[raghu.t.k]

My SX4 is close to a year and has completed 5k kms. Overall its VFM especially when we compare the options available last year.

The car is quite good on highways, and quite annoying in the city's bumper to bumper traffic, esp with the stalling in 2nd gear issue, and feeling every contour of the road.

During my second service, I checked with Cars India Chennai, on the replacement of the drive shaft and engine mounting, and was told that it was specific to a batch, and does not apply to my batch. I do have minor vibrations when moving from 1st gear, but most of the time I have observed that the tach is less than 1.5, since it idles between 1 - 1.5.

I have had no issues with the paint by and large, but where ever there were bird droppings, the texture has changed.

The issues I had in the last 1 yr are :

1. The boot problem. This was fixed in the first service and no issues till date.
2. Vibration in 2nd and 3rd. This was fixed in the first service, But this still does exist in a minor form.
3. Issue with AC. When I switch on the ac for the first time after parking for a few hrs, there is a foul smell, with the first blow of air. When I discussed this last time, I was told that this could be caused by the blower being dirty, when used in fresh air mode. But most of the time I drive it in recirculate option and it still persits. Would be discussing the same with the service guys when I go for the 3rd service this week or next.
4. Noise while braking. I am not sure why this happening, but assume that the vehicle not been used for 2 months could be a contributing factor.
5. Sound proofing. For a car costing 7 lakhs, they should have made it more solid and quiet inside. I really like the cabin of a Chevy, Fiat or a Skoda.

If issues 3 and 4 would be fixed in the 3rd service I am quite happy with the vehicle. Though I would prefer to have a few nice to have things like good plastics, solid feel (so far its good, but looking at the no of users having rattling issues, not sure how long), peppier engine I have been quite satisfied with the vehicle so far.

That said, the vehicle is more or less stock, and the only change in it is boston speaker (got it before I started looking at the ICE section here, else would have got some good ideas, but no serious regrets here). Change to synthetic during the second service. And the lastest addition is that of the styling kit(just left the vehicle to get the kit painted and fixed).

[filcord]

Originally Posted by gt_bhp

I've a question of my own for fellow SX4 owners, kinda sounds stupid, is your sx4 more likely to be chased by street dogs? I've been on the same streets at around the same time in a 800, Matiz, esteem without attracting canine attention and now in a SX4 keep getting chased by the dogs and thanks to one have a couple of 2 inch scratches on the left front door .

Feel like answering this with a page full of smileys, but that would probably be frowned on by the Gods, err, Mods.
I have the driver's door, on all my cars, consistently scratched by my now 12 year old Dalm female. i'm the driver, and that's how she tells me I need to pay her attention after too much time cleaning the car. But hey, that's the price you pay for having a dog.
Maybe you're just the type dogs like, and I mean this in a very serious way. There are some persons who have this charisma to animals - but then again why does it not work in a Matiz?

[amit]

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

quite annoying in the city's bumper to bumper traffic, esp with the stalling in 2nd gear issue,

Get your axles, mountings and clutch changed.

and feeling every contour of the road.

I agree with that. The suspension could have been better.

During my second service, I checked with Cars India Chennai, on the replacement of the drive shaft and engine mounting, and was told that it was specific to a batch, and does not apply to my batch. I do have minor vibrations when moving from 1st gear, but most of the time I have observed that the tach is less than 1.5, since it idles between 1 - 1.5.

There is no such thing as the circular being relevant only to a particular batch. If the customer has the jerks issue then the shaft and mountings have to be changed. That's what Maruti's ciruclar says. Your dealer is BS(ting) you. Insist on a change and if he doesn't agree, write to Maruti. Don't accept any vibrations however minor they are. You paid almost 8 lacs for the car. You have a right to a properly and smoothly working vehicle.

The boot problem. This was fixed in the first service and no issues till date.

What was the boot problem? In my case, I feel the boot needs a firm thunk to close but all dealers insist that it's common on all cars and thats how all boots close.

Issue with AC. When I switch on the ac for the first time after parking for a few hrs, there is a foul smell, with the first blow of air. When I discussed this last time, I was told that this could be caused by the blower being dirty, when used in fresh air mode. But most of the time I drive it in recirculate option and it still persits. Would be discussing the same with the service guys when I go for the 3rd service this week or next.

