Maruti Suzuki SX4 (Non-VVT) Jerking Between 1K - 2K RPM


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Hi All,
I Recently picked up a 2009 SX4 ZXI. I had been troubleshooting jerking issue in 2nd and 3rd gear below 2000 RPM, above which its doesnot jerk and feels smooth. I have some automotive experience from which replaced Ignition coils, HT cables, spark plugs, clutch,gearbox oil,battery(it was weak), also cleaned throttle body multiple times. The intensity of jerks reduced to almost 50% when the ignition coils was replaced. The jerking is so violent that it pushes you forward and back. Out of frustration i even cleaned CAM sensor . Recently i approached maruti but they were helpless. After that i had raised a concern to maruti and my car was called to service center. As per them all old M series engine have this low rpm jerk, to support their claim they sourced another 2007 sx4 from true value which had the same type of jerking issue. I havent driven any m series engine but have driven mutiple petrol powered engine from maruti both old and new but none of them jerk below 2000rpm. I tried to replicate this in 2 easily accessible petrol power which was already in my family, a 2008 alto and a 2011 wagon R none of this had the jerks. Any information regarding this would be appreciated.
 
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Hi All,
I Recently picked up a 2009 SX4 ZXI. I had been troubleshooting jerking issue in 2nd and 3rd gear below 2000 RPM, above which its doesnot jerk and feels smooth. I have some automotive experience from which replaced Ignition coils, HT cables, spark plugs, clutch,gearbox oil,battery(it was weak), also cleaned throttle body multiple times. The intensity of jerks reduced to almost 50% when the ignition coils was replaced. The jerking is so violent that it pushes you forward and back. Out of frustration i even cleaned CAM sensor . Recently i approached maruti but they were helpless. After that i had raised a concern to maruti and my car was called to service center. As per them all old M series engine have this low rpm jerk, to support their claim they sourced another 2007 sx4 from true value which had the same type of jerking issue. I havent driven any m series engine but have driven mutiple petrol powered engine from maruti both old and new but none of them jerk below 2000rpm. I tried to replicate this in 2 easily accessible petrol power which was already in my family, a 2008 alto and a 2011 wagon R none of this had the jerks. Any information regarding this would be appreciated.
I;m not sure about this, but have you checked you O2 sensor ? Heard similar issues on Type2 City Vtec. This was a mix of both O2 sensor and some ECU issues. This was sorted out by an updated ECU on 2003 made cars. I'm not sure whether this is the same scenario here, but do check it out if you can. Also do you have any error codes ?
 
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no error codes. took a small test drive with disconnted O2 sensor(still jerks) . As per my understanding, if o2 sensor is not detected my ECM it would run an open loop which would be using the default fuel maps. Did the same exercise with MAP and Knock sensor with no results. Recently did a fuel pump strainer cleaning which is located in the fuel tank. It has also not shown any improvements in the jerks.
 
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SX4 is global product in my opinion search for this trouble in international Suzuki forums, you can try Suzuki global forums google will always translate for you.
 
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I have done extensive searching and found a lot of others facing the same issue, but none of the threads have a solution posted in them. Either no one has found the root cause or they have not updated the thread. Any ways i decided to live with it.
 
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Hi All,
I Recently picked up a 2009 SX4 ZXI. I had been troubleshooting jerking issue in 2nd and 3rd gear below 2000 RPM, above which its does not jerk and feels smooth. I have some automotive experience from which replaced Ignition coils, HT cables, spark plugs, clutch,gearbox oil,battery(it was weak), also cleaned throttle body multiple times. The intensity of jerks reduced to almost 50% when the ignition coils was replaced. The jerking is so violent that it pushes you forward and back. Out of frustration i even cleaned CAM sensor . Recently i approached maruti but they were helpless. After that i had raised a concern to maruti and my car was called to service center. As per them all old M series engine have this low rpm jerk, to support their claim they sourced another 2007 sx4 from true value which had the same type of jerking issue. I havent driven any m series engine but have driven mutiple petrol powered engine from maruti both old and new but none of them jerk below 2000rpm. I tried to replicate this in 2 easily accessible petrol power which was already in my family, a 2008 alto and a 2011 wagon R none of this had the jerks. Any information regarding this would be appreciated.
Seems like this is a well known issue with Non VVT SX4. Are you able to get the issue fixed?
I do own one and I have tried everything possible to get rid of this headache but all my efforts and money I spent did not fetch fruitful results. Replaced all 4 engine mounts, Installed Iridium spark plugs, K&N Stock Cotton Air filter, Throttle Body cleaning (lost the count), Battery, High tension cord wires, Injector cleaning, Fuel filter replacement, upgraded to fully Synthetic 5W30 engine oil, Clutch assembly replacement. None of this could help to fix jerking/shuddering issue at stop and go movement(1st - 3rd gear).

