Suzuki Jimny stability control 'phantom skid' problem uncovered

Autocar test reveals unusual problem with 4x4's ESP system, confirmed by Suzuki, but no recall is currently planned
Richard Bremner Autocar
21 December 2018

An ESP stability control fault affecting the the new Suzuki Jimny will not yet be the subject of a recall or delay UK deliveries, despite being confirmed by the Japanese brand.

Autocar uncovered the issue with the second-generation small 4x4, which goes on sale in the UK in January, during test drives for the World Car of the Year awards in California. On two test cars the Electronic Stability Programme caused disturbing on-road behaviour in specific circumstances. 

During certain cornering conditions the Jimny's ESP system brakes an individual front wheel as if to correct a skid that isn’t actually occurring. The effect is to cause the car to rock from side-to-side, as the front spring of the braked wheel compresses and expands with the pulsing intervention of the ESP.  The condition can also affect one of the rear wheels.

Chief Jimny programme engineer Hiroyuki Yonezawa attended the event with Autocar, alongside an Australian journalist, and experienced the same issue once it had been demonstrated. Two test cars were provided, both exhibiting the same behaviour.

Suzuki says that this behavior has not previously appeared during Suzuki’s development testing, which included UK roads, or during the international launch event in Germany. Autocar’s own UK road test did not trigger the behaviour either.

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Once alerted, Suzuki immediately despatched additional engineers to the Angeles Crest Highway near Pasadena, California, to investigate. They were able to replicate the behaviour, but have not been able to reproduce it at the company’s test facility in Japan.

In a statement, Suzuki has said that "the continuous activation" of stability control occurred "when a specific road condition, tilt angle in the road, incline and slope, and degree of the curve was combined with a certain level of speed."

"There is a possibility that the (stability control) is instantaneously switched on (by) reacting to the vehicle sway when departing the S-shaped curve - and then consecutively switches on because the vehicle is circling the curve at high speeds."

During this reporter’s test of the car, with chief engineer Yonezawa aboard, the Jimny was driven briskly not only on the particular incline and bend sequence that triggered the behavior, but along an eight mile stretch of the Angeles Crest Highway. On this longer section the nearside front wheel occasionally braked, as did the offside rear wheel.

Suzuki has also said that ‘the intervention of the stability control may give a sense of discomfort to the driver but is not an event that would disturb the vehicle’s direction of movement.’ This would reporter would agree that the vehicle’s direction of travel remains unaltered.

But the side-to-side rocking motion triggered by quick-repeat, single wheel brake interventions, which occurred only on one particular stretch of road taken at a speed higher than the (cautious) mandated limit, would probably alarm an inexperienced driver.

Suzuki says that it will "further analyse the event and carefully consider how to adjust the program while maintaining the Jimny’s performance balance. Therefore, we regret to say we are unable to inform you when exactly we will be able to implement any changes to the program at the moment."

Read more:

Suzuki Jimny waiting list now a year in the UK

2019 Suzuki Jimny: can the compact 4x4 beat a Toyota Land Cruiser

 

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