Again, don't accept the 'blower is dirty because it's in fesh air mode'. Maruti dealers are Phd's in making excuses! It's amazing that they get voted No. 1 in after sales service every year! My car had the same problem but it got solved on it's own. I don't know how. Maybe Ambipur solved it.

[raghu.t.k]

Thanks Amit.

The issue with the boot was the same as yours. It was like closing the door of an old taxi door, and it hurts having to close that way when it was new. I think, since it was a known issue, there was no questions asked.

During this service I would be taking the other issues.

[gopinathann]

Go to MSM to change the drive shaft. Initially they insisted that there is no need to change the shaft & mounting as it didn't come in that batch. After complaining there is vibration they have changed the drive shaft & engine bed mounting.

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

Thanks Amit.

The issue with the boot was the same as yours. It was like closing the door of an old taxi door, and it hurts having to close that way when it was new. I think, since it was a known issue, there was no questions asked.

During this service I would be taking the other issues.

[amit]

My initial observations after the engine mountings, drive shafts and clutch were changed.

- Jerks are gone.
- Engine sounds more relaxed, refined and smooth through the entire rev range.
- Gears slot in much crisper. Earlier the shifts went with a minor "cluck cluck", now the shifts happen with a much better "click click". Also, the shifts are smoother as opposed to notchy earlier. The reverse gear was hard to shift into but now it happens smoothly.
- Engine is still coarse from 2500rpm but much much less then earlier.
- Vehicle's get up and go is so much better now. I can shift into second gear at crawling speeds and the vehicle pulls unlike earlier when it used to stall.
- Through the 5 gears and the rev range, the car feels much more smoother to drive then earlier.

In short, the car feels much better to drive now. I like the change in the car now. For all of you who are having the jerks issue, do get the problem sorted out. The car will feel so much better to drive once the issue is sorted out.

[vnabhi]

Amit, it looks like your saga has finally ended. Good to know that things have improved with your car.
What about the EPS issue?

[amit]

Drove the car on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway for the first time after the drive shafts, mountings and clutch were changed. Boy! what a difference!

At about 130kmph the engine was almost at 3700rpm and the sound was less then it used to be earlier at 2500rpm! The car felt so much more smoother to drive. I am sure even the car was enjoying itself considering how much more quieter and smoother it felt. Even on the ghats where earlier I had to downshift immediately on hitting a gradient, this time I could pull it in the same gear further up the gradient before I had to downshift.

Sure the NVH is still not upto 8 lac rupee mark. Wind and outside noise in general is a little on the higher side. The tyres are the major culprit IMO.

What about the EPS issue?

That was the only dampner through yesterday's drive. I don't know if I am used to it by now but somehow I am not that uncomfortable with it as I was earlier. Still the lack of feel and the overtly light EPS was really not confidence inspiring at high speeds. The steering seems to keep twitching on even slightly uneven roads which makes you hold it tight.

The steering was vibrating in my hands from 120kmph onwards. The car will be taken on a good wheel alignment and balancing guy in Navi Mumbai soon where I plan to take up the vehicle darting to right/left issue thats been irritating me sine the car was brand new. Let's see if he can solve the issue.

[JRD]

1. There is a slight vibration in the third gear. I believe this was discussed somewhere else and another owner too had this issue.
A: Nothing to worry thats normal. My esteem does the same in second gear under hard acceleration. However drive another sx4 and check to see if this is normal.

2. The steering is off center! I have to actually hold it at a slight tilt when the car is going straight.
A: Minor Alignment issue though it should'nt happen in a new car. Any alignment place will fix that.


3. There is absolutely no wheel alignment on this car. The moment I leave the steering, the car just darts to the right. Because of this, I feel I have to hold the steering tight and this is actually pretty discomforting.
A. JK Tyre, Tire Pressure and Alignment.

Since I have no expereince with EPS, I am not sure if it's a zero wheel alignment or the way the EPS is set up but there are times when the goes through a rough patch or ridge on the road and the steering twitches slightly to the left or right. This doesn't happen always and that makes it even more difficult to detect. Anyone with similar expereinces to the above?
A. Again tyre quality and size of the wheel. Since the SX4 has oversize tires, when one wheel goes through a deep rough patch the weight of the wheel forces itself to drop down quite violently and thats why you feel that twitch in the steering wheel. Nothing to do with EPS. My corolla (hydralic power steering that is uncomfortably heavy) has oversize tires on the stock rims and i experience the same thing and honestly is a bit annoying.