Drive shaft and ignition coil change, MAF sensor cleaning is pending in my list. I'm told that Maruti has recalled 2007 batches for Drive shaft replacement under warranty as a resolution for this problem but again it's a lot of money to be invested. I'm having a second thought about it.
 
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Thread Starter #7
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Seems like this is a well known issue with Non VVT SX4. Are you able to get the issue fixed?
I do own one and I have tried everything possible to get rid of this headache but all my efforts and money I spent did not fetch fruitful results. Replaced all 4 engine mounts, Installed Iridium spark plugs, K&N Stock Cotton Air filter, Throttle Body cleaning (lost the count), Battery, High tension cord wires, Injector cleaning, Fuel filter replacement, upgraded to fully Synthetic 5W30 engine oil, Clutch assembly replacement. None of this could help to fix jerking/shuddering issue at stop and go movement(1st - 3rd gear).

Drive shaft and ignition coil change, MAF sensor cleaning is pending in my list. I'm told that Maruti has recalled 2007 batches for Drive shaft replacement under warranty as a resolution for this problem but again it's a lot of money to be invested. I'm having a second thought about it.
No, i stopped troubleshooting until i get some info on this and also test drove 3 different non VVT sx4, all had the same jerking. I would like to know how long have you owned your sx4 and when did you notice the issue. if you do a deep dive in tbhp you will be able to find enough data about the replacement of driveshaft and engine mountings, but it was done in the same old maruti fashion. It was not a recall, only the customers with this specific concern got replacement of both drive shafts, front and rear mounting, that too was not as per a specific procedure as such. Some got only front mounting replaced and other who had concern even after these replacements got earlier clutch replacements. I personally think this is an ecu calibration issue just because nothing else works. As you have already spend 40k+ i would strongly suggest you to get the ignition coils changed, it will cost another 4k. My sx4's jerking was considerbly reduced after ignition coil replacement.
 
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No, i stopped troubleshooting until i get some info on this and also test drove 3 different non VVT sx4, all had the same jerking. I would like to know how long have you owned your sx4 and when did you notice the issue. if you do a deep dive in tbhp you will be able to find enough data about the replacement of driveshaft and engine mountings, but it was done in the same old maruti fashion. It was not a recall, only the customers with this specific concern got replacement of both drive shafts, front and rear mounting, that too was not as per a specific procedure as such. Some got only front mounting replaced and other who had concern even after these replacements got earlier clutch replacements. I personally think this is an ecu calibration issue just because nothing else works. As you have already spend 40k+ i would strongly suggest you to get the ignition coils changed, it will cost another 4k. My sx4's jerking was considerbly reduced after ignition coil replacement.
I'm the second owner of this vehicle since 2011. I think you are going through all the automotive forums like I did rigourously. I still sometimes search for new discussions on the same topic in domestic and international forums, is how I bumped into this thread. My day starts with Team Bhp for automotive industry updates, Expert reviews, travelogues and exotic cars spotted in India. I have been a big fan of this website since 2010. I have almost read all SX4 related threads in Team BHP. Those who went complaining about Jerky acceleration with dealers were given engine mounts, drive shaft and clutch assembly replacement under warranty. Not all of them at once as some cars needed just mount and drive shaft replacements, some needed all of them. Though that brings substantial changes in driving experience, a minute jerk could be still felt while taking off, according to those benefited customers.

I have once changed Ignition coils for testing purpose at the dealership location but that didn't help either. I think it is something to do with ECU/Throttle Body calibration which should be performed, as same as it was done in QA before the Car left from factory to the dealership. I guess there is a communication gap here. Almost all customers who have complained, started facing this issue after 1st service of the car.

How is your car idles? I have always had minute vibration in idle, after the engine meets optimum temperature. The reason is low idling itself, it slowly settles around 700 rpm when AC is off, around 850 mark with AC ON.
 
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same here, went through every possible thread about M16A engines. About my car's idle, i found it to be a little more rough than all the sx4's i have compared with. After the optimum temp is attained it will try to idle lower towards 700rpm and then the vibration starts. it comes in like waves. The steering wheel, pedals, floor all gives you the feeling that your are on an old diesel car. The way out might be only changing the mount but i thinks its not worth to spend 10k for mounts to eliminate only this vibs at idle.
 
