suzuki has one of the best powertrain warranties in the business. You won't get that from the big names.

In the end, I come from a background of buying used cars out of warranty. I fix what I can and if it's over my level, I take it to a pro. For longevity, choosing a quality and reliable car is what matters. I believe the Suzuki Kizashi fits that bill. Compared to many other cars especially in their first generation, this car has very few issues. Others have fire risks, air bag defects, or faulty electronics. Stay on top of auto news and you see recall after recall of all kinds of cars. The Kizashi is very low profile in comparison.

While long term ownership of the Kizashi may feel like you are driving into oblivion, I think the car speaks for itself. It's fun to drive, comfortable, economical, and reliable.
As a gearhead, I can see that this car has good build quality. It's better than my late Mazda and on par with the trusty Subarus I've owned.
While it's often criticized for not having new technology, that's also a plus in terms of reliability and durability. It doesn't have a new turbocharged engine or direct injection which have yet to prove themselves hundreds of thousands of miles down the road.
The Kizashi runs on older, proven technology. The CVT may be a little iffy, but many cars have CVTs now including the acclaimed Nissan Altimas.

I'm keeping my Kizashi for these reasons, but I can't really fault you if you unload yours.

I couldn't have said this better myself. I'm searching for things to find wrong with ours since I'm still under warranty, and everything has been so minor that even if I was out of warranty, it wouldn't have made me flentch in our purchase. If you want a car for the long haul, this isn't a bad choice.

Yes, it is unique and while parts will be a bit expensive (but not German car expensive), labor on it should be very reasonable since it's all 'old-school' proven Japanese technology, (sans the cvt). Unloading it now may not be the best thing as dealerships stuck with them are trying to do the same. Best to let the supply die down a bit and demand pick up. In a few years, I see someone doing an article on how these are some of the best used cars to get and then everyone pouncing on them.