[Meer]

Originally Posted by JRD

2. The steering is off center! I have to actually hold it at a slight tilt when the car is going straight.
A: Minor Alignment issue though it should'nt happen in a new car. Any alignment place will fix that.

3. There is absolutely no wheel alignment on this car. The moment I leave the steering, the car just darts to the right. Because of this, I feel I have to hold the steering tight and this is actually pretty discomforting.
A. JK Tyre, Tire Pressure and Alignment.

Even I had the issue of car tilting towards the right when i took the delivery, but this was rectified quickly, as correctly pointed out by JRD, with wheel alignment and balancing.

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

The issue with the boot was the same as yours. It was like closing the door of an old taxi door, and it hurts having to close that way when it was new. I think, since it was a known issue, there was no questions asked.

I generally leave the boot from height and it closes on its own.. don't need to close the same by banging etc, its been 5K kms and the boot opens twice everyday for checking at office. I had the issue on my esteem earlier when I had to close the boot with force. One observation is that the boot is very light on SX4.

[amit]

JK Tyre, Tire Pressure and Alignment.

Even I had the issue of car tilting towards the right when i took the delivery, but this was rectified quickly with wheel alignment and balancing.

Alignment has been done thrice already on my car. Once at Vitesse (Not in front of me), next time at S.K.Wheels in front of me and the Maruti service engineer and again at the time of third service (again not in front of me) but the issue continues to haunt me.

Anyway, like I said earlier, I can, now feel the steering vibrating at 120kmph onwards so this time I am personally taking it to a alignment place to get the issue checked and hopefully, sorted out.

[omishra]

Originally Posted by JRD

1. There is a slight vibration in the third gear. I believe this was discussed somewhere else and another owner too had this issue.
A: Nothing to worry thats normal. My esteem does the same in second gear under hard acceleration. However drive another sx4 and check to see if this is normal.

This is there in my car too (Jun 07 SX4) but a little bit / non recognizable.

Originally Posted by JRD

2. The steering is off center! I have to actually hold it at a slight tilt when the car is going straight.
A: Minor Alignment issue though it should'nt happen in a new car. Any alignment place will fix that.

This is not there with my car.

Originally Posted by JRD

3. There is absolutely no wheel alignment on this car. The moment I leave the steering, the car just darts to the right. Because of this, I feel I have to hold the steering tight and this is actually pretty discomforting.
A. JK Tyre, Tire Pressure and Alignment.

Alignment - I think the only alignment they do it 'toe'. In recent service (I took for 15K KM from my side), after wheel rotation the alignment was done. That guy told me that caster and camber is not required, its fixed to chassis and required only in case of underbody damage. Also the measured angle reading from report confirmed this.

Tire pressure - I observed that 35psi in front and 33 psi is rear is filled. But car is more stable at 30psi equal in all 4 tyres(this is my experience). When I was driving car for almost 4 month with unknown puncture in rear left tyre. I used to get air checked at 1 month interval. I felt steering pulling at left and was hard while turing right/left. But got corrected after puncture fix. So imbalance in tyre pressure was very affecting.

JK Tyre - very noisy. This add to resonance of thin door pad plastic. Otherwise sound proofing between inside and outside is good. Cabin noise mostly attributed to panel/plastic resonance.

[gopinathann]

Yesterday my front right tyre got burst when I got over a sharp big stone on the manhole, however I was able to steer the vehicle without any problem and park the vehicle to the left and replaced the tyre. Today I went to MSM Chennai and they say that the tyre have to be changed since the cut was on the side wall.

I don't want to go for JK tyre again since it is noisy, at the same time I cannot change only one tyre due to different thread pattern. So I have to decided to go for a front 2 tyre replacement with Michelin/Bridgestone. After sometime change the rear tyres too.

JK Tyre price - 4800
Michelin - 8700
Bridgestone - 8800
I wanted to go for a fancy unidirectional tyre, but there are practical problems in that during punctures as you cannot swap tyres to all the sides since it is unidirectional. If fixed by mistake it will yield very less mileage. any one can throw light on this area.
Please suggest me a good tyre.

[aka_iitd]

Still feel you shd go for JK type to avoid this complex configuration as tyre rotation will also be a problem in future
If the burst type with patch can be used as a spare tyre then go with the existing ones and replace them once you use them fully

[gopinathann]

The burst tyre cannot be used even as a spare.
I don't want to go for JK because of more noise, If I change to some other in the front the tyre noise can be minimized.