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same here, went through every possible thread about M16A engines. About my car's idle, i found it to be a little more rough than all the sx4's i have compared with. After the optimum temp is attained it will try to idle lower towards 700rpm and then the vibration starts. it comes in like waves. The steering wheel, pedals, floor all gives you the feeling that your are on an old diesel car. The way out might be only changing the mount but i thinks its not worth to spend 10k for mounts to eliminate only this vibs at idle.
I've replaced all 4 MGP engine mounts(front, rear, left and right) at MASS which set me back by approx INR 11K, including labor for installation. Trust me, the vibration still persists, I could hardly feel any improvements in the intensity of vibration that used to creep inside the cabin from engine bay. So my one piece advice for you is, don't change them unless there is significant movement of the engine felt when you drive the car back and forth intermittently, from stranded.

I'm planning to change Ignition coils this weekend. I'll keep you updated if that resolves the vibration issue for me.

Does your car's RPM drops to 500 in 1st gear, when you try to disengage the clutch to enable momentum of the vehicle? This is a big time problem in my car and I think, vibration at idle and RPM drop while taking the car to momentum from 1st gear, are somewhat related and occurring by same source of the problem.

Another important information: SX4 control arm is exorbitantly priced at INR 6.9K/Piece due to SGP(Suzuki group parts) component and are imported from Japan. Old Swift control arm which comes at INR 3.3K/Pair will easily do the job for SX4 and It's also a direct fitment without any modification to it. I'm currently running my car with swift control arms, the ride feels much better. What it more surprised me was, car wheel alignment values were perfect even with Swift control arms.
 
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Assuming Control Arm is same as Lower arm , I think it depends only on tyre size and suspension specs , so it will be a direct fitment across similar range of vehicles, experts do enlighten regarding the same.
 
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I've replaced all 4 MGP engine mounts(front, rear, left and right) at MASS which set me back by approx INR 11K, including labor for installation. Trust me, the vibration still persists, I could hardly feel any improvements in the intensity of vibration that used to creep inside the cabin from engine bay. So my one piece advice for you is, don't change them unless there is significant movement of the engine felt when you drive the car back and forth intermittently, from stranded.

I'm planning to change Ignition coils this weekend. I'll keep you updated if that resolves the vibration issue for me.

Does your car's RPM drops to 500 in 1st gear, when you try to disengage the clutch to enable momentum of the vehicle? This is a big time problem in my car and I think, vibration at idle and RPM drop while taking the car to momentum from 1st gear, are somewhat related and occurring by same source of the problem.

Another important information: SX4 control arm is exorbitantly priced at INR 6.9K/Piece due to SGP(Suzuki group parts) component and are imported from Japan. Old Swift control arm which comes at INR 3.3K/Pair will easily do the job for SX4 and It's also a direct fitment without any modification to it. I'm currently running my car with swift control arms, the ride feels much better. What it more surprised me was, car wheel alignment values were perfect even with Swift control arms.
Yes, when clutch is released from 1st gear, rpm dips to 500 and gives violent vibration But if i disengage slowly and give ecu enough time it will increase the rpm and let you crawl at 600 rpm without any throttle input, this always made me think that the weakest like causing all the trouble is the ECU. The vibration during this scenario is as if, the RH mount is not able to hold the engine in place. The mount design and strength is not sufficient to hold the engine in place. This is just my thoughts, its not scientificaly backed :P .
There also also some more parts like rear wheel hub, brake booster (SGP parts) , which are direct fit from S- cross which are MGP and costs half the price.
In case of lower arm i was a bit spetical because sx4 lower arm has an additional metal welded to it in the bottom for additional strength which is missing for swift. I was considering Tolbros or monore as they are reputable brands and cost are almost same as swift MGP price.

I was also considering an ECU from racedaynamics, if it can control ignition timing, throttle body and injection cycle. I dont mind spending 30k as i picked the car for an attractive price :D
 
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Yes, when clutch is released from 1st gear, rpm dips to 500 and gives violent vibration But if i disengage slowly and give ecu enough time it will increase the rpm and let you crawl at 600 rpm without any throttle input, this always made me think that the weakest like causing all the trouble is the ECU. The vibration during this scenario is as if, the RH mount is not able to hold the engine in place. The mount design and strength is not sufficient to hold the engine in place. This is just my thoughts, its not scientificaly backed :P .
There also also some more parts like rear wheel hub, brake booster (SGP parts) , which are direct fit from S- cross which are MGP and costs half the price.
In case of lower arm i was a bit spetical because sx4 lower arm has an additional metal welded to it in the bottom for additional strength which is missing for swift. I was considering Tolbros or monore as they are reputable brands and cost are almost same as swift MGP price.

