SuzukiGrand Vitara2008Overview/suzuki/grand-vitara/2008/base/

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Grand Vitara.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara is an SUV fitted with a five-speed automatic transmission and EPA-rated fuel economy of 17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined. Across the 1999–2013 model run, owner-reported complaints peaked at 160 for the 2006 model year and fell to a single complaint for 2005, while the 2008 model accumulated 42 complaints—most often in exterior lighting—and two recalls. That positions the 2008 Grand Vitara well below the model line's complaint peak, yet still short of the most trouble-free years in the range.

Model year201320122008200720062004200320022001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque73 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/22/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length168.9 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height66.9 in
Wheelbase103.9 in
Curb weight3638 lb
Track (front / rear)60.2 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)51/49

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 22 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 73 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 26.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.2
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.7 Pints
Engine Coolant16
Engine Coolant Capacity16
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-90 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity4.0-5.0

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug26.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts73 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug17.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug17.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub160 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub160 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.19-1.31 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.07 oz

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle61.5 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.275; Rear: 0.275 specification
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.120
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.984 in
Rotor Finish0.905 μin
Drum Maximum Machining10 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Large Hex Head Bolts:

138.5 ft. lbs.38.5 ft. lbs
261 ft. lbs.61 ft. lbs
3Loosen
438.5-38 ft. lbs.38.5–38 ft. lbs
576 ft. lbs.; Small Hex Head Bolt A; 7.576 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Differential (inspect fluid level)
At 30,000 miDifferential (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
At 60,000 miTransfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 60,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Belt (replace) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
At 105,000 miTransmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (replace) · Fuel Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 model shows 42 complaints, 2 recalls and 1 investigation, which is markedly lower than the peak in 2006 (160 complaints, 6 recalls, 1 investigation) and 2007 (58 complaints, 3 recalls, 1 investigation) but higher than the low‑point years of 2004‑2005 (8‑1 complaints, 2‑1 recalls). Complaint counts fell steadily from the 2006 spike through 2008 and continued to decline into 2009‑2013, indicating a downward trend after the 2006 surge. Recall activity followed a similar pattern, dropping from 6 in 2006 to 2 in 2008 before rising slightly again in later years. Investigations remained present each year from 2006 through 2011, with 2008 sharing the same single investigation count as its neighbors. Overall, 2008 sits on the improving side of the generation’s complaint/recall arc, offering better reliability than the mid‑2000s peak but not matching the lowest levels seen after 2009. Takeaway: the 2008 Grand Vitara is a reasonable used‑car choice if priced to reflect its moderate complaint and recall history relative to other years in the generation.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
7
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
42
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 42 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Exterior Lighting12
Air Bags10
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting8
Engine2
Air Bags,Seats1
Power Train1
Electrical System1
Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V187000SeatsReported 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… Remedy: 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…

13V405000Air BagsReported 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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 7 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SUZ_0160082022-07-08SuspensionReminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension…
N-Q-G-0452018-11-20SuspensionThis Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki…
TSB-37-071882012-11-05Fuel System, OtherSUZUKI: FUEL GAUGE TAKES A LONG TIME MOVING, AFTER FILL UP, BECAUSE OF TWO (2) DIFFERENT…
ABE-ZA-1204182012-07-25Air BagsSUZUKI: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR 'AIR BAG'…
TSB-TS06-052122012-06-12Air BagsSUZUKI: THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION ASSEMBLY HAS THE SENSOR MAT LOCATED…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Grand Vitara. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2008 Grand Vitara have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Grand Vitara get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined mpg.