MajorCommonBody & Rust

Suzuki Grand Vitara: Tailgate bottom-edge and underbody rust

Tailgate bottom-edge and underbody rust is a common body & rust fault on the Suzuki Grand Vitara on the 2005–2017 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 22 documented faults on the Suzuki Grand Vitara.

Vehicle: Suzuki Grand Vitara
Years: 2005–2017
System: Body & Rust

This page covers the Suzuki Grand Vitara as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Suzuki Grand Vitara faults22 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Chassis and structural rust or Body corrosion yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Third-generation Grand Vitaras rust in specific places: blistering corrosion along the bottom edge of the side-hinged tailgate (body flex makes the weatherstrip rub the paint through to bare metal), and underbody corrosion on chassis rails, crossmembers and suspension mounts - worse on beach-driven or hard-used off-road NZ examples. Surface tailgate rust is cosmetic-to-minor; structural underbody rust is a WoF failure and can be terminal on a cheap car.

What you would notice

Paint bubbling along the lower tailgate edge
Flaky scale on chassis rails and crossmembers underneath
Mud packed in arches and sills from off-road use

How to check it

Where to look. Tailgate lower edge; chassis rails, crossmembers and suspension mounts underneath

Crouch at the rear and sight along the tailgate bottom edge for bubbling. Get underneath (or on a hoist at pre-purchase inspection) and probe chassis rails, spring/shock mounts and sills with a screwdriver handle. Heavy mud in the arches means hard off-road use - check brake discs for stone scoring too.

Parts involved: Chassis and structural rust, Body corrosion.

What it costs to put right

$300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has it been used on beaches or off-road?”
“Any rust repairs for WoF?”

Now check the Suzuki Grand Vitara you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Suzuki Forums - 2011 Grand Vitara going rusty thread
What Car? - Used Suzuki Grand Vitara 2005-2014 buying advice (check underneath for corrosion)

Suzuki Grand Vitara buyer questions

Is tailgate bottom-edge and underbody rust serious on a Suzuki Grand Vitara?

We rate it major and common on the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Third-generation Grand Vitaras rust in specific places: blistering corrosion along the bottom edge of the side-hinged tailgate (body flex makes the weatherstrip rub the paint through to bare metal), and underbody corrosion on chassis rails, crossmembers and suspension mounts - worse on beach-driven or hard-used off-road NZ examples. Surface tailgate rust is cosmetic-to-minor; structural underbody rust is a WoF failure and can be terminal on a cheap car.

How much does it cost to fix on a Suzuki Grand Vitara?

$300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Suzuki Grand Vitara years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2005–2017 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.