I was also considering an ECU from racedaynamics, if it can control ignition timing, throttle body and injection cycle. I dont mind spending 30k as i picked the car for an attractive price :D
My experience with aftermarket Lower arms on SX4:
I had to change lower arms 3 times in last 2 years. For the first time, I picked up a pair of Unbranded ones from a local spare which did not last more than 6 months. Later, Ordered a pair of Monroe lower arms on Boodmo (I know Maruti and other auto players sources their spares from Monroe) which looked absolutely promising for long lasting and solid. To my utter disappointment, bushes torn out very quickly and ball joint movement from day 1 was pathetic due to which the steering feedback suffered substantially. I had to compromise on steering feedback, though the steering rack(MGP) itself was brand new in my car. After 1.2 years(Approx 15K Kms) of continues usage of Monroe lower arms, I started hearing loud thud noise coming from the left side of wheel. It is consistently felt and heard, while going over bad patches of the road. It was clear to me that the culprit is again, Lower arm. Bush that wraps ball Joint is torn and the other bushes were almost at the end of their lives. So, Monroe lower arms could not hold good more than 1.2 years. My drive is 98% on highways.

Now the question that was running at the back of my mind was "Are Swift lower arms capable enough to manage the mighty SX4?"

Started doing some analysis: There is already a confirmation from Team BHP member using Swift Lower arms on his SX4 ZDI(Weighs 1275 kgs, 75 kgs more than my ZXI variant). He replaced Talbros with Swift lower arms.
Swift and Swift dzire shares the same lower arm. Swift Dzire ZDI weighs about 1115 kgs, which is just 85 kgs lesser than SX4 ZXI. This somewhat convinced me that Swift lower arms are capable of managing SX4 ZXI weight, without that additional metal layer which is present in SX4 lower arms. Interms of dimensions as they appear, there is nothing one can differentiate between Swift and SX4 lower arm. All these insights and facts helped me to narrow down my option to Swift lower arms.

Experience with Swift lower arms on SX4:
One word, Brilliant. I'm extremely happy with my decision. Steering feedback has improved by many folds.
- I now feel the car is more agile than ever.
- Gives me confidence in corners (Drastic reduction in body roll - I'm also using buffers in suspension).
- Road noise on the move is less heard. Road undulations and small potholes cannot be felt inside the cabin.
- Zero impact on wheel alignment.
- Cost effective and MGP part which means no substandard product. INR1560/Piece, Cheaper than aftermarket SX4 lower arms. Can replace 4 times at the price of SX4 SGP lower arm.

Regarding ECU upgrade: Please keep us updated here on the performance bit, if you replace stock with "Racedynamics". I have also approached "Red Rooster(Similar to Racedynamics)" once in Bengaluru, the supervisor confirmed that he could fix the low end torque and shuddering issue, by reprogramming or flashing ECM. He gave me a different time slot to visit their service center but I didn't get the time to visit them again. I should consider to see them next week, may be.
 
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Attaching some pictures of my beloved SX4 [:)]
wow, thats a very well maintained car, looks great. I too have the same colour and i can see that you have the lovely leather pack also.Thanks a lot for the info regarding lower arm. I have tolbors(replaced by previous owner) in RH and MGP on LH, both are due for replacement. This was an eye opner and will definitely stick with swift's lower arm. i have hear about RRP but this is a surprise that they are capable of remapping non-VVT SX4 as it is not OBD2 complaint . I have contacted code6 and wolf for the remap, both doesnt have a remap for Non VVT sx4. This is the only reason i considered RD powerTune because their ecu is compatible with pre OB2 versions as well. RD have quoted 30k for powerTune and 70k for the Top of the line R200. If RRP can achive that for a reasonable price, i will definitely drop plans with RD. About the performance bit, i dont think there would be a noticeable performance gain from an old N/A Engine. The sole reason considering one is to make M16A perform the way it should have been. As i have more city driving,getting the low end jerking issue resolved alone will increase the drivability by 50-60% for me, also a bit more efficieny would be an added bonus :D
 

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